New Zealand International Comedy Festival 2025 returns in May; top comedians to perform in Auckland, Wellington

The New Zealand International Comedy Festival, set to take place in May, has revealed its full line-up. Photo / @lewisferris

Get ready to laugh your way through May – the New Zealand International Comedy Festival is back for 2025.

Announced this morning by the New Zealand Comedy Trust, the festival will once again bring comic stars from home and abroad together in Aotearoa for yet another month of giggles across a jam-packed schedule of events.

Marking 32 years of world-class comedy in New Zealand, organisers say there will be “a plethora of comic delights to choose from” in this year’s programme.

From May 2 through to May 25, Auckland and Wellington’s venues will be filled with over 600 live performances from more than 150 comedians, providing our North Island cities with non-stop, feel-good entertainment to close out the autumn season.

Included in this year’s line-up of homegrown talent and comedy heavyweights are Joe Daymond, who will host The Comedy Mixtape show in both cities, and Eli Matthewson, who will close out the festival by hosting the Last Laughs event at SkyCity Theatre.

NZME’s very own Hayley Sproull will also be gracing the stage in Auckland and Wellington to host the festival’s flagship, the Best Foods Comedy Gala.

Hayley Sproull will host the New Zealand International Comedy Festival's flagship event, the Best Foods Comedy Gala. Photo / Jinki Cambronero

There is much more Kiwi talent preparing for the biggest month in New Zealand. Guy Williams, Melanie Bracewell, Rhys Mathewson, Brynley Stent and James Mustapic are just a few of the local names you may recognise in the line-up.

From further afield, the UK’s wittiest and brightest comedians – including Nish Kunar, Olga Koch, Tom Haughton and more – will join the likes of Australian superstars such as Pub Choir, Nazeem Hussain, Anisa Nandaula and Jenny Tian.

The Office Australia star Felicity Ward is poised to headline an event at Parrotdog Brewery in Lyall Bay, Comedy Fest in Kāpiti – which sold out last year – returns to be hosted by Jerome Chandrahasen.

Sponsored by Best Foods Mayo, organisers promise this year’s festivities will bring even more joy, jokes, and happy tears than ever before.

The New Zealand International Comedy Festival programme has been available from 10am today, March 5, alongside tickets for all shows.

New Zealand International Comedy Festival 2025: Key Information

When: May 2-25, 2025.

Where: Various locations across Auckland and Wellington.

Tickets: The full programme, tickets and anything more you need to know can be found at comedyfestival.co.nz.