Seventeenth edition of the Harrogate Comedy Festival, with stand-up, improv and storytelling from Paul Merton, Miriam Margolyes, Jason Byrne and others.
The Harrogate Comedy Festival is back at Harrogate Theatre from Wednesday 30 September to Sunday 1 November, now in its 17th year. It's become one of the town's autumn fixtures, and the 2026 line-up is a long one. Paul Merton, Miriam Margolyes, Jason Byrne, Suki Webster, Seann Walsh, Daniel Kitson, Tez Ilyas, Larry Dean, Ed Patrick, Olaf Falafel, Maisie Adam, Laura Smyth and Showstopper! are all on the bill, so there's plenty to pick from over the course of the week.
It's not just stand-up, either. The programme mixes stand-up, improv, storytelling and family entertainment, including shows for children, so it works if you're coming alone or bringing the whole family. Programmer Marcus Romer describes the festival as one of the highlights of the town's calendar, and that's a fair shout given how much it pulls together in one go. The whole thing is sponsored by Harrogate Theatre's primary partner, Vet Dentist.
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Most of the action is at the theatre, but the festival reaches beyond it, with some nights staged at the Royal Hall. That means you'll be moving between the two venues depending on which shows you book, so it's worth checking the location for each act before you commit. With the festival running from Wednesday through to Sunday, you can fit in a single night or spread your visits across the week.
