Upcoming events

Upcoming eventsUpcoming events

A Night of Stand-Up Gold at the Blackpool Comedy Festival!

Get ready for a blockbuster night of comedy as Manford’s Comedy Club headlines the Blackpool Comedy Festival 2025! This unmissable show will bring four top stand-ups to the legendary Opera House for an evening packed with big laughs, sharp wit, and unforgettable performances.

Line-up

MC: Hayley Ellis – A festival favourite, Hayley’s infectious energy and razor-sharp observations will have you in stitches from the start.

Emmanuel Sonubi – As seen on Live at the Apollo, Emmanuel’s quick wit and larger-than-life stage presence make him one of the UK’s most exciting comics.

Maisie Adam – Mock The Week regular and comedy powerhouse Maisie Adam delivers fast-paced, high-energy hilarity with her trademark Northern charm.

Russell Howard – One of the biggest names in British comedy, Russell brings his world-famous storytelling and infectious humour to the Opera House stage for a night of laugh-out-loud entertainment.

Join us for a stand-up spectacle like no other, featuring the very best of British comedy in one of the UK’s most iconic venues

Inspired by the famed Covent Garden, Blackpool’s Festival Square will bring the magic of live street performance to the heart of the resort for the Blackpool Comedy Festival 2025. Over the festival’s closing weekend, 31 May – 1 June, St John’s Square will transform into an open-air arena of laughter, spectacle, and world-class entertainment.

Throughout the day, an incredible line-up of comedy street performers, physical comedians, and interactive entertainers will take to the streets, delivering jaw-dropping stunts, high-energy comedy, and unforgettable audience interactions. From hilarious improv acts to mind-blowing circus skills and slapstick routines, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

With back-to-back performances from 11am to 5pm, the atmosphere will be electric as some of the UK’s top street performers bring their unique brand of humour to Blackpool. Inspired by the vibrant street theatre scene of Covent Garden, Festival Square will celebrate the art of live performance, where comedy meets spectacle in an unforgettable setting.

Showtown and Queer Amusements present this peek behind the process of realising your very own character comedy creations with comedian and art-school dropout Gareth Joyner.

Spend the day exploring the process of developing comedy characters from the ground up whist discovering how drag and gender-play can enhance an act. Learn the basics of connecting with an audience in live performance and discuss the long history and traditions in which these art forms exist.

Fun for seasoned pros and absolute beginners alike with a lovely lunch included!

Recommend for ages 18+

A little about Gareth…

Gareth Joyner is a writer and character comedian who likes to explore being northern, working class and queer, and how those subjects manifest themselves in the heady world of light entertainment. Incorporating both drag and clowning in their practice, Gareth is perhaps best known for their work with registered empath Myra DuBois and (to a lesser extent) the last straight man in showbiz: Frank Lavender.

Gareth has performed with Myra DuBois and Frank Lavender on television, in film and on stages both nationally and internationally with sold out tours around the UK, as well as lighting up social media with hilarious viral videos, and packing out London’s notorious Royal Vauxhall Tavern with Myra’s weekly smash hit residency.

Recently, following a performance of both Frank Lavender and Myra DuBois, an academic type described Gareth as an “artist using two wonderfully distorted poles on a binary to thoroughly interrogate current queer discourses using popular forms” and frankly, Gareth Joyner couldn’t think of a better way to describe their work. Which really, is quite a damning indictment of their ability as a writer.

Russ Brown presents The House of Secrets Magic Show.

Packed with close up magic, illusions and stage magic, this family show has something for everyone and promises an evening like no other in Blackpool.

Experience magic and illusion in the intimate surroundings of the House of Secrets for a night out to remember!

Why let comedians have all the laughs? Get a caricature so good, even your mirror will crack up!

Caricature with Attitude, are two passionate artists dedicated to bringing your smiley faces to life. They have a keen eye for detail, a love for storytelling through art and will create a moment that lasts a lifetime. The perfect Blackpool Comedy Festival souvenir!

Pop into Abingdon Street Market for a unique dining experience, independent retailers and get yourself a funny portrait!

Caricature prices:
£15 single, £25 double, £7.50 per any extra person