Overview
The funniest month of the year is almost here, with the New Zealand International Comedy Festival taking over the country from Friday, May 3–Sunday, May 26. The three-week-long festival spans across 24 venues and 600 performances, featuring 150-plus comedians from 25 different countries. The festival will begin with one of its most highly anticipated events: the Best Foods Comedy Gala, hosted by Chris Parker, and heading to both Auckland and Wellington.
Parker will be joined on the gala stage by a range of talented comedians, such as Australian and New Zealand fan favourites like Hayley Sproull, Heath Franklin's Chopper, Alice Snedden and Pax Assadi, just to name a few. This group are just a sample of the local and international names set to get you giggling across the full fest, some of which include Adam Kay and The Guilty Feminist from the UK, Wilson Dixon from the US, Hannah Campbell from Scotland and David O'Doherty from Ireland.
As well as stand-up shows, there are multiple events held throughout the three-week laugh fest. The Best Comedy Show on Earth gives audiences a taste of the latest and greatest in the comedy scene, from veteran joke crackers to brand-new gigglers. The best type of comedy often arises from arguments, which is exactly what happens in the inaugural Great Comedy Debate. This year, the teams will be tackling the question everybody has been asking: are humans really the best animal?
The final act of the jam-packed three weeks is Last Laughs, headed up by award-winning comedian and RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under judge Rhys Nicholson. While the jokes will continue to flow, this event is slightly more serious for comedians, as the recipients of the coveted Comedy Fest Awards will be revealed — the Billy T Award and the Fred Award, two of the greatest accolades to have bestowed on you in NZ's comedy industry.
The New Zealand International Comedy Festival 2024 will run from Friday, May 3–Sunday, May 26. For the full program and to book tickets, head to the website.