More than 1,000 people attended Swindon’s first independent comedy festival, with organisers describing the event as a major success and expressing hopes of making it an annual fixture in the town’s cultural calendar.
The inaugural Swindon Old Town Comedy Festival brought together established comedians, emerging performers and local talent across nine days of entertainment, with 22 shows staged at six venues throughout the town.
The festival opened with a large outdoor event at the Town Gardens Bowl in Old Town, where an audience of more than 400 people gathered for an evening of comedy headlined by comedian Sara Pascoe.
The opening weekend also featured a Comedy and Cocktails event at Mams Gallery, organised by local comedian Abbie Hope, helping to launch a programme that would continue throughout the following week.
From 8 to 14 June, audiences attended a series of Fringe-style performances at venues including The Victoria, The Pulpit and The Hop. The programme featured a mixture of Edinburgh Fringe preview shows, stand-up performances and special events.
Among the performers appearing during the festival were comedians Abi Clarke, Hannah Byczkowski, Greg Winfield and Sandro Ford. Festival audiences were also treated to a special appearance by Ivo Graham, who is widely regarded as one of Swindon’s most successful comedy exports.
The event was organised by Swindon Old Town Comedy Club, which was established in 2022 by local comedian Sam Michael with the aim of bringing more live comedy to the town.
Speaking after the festival, Mr Michael said he was pleased with how the event had been received and was hopeful it could return in the future.
He said one of the aspects he was most proud of was the balance between nationally recognised comedians and performers from the local area.
Alongside well-known names such as Sara Pascoe, Michael Akadiri and Ivo Graham, audiences also had the opportunity to see performers familiar from programmes including Last One Laughing, Live at the Apollo and Taskmaster, as well as comedy creators who have built large online followings.
At the same time, the festival provided a platform for local acts including Tam Vanum, Levi Danniel Childs, Bella Humphries and Abbie Hope.
Mr Michael said showcasing local performers was an important part of the festival’s identity and highlighted the growing strength of Swindon’s comedy scene.
The success of the event reflects a growing appetite for live entertainment in the town and adds to a busy calendar of cultural events taking place across Swindon throughout the year.
Organisers have already confirmed plans for the festival to return next year, with the second edition expected to take place in early June. Exact dates are due to be announced at a later stage.
In the meantime, Swindon Old Town Comedy Club will continue hosting regular events at The Hop Inn and Swindon Christ Church Community Centre, giving local audiences opportunities to enjoy live stand-up throughout the year.
With strong attendance figures and positive feedback from audiences and performers alike, organisers hope the festival’s debut marks the beginning of a long-running annual event for Swindon.
