Melbourne International Comedy Festival is back with a bumper program of over 600 shows set to take over the city and suburbs over the next month - backed by the Andrews Labor Government.
Minister for the Creative Industries Steve Dimopoulos today joined comedians Rhys Nicholson, Mel Buttle, Alexandra Hudson, He Huang and Jordan Gray to launch the festival, which is globally recognised as one of the best comedy events in the world.
The 2023 festival program will see some of the biggest international stars of comedy flock to Melbourne, performing alongside Australian comedy legends and up and coming local comics.
As well as providing job opportunities for hundreds of performers, the festival directly employs more than 350 Victorians in roles such as event management, technical crew, front of house and ticketing.
Last year's festival injected $21.8 million into the Victorian economy, with hundreds of thousands of comedy lovers converging on the city, providing a big boost to bars, restaurants, hotels and more.
This year's festival spreads the benefits to suburbs including Dandenong, Broadmeadows, Rosebud and Narre Warren, while investment through the Labor Government's Go West Fund is boosting activity in Melbourne's west, including performances in Melton, Footscray and Werribee.
In addition to the bustling night-time activities, young people and their families are invited to The (Very) Big Laugh out, a free feast of world class street performers and comedians which will take over the Melbourne Museum Plaza and Fed Square.
And for those who miss one of the 7,000-plus performances on offer there will still be plenty more opportunities to laugh when the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow hits the road to 25 outer metropolitan and regional Victorian towns across 2023.
The 2023 Melbourne International Comedy festival will run from Wednesday 29 March to Sunday 23 April. For more information and to buy tickets, visit comedyfestival.com.auExternal Link.
As stated by Minister for Creative Industries Steve Dimopoulos
"Melbourne International Comedy Festival is one of the most iconic events in Victoria - its impact on our state is serious business."
"We back this festival because it creates thousands of job opportunities, packs a big economic punch and brings us together for one of the greatest joys in life - to laugh."
