Creatures Comedy Festival

Back for its second edition and fast becoming one of Manchester’s sharpest comedy offerings, Creatures Comedy Festival returns this July with an impressive line-up of stand-up stars, breakthrough acts and must-see Edinburgh Fringe previews.

Set across two buzzing Northern Quarter venues – Creatures Comedy Club (the basement of Wilsons) and its lively neighbour Lost Cat – the festival runs for 12 days this July and features over 30 shows. Expect big laughs, sharp surprises and bold new material.

Created by the team behind the popular Creatures Comedy nights, the festival punches above its weight when it comes to programming. 2025 headliners include Larry Dean, Helen Bauer, Alison Spittle, Rob Copland and Jack Carroll, with rising talent like Vidura BR, Celya AB, Dan Tiernan and Jessica Barton also taking to the mic. With a mix of improv, work-in-progress shows and late-night showcases, the festival brings together a line-up of those familiar comics you know and love, alongside some you’ll want to brag about discovering first.

New for this year is a regional competition to crown the Best Comic in the North West, with heats and a live final offering audiences a chance to support the scene from the grassroots up. Meanwhile, neighbouring venue Lost Cat joins the party, hosting earlier shows and more offbeat acts in a cocktail bar-meets-sandwich shop setting – just the right kind of weird for Manchester’s alternative comedy crowd.

Whether you’re a Fringe regular or a casual punter looking for something different, Creatures Comedy Festival is a brilliant way to sample the energy of Edinburgh Fringe without leaving the city. With affordable tickets, a stacked programme and intimate spaces that keep you close to the action, it’s a great way to try something new, catch work-in-progress material before it hits big, and spot the next wave of comedy stars in the making.