19 New Events Announced And An Exciting New Festival Hub

We’re thrilled to announce that Aberystwyth Comedy Festival will be back from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 October 2025, bringing an exciting programme of comedy to a brand new, centralised hub at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

This year, we’ve announced 25 shows with tickets already on sale. Our lineup features some of the biggest names in UK comedy, including James Acaster, Stewart Lee, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Amy Mason, Rob Auton, and Kuan-wen Huang — along with many more established comedians and rising stars. Across the weekend, you can enjoy around 50 performances on six different stages.

Moving to the Aberystwyth Arts Centre is a big change for us. In previous years, the festival spread across several venues around town. Bringing everything together under one roof means we can create a more vibrant, sociable, and accessible experience for you, our audience. This change also helps us navigate the financial challenges facing festivals today and ensures we can keep delivering a sustainable event that you love.

Unlike many UK festivals with high ticket prices, each comedy show at Aberystwyth Comedy Festival is priced individually, ranging from £6 to £28 — With family friendly shows priced at £6 per ticket or £20 for a family of four — We’re committed to making our festival as affordable and accessible as possible.

Our 2025 lineup includes some of the most exciting voices in comedy right now. James Acaster — widely regarded as one of the most critically acclaimed stand-ups of his generation — will perform twice over the weekend. Stewart Lee returns with his latest show, Stewart Lee vs The Man-Wulf, offering his trademark sharp wit and political commentary. Welsh favourite Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Tarot are back by popular demand with ABBA at Aber, a fan favourite celebrating two things that sound the same. Award-winning Amy Mason will bring her unique deadpan wit and hilarious new show to Aberystwyth.

You’ll also see veteran satirist Mark Steel, known for his razor-sharp political comedy and his BBC Radio 4 series Mark Steel’s in Town. Rising star Kuan-wen Huang brings a fresh perspective with smart, self-deprecating humour exploring identity, culture, and queerness. TV presenter and comedian Matt Richardson will light up the stage with his high-energy charm, while Carys Eleri blends stand-up and song in her vibrant bilingual performances. Rory Scovel adds an international flavour with his genre-bending comedy, known from Netflix and US late-night TV. Paul Hilliard, the winner of BBC New Comedian of the Year 2024, rounds out the bill with his sharp observations and dry delivery. And Rob Auton, winner of Dave’s Joke of the Fringe, will bring his poetic and offbeat storytelling to the festival.

We’re also excited to bring two fantastic family-friendly comedy shows to the festival, with tickets at just £6 each or £20 for a family of four. Award-winning clown Darryl Carrington presents Out of the Box, a joyful circus adventure packed with surprises and physical comedy. Robin Morgan from Mock The Week returns with an interactive storytelling show where kids become the stars of a hilarious improvised tale. Both shows promise big laughs and perfect afternoons for comedy-loving families.

Other confirmed acts include Nick Helm, Kieran Hodgson, Anna Thomas, Caryl Burke, May Thompson, Eric Rushton, Liam Withnail, and Sam Nicoresti — with many more names to be announced soon.

Since we launched Aberystwyth Comedy Festival in 2018, we’ve been proud to bring polished, high-quality stand-up shows to audiences, building on the success of our sister event, the acclaimed Machynlleth Comedy Festival. Taking place five months after Machynlleth, Aberystwyth offers a chance to catch some of the very best touring comedy in a welcoming and lively setting.

We can’t wait to see you this October for what promises to be our best festival yet!

Book your tickets now.