Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Late March to mid-April

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is Australia's largest annual cultural event, featuring as many as 230 different shows and drawing as many as 400,000 attendees. The festival was founded in 1987 by two comedians, Barry Humphries and Peter Cook.
For three and a half weeks, Melbourne becomes a comedy metropolis, with many activities taking place at the city's Town Hall. The main event in festivals past has been the Opening Night Gala, which features an all-star lineup.
Along with enjoying standup comedy, festival attendees also check out theatre events, street performance, and short films. Comedians who stand out from the rest of the pack receive official awards at the end of the festival.
Every year festival planners maintain a strong focus on fostering new comedic talents. In the months preceding the big event, competitions are held throughout Australia to determine who will perform at the main stage in Melbourne. Comedians of nearly all ages are welcomed: there is a Class Clown contest for youths between ages 9 and 17 in addition to the Raw Comedy open-mic competition for adult artists.

CONTACTS:
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
P.O. Box 341
Fitzroy
Victoria 3065 Australia
www.comedyfestival.com.au