Comedy / Bristol Comedy Festival
A bigger and better Bristol Comedy Festival aims to banish the January blues in 2025
With new funding from Bristol City Centre BID, Bristol Comedy Festival is back and bigger than ever for 2025.
Following several one or two-day iterations in recent years, the event is expanding to nearly a fortnight of mixed bills, showcases, competition heats, work-in-progress and tour shows, and in a new season, too – preparing to banish the January blues from January 12-25.
Amongst the highlights there will be secret headliners promised, as well as roast battles, sketch acts and a comedy rave, for which organisers say “think Boiler Room meets standup”.
The event is co-organised by local standups and comedy promotors Burt Williamson and Harry Allmark, the latter who admits: “When I first moved to Bristol, I never imagined we’d be creating something on this scale.
Harry Allmark, standup, promotor, and co-founder of Bristol Comedy Festival and The Bristol Comedy Club
“This festival is about showing off the talent this city has to offer and creating new opportunities for both performers and audiences. After years of grassroots work, it’s a dream to have the backing to grow Bristol into a go-to comedy destination.”
After a launch party at Bambalan on opening night, participating venues include Mr Wolfs, The Robin Hood, The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer, Basement 45, The Drawbridge, The Milk Thistle, The Folk House and selected locations on King Street.
More detail on the programme is expected to be announced over the coming weeks, although confirmed names so far include Mark Watson, Helen Bauer, Brennan Reece, Priya Hall, Amy Matthews, Jin Hao Li and Tom Glover.
Helen Bauer – photo: James Deacon
Also integral to Bristol Comedy Festival’s commitment to supporting new talent will be the first ever Bristol Comedy Competition, with all heats and a grand final taking place over the two weeks, and a £1,000 prize fund for the winner.
The official charity partner for the festival is TAP for Bristol, the initiative that combines contactless technology with local giving – aiming to raise money for vital services in the city that support those experiencing homelessness.
“This partnership allows us to make a meaningful contribution to the community we love,” says Allmark.
Bristol Comedy Festival is at multiple venues on January 12-25 2025. For more information and tickets, visit www.bristolcomedyfestival.com or follow @thebristolcomedyfestival.
For further details on the comedy competition and to sign up, fill in the application form before December 1. Successful entrants will be notified the following week.
All photos: Bristol Comedy Festival
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