Welcome to Leith Comedy Festival!

Comedy for good. Laughter for all.

In October 2023, Leith rocked with laughter as we proudly hosted the very first Leith Comedy Festival. It was a weekend filled with stand-up, storytelling, workshops, family shows, and even a quiz marked the beginning of a new chapter, where comedy met community in all the best ways.

Our Mission: Inspiration through Laughter

Leith Comedy Festival is more than just a series of events; it's a social enterprise with a mission. We exist to inspire and create opportunities for the vibrant community of Leith through the universal language of laughter.

How do we do this?

There are three parts to Leith Comedy Festival:

1. Leith Comedy Festival Annual Event

Join us every October for a weekend filled with laughter in all its forms. From side-splitting stand-up to family-friendly shows and interactive workshops, our annual event is a celebration of the diverse and boundless nature of laughter.

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2. Leith Comedy Festival Presents…

Throughout the year, we bring you individual comedy gigs that showcase the funniest comedians around, with a spotlight on the incredible talent based in Scotland. Get ready for a year-round dose of laughter that transcends the boundaries of our October festivities. In August, we handpick the finest visiting comedians so you can see the best of the Edinburgh Fringe right here in Leith.

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3. Leith Comedy Festival Community

In collaboration with other local social enterprises and charities, we host events that go beyond the stage. From comedy performance workshops with the Citadel Youth Centre to other community initiatives, we believe in using laughter as a catalyst for positive change.

Navigating Challenges: From lockdowns to laughter

Our journey wasn't without difficulty. The original plan for a weekend festival in October 2020 faced an unforeseen obstacle: a global pandemic. Undeterred, Leith Comedy Festival navigated through the challenges and ever-changing restrictions, creating events one at a time using perseverance and a massive dose of creative thinking.

Adapting to Change: Beyond the Stage

The pandemic meant that normal rules didn’t apply, and it was necessary to reinvent the plan to get people laughing, at a time when people needed it most. A Beer Yoga class with Projekt 42 connected people online with a drink and a stretch. Once restrictions were lifted, a comedy tour with Invisible Cities guided us through the streets of Leith as we ventured outside. This was also filmed and live-streamed for those who were unable to join the live tour.

Standup Finally Takes Centre Stage

As indoor events became legal again, Leith Comedy Festival embraced the stage with "Leith Comedy Festival Presents..." Headlined by the likes of Christopher Macarthur-Boyd, Josie Long, and Larry Dean, we finally got to put on standup shows, which would usually be the starting point for a new comedy festival.

In October 2023, we finally got to put all the events together into one fantastic weekend.

Leith Comedy Festival is more than an event; it's a testament to the resilience of laughter in the face of adversity, now and in the future. Join us in celebrating the full spectrum of comedy, where every laugh, hoot and snort contributes to the vibrant tapestry of Leith!