This autumn sees the UK’s first ever Women in Comedy Festival – with over 100 events in 15 venues across Manchester.

Celebrating all things funny and female, this brand new comedy festival explodes the myths around women in comedy by bringing together a stellar line-up of performers to deliver stand-up, sketches, theatre, spoken word, book readings, comedy plays and more for over a month. The billing includes big name acts such as Shazia Mirza, Viv Groskop, Janice Connolly (perhaps better known as Barbara Nice) and, on the Friday of the Weekender, Lucy Porter; there are even sound engineering workshops (so you can learn the technical set-up to stage your own comedy gigs) and a family matinee at everyone’s favourite art pub, The King’s Arms. Events take place in fifteen venues across the city centre – and at the last count there were over 100 events and gigs ready to run. Fifteen venues including The King’s Arms, 11 Bloom Street, M3 6AN, times vary, all weekend (1-31 Oct), prices vary.