A week-long comedy festival is set to take over two towns with more than 90 live events.
The Hastings Comedy Festival will return to venues across Hastings and St Leonards from June 1 to June 7, 2026 with an extensive line-up of established stars and rising talent.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit hastingscomedyfestival.com.
Big names announced for the 2026 edition include Taskmaster champion Maisie Adam, stand-up and podcast host Red Richardson, Mock The Week regular Rhys James and comedian Joe Wells.
Hastings Comedy Festival director Chris Young said: "This year’s festival promises to be a vibrant mix of laughter and creativity, offering something for everyone from classic stand-up comedy to clowning, theatre to puppetry and more.
"With tour performances, exclusive previews and WIPs from some of the UK’s biggest names to the freshest new Hastings talent, festivalgoers will experience the absolute best of the comedy scene down by the seaside, and we can’t wait to see you there."
The line-up also features American actor and sketch comedian Russell Hicks, British-Pakistani comic Tez Ilyas, Mexican-American-Venezuelan storyteller Lara Ricote and political comedian Mark Thomas.
Returning acts include the improv group The RH Experience, Singaporean stand-up and Edinburgh Fringe 2024 Best Newcomer winner Jin Hao Li and comedian President Obonjo.
Canadian stand-up Tony Law and 2025 Norman Award winner Oliver Moore will also perform.
The festival will take place across a variety of venues including The Albion, Observer Building, White Rock Studio, Jenny Lind, Ye Olde Pump House, The Piper, The St Leonard, Oscars, Electric Palace and Sugarpie Honeybuns.
It will also return to Frenches, Brewing Brother@Source and The Printworks.
Special events throughout the week include late-night comedy, Open Mic Saturday at Ye Olde Pump House and Comedy for Kids at the festival’s newest venue, The Spun Glass Theatre, located in The Stade area of Hastings Old Town.
The week concludes with the Norman Award newcomer competition, hosted at The Piper on Sunday afternoon.
Printed programmes are available at locations throughout Hastings.
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