Aberdeen Comedy Festival to Open With Russell Howard, Connor Burns, and More
Russell Howard, Connor Burns, Susan Calman and Maisie Adam headline the festival at venues across the city.
Aberdeen Comedy Festival will kick off this week for three weekends of top-class comedy, Saturday 19 September – Sunday 4 October 2026. Presented by Aberdeen Performing Arts and supported by Aberdeen Inspired, the Comedy Festival will bring top names from the UK comedy circuit, the stars of tomorrow and local comedic talent to venues across the city for a fortnight of fun.
Aberdeen Performing Arts CEO/Creative Director Sharon Burgess said: 'From our showstopping headline acts to the exciting new talent on offer, the Aberdeen Comedy Festival will be full of chances to get involved and to join us for a good laugh. It is fast becoming the next stop for comedians after the Edinburgh Fringe, putting the Granite City firmly on the map for the annual comedy circuit.
'We are incredibly proud to see our Digital Marketing Executive, Louise Chan, present her first photography exhibition during the festival, and His Majesty's Theatre is also getting in on the act with a week-long run of The Steamie.
'We're delighted it's finally time to say the 2026 Comedy Festival has arrived!'
Aberdeen's Music Hall will host the festivals headline acts, including brand new shows from global sensations Russell Howard and Connor Burns, the first show in a decade from Susan Calman, and the Gallus Glaswegian and Scotland's SNL UK star Larry Dean. The laughter continues across the city as Taskmaster S20 winner Maisie Adam comes to the Tivoli; Killian Sunderman, Laura Lexx, Sophia Wren and more make their way to the Lemon Tree, and the North East's own Robin Grainger appears at Wild Goose over the course of the festival.
Comedy lovers looking to make the most of the Festival should head to the Lemon Tree for Late Night at the Lemon Tree which promises very best comics from comedy clubs across the UK. Amanda Dwyer, Alexandra Haddow, Raj Poojara and Will Owen will host with a different line-up of comedy talent every night. Jamie Finn, Adam Flood, Fab Goualin, Tamsyn Kelly, Kathy Maniura, Pravanya Pillay all make their way to Aberdeen for one night only, with additional appearances from Festival comedians Kim Blythe, Shaparak Khorsandi and Craig Hill.
Younger audiences will also be giggling with family-friendly shows from Comedy Club 4 Kids, Balloonatic, and Ted Hill Teaches You Science, Most of Which Is True. And the whole family can get in on the fun as Tony Roper's The Steamie makes it way to His Majesty's Theatre for the last week of the festival, starring the Olivier award-winning actress Lesley Mackie and popular His Majesty's Theatre panto star Paul J Corrigan.
The laughter doesn't stop there, as the Music Hall hosts the Ye Had Ti Be There photography exhibition, curated by Louise Chan, photographer and Digital Marketing Executive at Aberdeen Performing Arts. Featuring shots of comedians who performed at last year's Aberdeen Comedy Festival, the exhibition captures the unguarded moment of enjoying a joke. Starting with Chris McCausland and a joke about Mickey Mouse, the exhibition documents a daisy chain of mirth from one comedian to the next. A rare and intimate glimpse into the green rooms of comedy clubs across the country.
With a programme packed to the gills with top comedic talent, Aberdeen Comedy Festival promises to get the Granite City giggling with a fortnight of fun.
Adrian Watson, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: 'The Aberdeen Comedy Festival is almost here and it's going to be fun-tastic – if you'll forgive the terrible pun. Don't worry, there will be far better laughs than that in store from the brilliant line-up of top-flight comedians descending on the Granite City.
'With so many gigs taking place over the next three weekends, the festival will transform Aberdeen, creating a buzzing, festival atmosphere as people enjoy outstanding stand-up, whether from household names or up-and-coming comedians who will be the stars of tomorrow.
'The added bonus of the Aberdeen Comedy Festival is the thousands of people it will bring into the city centre. They will not only go to a show – hopefully several - but also enjoy a drink, a meal and possibly even stay overnight, all of which is a boost for our bricks and mortar traders and local economy.'
Aberdeen Comedy Festival 2026 takes place Saturday 19 September to Sunday 4 October at Aberdeen Performing Arts spaces and venues across the city.
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GETTING REKT (The Evening Star) The Union Theatre (9/21-9/24) |
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Count Arthur Strong - And Its Goodnight From Me! Tyne Theatre (4/17-4/17) |
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Switzerland Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds (10/09-10/24) |
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Top Secret The Magic of Science: High Voltage Victoria Theatre Halifax (10/18-10/18) |
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It's All Greek New Wolsey Theatre (10/08-10/08) |
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Kick the Door Down Theatreship (9/25-9/25) |
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Undertale: The Determination Symphony World Tour Victoria Theatre Halifax (11/13-11/13) |
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Black Panther (12A) The Royal Albert Hall (10/09-10/09) |
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Christmas with the Royal Choral Society The Royal Albert Hall (12/07-12/07) |
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Steve Steinman''s Bat! Bat Out of Hell 50th Anniversary Tour The SSE Arena, Belfast (10/22-10/22) |
