The first York Comedy Festival will take place on Sunday 6th July 2025 inside York Museum Gardens with comedy stars Dara Ó Briain and Katherine Ryan announced as co-headliners. With nine comedians performing, York Comedy Festival offers a day of hilarious, award-winning comedy from huge stars and fresh new voices set within the historic grounds of one of the city’s most beloved landmarks.
Announced as the event's headliners today are award-winning comedian, broadcaster and writer Dara Ó Briain and Canadian tour-de-force Katherine Ryan. A household name thanks to his regular appearances on panel shows like Mock The Week, which he hosted for 21 series; Have I Got News For You? And Live At The Apollo as well as numerous critically acclaimed stand-up tours, Dara has quite rightly been dubbed as one of ‘Britain’s favourite Irishmen’ whilst comedian, broadcaster and writer Katherine Ryan, renowned for her razor-sharp wit and deadpan delivery, is a familiar face as a team captain on 8 Out of 10 Cats as well as regular appearances on shows including QI, Would I Lie To You?, Have I Got News For You? and more.
Joining them both at York Museum Gardens this summer are Yorkshire’s own award-winning stand up, podcaster and comedy panelist Maisie Adam (8 Out of 10 Cats, Mock The Week, QI, Would I Lie To You?); whip-smart stand up, broadcaster and author Joel Dommett (I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, The Masked Singer); Phoenix Nights’ resident clairvoyant Clinton Baptiste; cult surrealist comedian Angelos Epithemiou (Shooting Stars); Italian-Irish offbeat comic, podcaster and rising star Vittorio Angelone (BBC One, Channel 4) and 2020 Comic’s Comic and the brains behind viral hit ‘Stand Up From The Shed’ Scott Bennett (Live At The Apollo, The News Quiz, The Now Show); all in the capable hands of festival host, comedian and presenter Stephen Bailey (Live At The Apollo, Celebs on The Farm, Takeshi’s Castle).
York Comedy Festival debuts this year as part of the Live At York Museum Gardens Series which, now entering its second year, has already seen performances from the likes of local heroes Shed Seven, singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti and Libertines co-frontman Peter Doherty. As well as comedy, this year’s series brings British art rock royalty Elbow, American disco funk trailblazer Nile Rodgers and more still to be announced.
York exclusive postcode presale (YO1 | YO10 | YO19 | YO23 | YO24 | YO26 | YO30 | YO31 | YO32) will go on sale 9am Wednesday 5th February with tickets available here.
General sale will go on sale 10am Friday 9th February Tickets available here.
For more information on the series please visit https://www.york-comedy-festival.com/
Illustration of comedians by Kev Sutherland of the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre.
