--- title: "Gold Coast Laughs Festival 2026: 18 December" description: "Gold Coast Laughs Festival 2026, 18 December 2026, Gold Coast, Australia: the dates, the kinds of comedy and where to book." url: https://comedyfestivalguide.com/festivals/gold-coast-laughs-festival/ updated: 2026-11-12 --- ![Grand gilded opera house from the balcony, audience heads in foreground; stalls not full](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/img/photos/ind-theaters-1600.webp) Stand-up Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia # Gold Coast Laughs Festival 2026 18 December 2026 Gold Coast Laughs is the Gold Coast's own comedy festival, a packed week and a half of shows at HOTA, the city's Home of the Arts. The 2026 edition ran from 13 to 22 March, its programme a run of stand-up hours from Lizzy Hoo, Luke Heggie, Zoë Coombs Marr, Matt Okine, Michael Hing, Damien Power, Nick Cody and Takashi Wakasugi, with Local Laughs and Late Laughs nights on its weekend. Between festivals it puts on a Christmas Comedy Gala at HOTA, on Friday 18 December 2026 at 8 pm, and the 2027 dates are still to be announced. [Official site ↗](https://gclaughs.com.au/) [Add to calendar](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/festivals/gold-coast-laughs-festival/festival.ics) ## The 2026 festival The Gold Coast Laughs Festival 2026 is a one-day festival, on Friday 18 December 2026, in Gold Coast, Australia. On its stages: stand-up. Tickets, times and the full programme are on the festival's site. [Comedy festivals in 2026, month by month](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/answers/comedy-festivals-this-year/). At a glance **Dates** 18 December 2026 **Where** Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia **Comedy** Stand-up **Checked** NaN undefined NaN ### Comedians connected to it [Craig Quartermaine](https://disciplesofcomedy.com/sucdb.html?p=craig-quartermaine) [Damien Power](https://disciplesofcomedy.com/sucdb.html?p=damien-power) [Dan Rath](https://disciplesofcomedy.com/sucdb.html?p=dan-rath) [Daniel Muggleton](https://disciplesofcomedy.com/sucdb.html?p=daniel-muggleton) [Dave Thornton](https://disciplesofcomedy.com/sucdb.html?p=dave-thornton) [John Cruckshank](https://disciplesofcomedy.com/sucdb.html?p=john-cruckshank) [Lizzy Hoo](https://disciplesofcomedy.com/sucdb.html?p=lizzy-hoo) [Luke Heggie](https://disciplesofcomedy.com/sucdb.html?p=luke-heggie) [Matt Okine](https://disciplesofcomedy.com/sucdb.html?p=matt-okine) [Michael Hing](https://disciplesofcomedy.com/sucdb.html?p=michael-hing) [Nick Capper](https://disciplesofcomedy.com/sucdb.html?p=nick-capper) [Nick Cody](https://disciplesofcomedy.com/sucdb.html?p=nick-cody) [Takashi Wakasugi](https://disciplesofcomedy.com/sucdb.html?p=takashi-wakasugi) ### Your working holiday in Gold Coast You're here to work, and it's still a trip. Somewhere for the gap before a set, a place to watch people and find material, where the locals really go, and every one priced on the comedy ladder, from Open mic (free) to Arena star. **Other festivals taking acts around the same dates:** [Impro INvention (Improvention)](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/festivals/impro-invention-improvention/) (7–13 December 2026); [SteelStacks Improv Comedy Festival](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/festivals/steelstacks-improv-comedy-festival/) (22–24 January 2027). #### Between sets - Open mic · Free **HOTA Outdoor Art Sculpture Walk** A self-guided trail of big outdoor sculptures through the lakeside parkland at Bundall Near HOTA, Home of the Arts [Their site ↗](https://hota.com.au/visit/our-precinct) - Feature · $45 **Fu Manchu Oriental** A two-level modern Asian restaurant on Chevron Island, a short walk over the footbridge from Bundall Near HOTA, Home of the Arts [Their site ↗](https://fumanchuoriental.com/) #### Where to find material - Open mic · Free **Miami Marketta** A street food night market in a Miami warehouse laneway, live bands and a crowd of all ages [Their site ↗](https://www.miamimarketta.com/) #### Where the locals go - Feature · $33 **The Pav** The beachfront pub at Burleigh Heads, fish and chips and cold drinks looking out at the surf [Their site ↗](https://www.thepavburleigh.com/food-menu) Updated 13 November 2026. Prices are what each place lists, per person. ### More comedy festivals in Australia - [ITS Comedy Festival](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/festivals/its-comedy-festival/) · 8–15 November 2026 · Sydney, Australia · Improv, Sketch, Stand-up [Tickets ↗](https://improvtheatresydney.com.au/its-comedy-festival-2026-shows/) - [Just For Laughs Sydney](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/festivals/just-for-laughs-sydney/) · 9–22 November 2026 · Sydney, Australia · Stand-up [Tickets ↗](https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/just-for-laughs) - [Impro INvention (Improvention)](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/festivals/impro-invention-improvention/) · 7–13 December 2026 · Canberra, Australia · Improv [Tickets ↗](https://impro.com.au/improvention-shows/) - [FRINGE WORLD](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/festivals/fringe-world/) · 20 January – 14 February 2027 · Perth, Australia · Fringe [Tickets ↗](https://fringeworld.com.au/how-to-buy-tickets) - [Adelaide Fringe](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/festivals/adelaide-fringe/) · 19 February – 21 March 2027 · Adelaide, Australia · Fringe [Tickets ↗](https://adelaidefringe.com.au/) - [Canberra Comedy Festival](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/festivals/canberra-comedy-festival/) · 10–21 March 2027 · Canberra, Australia · Stand-up [Tickets ↗](https://canberracomedyfestival.com.au/shows) - [Melbourne International Comedy Festival](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/festivals/melbourne-international-comedy-festival/) · 24 March – 18 April 2027 · Melbourne, Australia · Stand-up [Tickets ↗](https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/the-gala/) - [Sydney Comedy Festival](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/festivals/sydney-comedy-festival/) · 12 April – 16 May 2027 · Sydney, Australia · Stand-up, Sketch, Improv [Tickets ↗](https://www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au/?s&key=upcoming) [What comedy festivals are in Australia?](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/answers/comedy-festivals-in-australia/) ### Questions **When is the Gold Coast Laughs Festival 2026?** 18 December 2026 in Gold Coast, Australia. **Where do I book for the Gold Coast Laughs Festival?** On the festival's site, gclaughs.com.au, which also has the latest programme and any changes. ### Sources - [gclaughs.com.au, the festival's site ↗](https://gclaughs.com.au/) - [gclaughs.com.au/about.html: about the festival (as of NaN undefined NaN) ↗](https://gclaughs.com.au/about.html) [Every comedy festival](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/#festivals) Your Vision Board ### “I want to do that.” “We could play there.” Tap ♡ on any card to keep it here, with the festivals and ideas you save on the front page. [Open my Vision Board →](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/#board) Comedy news 8 in the last few days ### The latest in comedy. - [Industry 13 Nov **'Sunset P.I.' Comedy Sets Release Date At NBC; First Photos**](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/news/#s-805cbae7c56eb76f) - [Industry 12 Nov **25 years of making stuff up...**](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/news/#s-6f7b7c2564d67908) - [Industry 11 Nov **Bruce Springsteen fan club breaks up after his Abdul El-Sayed endorsement**](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/news/#s-ffe163342778448f) [All the comedy news →](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/news/) Festival first. The city too. ### Leave room between the shows. Getting across town, a proper meal and a little exploring all belong in your festival day. [The city guides →](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/cities/) Next call to close ### SteelStacks Improv Comedy Festival Closes 13 November 2026, US$25 to apply. 31 festivals are taking acts now. [Every open call →](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/answers/comedy-festivals-open-for-submissions/) [New · make the bill **Build your dream festival** Your town, your comics, your poster. Build yours](https://comedyfestivalguide.com/dream-festival/)