The poster for York Comedy Festival ’26, promoted by Futuresound, on July 12
RUSSELL Howard and Ross Noble will top the bill at Futuresound’s second York Comedy Festival on July 12, the fourth and final day of this summer’s Live At York Museum Gardens season.
After a sold-out launch last July as one of Great Britain’s largest outdoor comedy events, the festival once more will play to a seated capacity of more than 3,000 on a stage in front of St Mary’s Abbey.
Bath-born stand-up satirist Howard, host of Russell Howard’s Good News, and Newcastle surrealist Noble will be joined by Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning comic and presenter Russell Kane, Irish stand-up and podcaster Joanne McNally, from My Therapist Ghosted Me, and Big Kick Energy podcaster and comedian Suzi Ruffell.
On the 2.30pm bill too will be cult-stand up hero-turned viral sensation Jeff Innocent, Britain’s Got Talent finalist Nabil Abdulrashid and Barry From Watford, the 82-year-old comic creation of actor, writer and comedian Alex Lowe (who played Clinton Baptiste in Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights on Channel 4).
The event will be hosted by master of ceremonies Jarred Christmas, the British-based New Zealand comic and winner of Chortle’s Best Compere award.
Last July’s inaugural York Comedy Festival defied the Sunday downpours with a line-up of Dara Ó Briain, Katherine Ryan. Bridget Christie, Angelos Epithemiou, Joel Dommett, Vittorio Angelone, Clinton Baptiste and Scott Bennett, hosted by “the fabulous” Stephen Bailey.
Tickets for July 12 are on sale at https://futuresound.seetickets.com/event/york-comedy-festival-2026/york-museum-gardens/3561349.