Leicester Comedy Festival Line-Up Announced!

The Leicester Comedy Festival is back for 2026 and this year they are exploring the Art of Comedy!

The biggest and best comedy festival in Europe has been running for more than 30 years now and this year is bringing nearly 700 shows to the city and county, including a whole host of new and returning venues.

Running from 4 – 22 February 2026, tickets are now on sale for all of the events and you can pick up a copy of the brochure from around the city or find it on the Leicester Comedy Festival website.

The festival continues to bring some of the biggest names in comedy to the city and this year is no exception, with the likes of Maisie Adams, Ahir Shah, Sophie Duker, Sara Pascoe, Chris McCausland, Darren Harriott and Olga Koch. There will also be the chance to see the LEGENDARY Stephen Fry in conversation with festival founder Geoff Rowe at De Montfort Hall.

The festival takes over the city’s venues for three weeks, with all of your favourite venues being packed to the rafters with great value comedy shows, plus a range of surprising new and returning locations including Kayal, Hive & Honey, Old Newtonians RFC, the Great Central Railway and Cosby Village Hall!

This year their commitment to taking the festival out into Leicestershire is even more evident with two BIG weekends in Harborough and Blaby, along with shows in Lutterworth, Waltham on the Wolds, Foxton, Cosby, Melton Mowbray, Oadby and Queniborough.

Some of the Festival’s favourite shows will be returning, including the UK Pun Championships, which will be at De Montfort Hall on Monday 9 February, and of course the Leicester Comedian of the Year at The Y Theatre on 21 February. This title recognises the rising stars of comedy and has been won by the likes of Romesh Ranganathan, Rhod Gilbert and Jason Manford, with the runners up equally as notable, with the likes of Rosie Jones, Jimmy Carr, Rob Beckett, Greg Davies and Andi Osho.

The comedy festival’s commitment to supporting new and emerging talent is demonstrated through the number of shows which showcase those just breaking into the scene, no matter their age, gender circumstance. These include Circuit Breakers for the very best new and emerging talent, Bringing the Gap for those from underrepresented groups in the comedy scene, and Silver Stand Up for those people coming to comedy later in life.

The Festival also includes the UK Kids’ Comedy Festival, which runs alongside the main festival and is packed full of fantastic shows for a younger audience, with big names including Shelf, Olaf Falafel, Jody Kamali and Abi-Carter Simpson, plus opportunities for kids to try their hand at comedy with workshops, special events and the Laugh Academy. There’s also prizes and opportunities for the funniest school and loads more.

Head to the Leicester Comedy Festival website to get all the info, see all the shows on offer and start planning your funny February!