BE IN ON THE LAUGH: NZ INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FEST ANNOUNCES 2026 PROGRAMME
The funniest month of the year is back. The NZ Comedy Trust is thrilled to present the 2026 NZ International Comedy Festival with Best Foods Mayo, dishing up non-stop laughs in Auckland and Wellington between 1 – 24 May. Now in its 33rd Auckland edition, and celebrating 30 years in Wellington, this year’s festival brings more than 150 hometown heroes, rising stars and international heavyweights to the stage across more than 550 laugh-out-loud performances.
The full programme and tickets are live from Thursday 5 March 10am at comedyfestival.co.nz.
The NZ Comedy Trust champions the craft of comedy so everyone can share a laugh. The NZ International Comedy Festival is the Trust’s cornerstone event, and a critical milestone for local comedians. At the festival, they develop their artistry, find their audience and make invaluable connections. Once again, this year’s fest puts a spotlight on the undeniable wealth of homegrown talent at all career levels. The local line-up for 2026 includes: Brynley Stent, Paul Ego, Tim Batt, Laser Kiwi, Ginge & Minge, David Correos, Abby Howells, James Nokise, Rhiannon McCall, Mo Munn, Tom Sainsbury, Guy Williams, Melanie Bracewell, Hayley Sproull, Alan McElroy, Anita Wigl’it, Neil Thornton, Angella Dravid, TimProvise, Ray O’Leary, Kajun Brooking, Jerome Chandrahasen, Courtney Dawson and so many more unmissable acts.
There’s plenty of international talent to discover at the 2026 Fest too, including Jake Lambert, Jessie Nixon, Emmanuel Sonubi, Sashi Perera, Elf Lyons, Benny Feldman, Ed Night, Tarang Hardikar, Sofie Hagen and more. They join returning favourites, including last year’s Best International joint-winners Elouise Eftos and Rosco McClelland, as well as Felicity Ward, Ivan Aristeguieta, Heath Franklin’s Chopper, Anisa Nandaula, Emma Holland, Phil Nichol, Nazeem Hussain, He Huang, Danny Ward, Alfred Adriaan, Tom Cashman and more.
With so many great comedians to choose from in this year’s stacked programme, the NZ Comedy Trust’s signature line-up shows offer the ultimate Festival sampler, giving audiences their fix of Aotearoa mainstays, new favourites and big hitters. Leading the charge is the jewel in the festival crown, the Best Foods Comedy Gala with host Dai Henwood, ONZM, heading to Auckland, Wellington and, for the first time in almost 10 years, Christchurch.
For a second year, B**** Better Have My Funny, a line-up show created in 2025 to celebrate the brilliance of women and non-binary comedians, returns to Auckland on the Q mainstage hosted by Justine Smith (Taskmaster and 7 Days). Crowd fave Best Comedy Show On Earth also returns to SkyCity Theatre to deliver handpicked highlights from this year’s programme, with host Jack Tucker in Aotearoa direct from New York for the very first time.
Joe Daymond’s Comedy Mixtape is also back! The social media and stand-up sensation brings a curated selection of absolute must-sees from the local comedy scene to Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Whanganui-a-Tara.
Late Laughs keeps the Capital cackling well into the night every Friday and Saturday at The Hannah, and NZ Comedy Trust is rolling the laughs out across the Wellington region with the return of Comedy Fest in Kāpiti hosted by Sam Smith (The Traitors NZ), and, for the first time, Comedy Fest in Petone every Friday and Saturday and Comedy Fest in Porirua every Sunday during the festival.
Comedy is as much about discovering fresh funny people as it is seeing old faves deliver cracking new jokes. Those eager to get the jump on both can head to the Tāmaki Makaurau Preview Show on 29 April and Te Whanganui-a-Tara Preview Show on 30 April for sneak peeks of what’s to come in this year’s Fest. In Auckland catch 2025 Billy T winner Hoani Hotene, alongside Annie Guo, Joel Vinsen, Liv McKenzie, Renee Church and more. In Wellington, 2025 Billy T nominee Lesa MacLeod-Whiting hosts the night of laughs, with Jundas Capone, Kipling DC, Opeti Vaka, Sarah Tuck, Samantha Hannahand more on the line-up.
Closing out the Festival in style is the Last Laughs Awards Gala at SkyCity Theatre. This annual night of comedy excellence sees the 2026 Billy T and Fred Award nominees ply their craft for the judges one last time before discovering who takes the iconic yellow towel and gumboot trophies home. Last Laughs 2026 is hosted by previous Fred and Billy T winner Guy Montgomery (whose most recent gongs have come from over the Tasman, winning the Australian screen industry’s Most Popular New Talent and Best Comedy Performer).
In 2026, the NZ International Comedy Festival steps into an official presenting role alongside its Trust-produced events and artist-led programme, bringing a trio of international shows directly to Aotearoa audiences. Fresh from acclaimed runs overseas, Australian comedy whirlwind Lou Wall brings their hilariously unhinged new hour Where Are All The Tall Grandmas to Q Theatre’s Rangatira for one night only, while New York’s gloriously chaotic variety sensation STAMPTOWN, hosted by clown bad-boy Zach Zucker, hits Q Theatre before tearing into The Hannah in Wellington. And for late-night chaos gremlins, Zucker’s absurdist stand-up alter ego Jack Tucker (the very same Best Comedy Show On Earth host you read about two minutes ago!) lands in Auckland and Wellington for two very special, very unpredictable shows.
If that isn’t enough, there are even more epic New Zealand Comedy Trust events still to be announced in the coming weeks, featuring comedy legends, fresh faces, literary and screen icons and more.
Phew! That’s a lot of funny to pack into three weeks, so clear your calendar, grab your mates and get ready to laugh this May.
2026 NZ INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL WITH BEST FOODS MAYO
1 – 24 May, 2026
Auckland and Wellington
The full programme is live and on-sale from 10am at comedyfestival.co.nz