Are you ready to laugh so hard it hurts? One of the largest comedy festivals in the world, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) returns next month with a program that promises to be as entertaining as it is expansive. Since being launched in 1987 by Barry Humphries and Peter Cook, the festival has since grown to become Australia's largest cultural ticketed event offering both family entertainment and show-stopping adult performances. After Montreal's Just for Laughs and the Edinburgh Fringe, MICF is the third-largest comedy festival in the world and attracts the crème de la crème of comedians from across Australia and around the globe. In 2024, you can expect a mammoth line-up of international performers such as Atsuko Okatsuka (USA), Carl Donnelly (UK), David O’Doherty (Ireland), Fern Brady (Scotland), Larry Dean (Scotland), Chloe Petts (UK), Julia Masli (Estonia), Lara Ricote (Mexico), John Hastings (Canada), Arj Barker (USA), Jason Leong (Malaysia), Melanie Bracewell (NZ), Jimeoin (Ireland), Spankie Jackzon (NZ), Urzila Carlson (NZ) and more. As for local acts, you can see the likes of Aaron Chen, Ali McGregor, Anna Piper Scott, Anne Edmonds, Aurelia St Clair, Celia Pacquola, Christian Hull, Claire Hooper, Dave Hughes, Fergus Neal, Gen Fricker, Geraldine Hickey, Gillian Cosgriff, Hannah Gadsby, Joel Creasey, Jon Walpole, Julian O’Shea, Lizzy Hoo, Lou Wall, Mel and Sam, Nazeem Hussain, Nina Oyama, Prue Blake, Reuben Kaye, Rhys Nicholson, Scout Boxall, Sez,
Have your plans for tonight fallen through, or are you simply the type to live on the edge and wait until the last possible moment to plan your day? Luckily, Melbourne is the type of city where you can always count on finding something fun to do on short notice.
From five-star musicals and warm-weather activations to cool gigs and nearby day trips, we've got you covered with our curated guide to everything fun happening right now. Have a scroll, lace up your shoes and prepare to hit the town.