The UK Kids’ Comedy Festival Announces February 2026 Programme
The UK Kids’ Comedy Festival is the only comedy festival in the UK dedicated entirely to children, young people, and their families. The event runs alongside the Leicester Comedy Festival – the largest and longest-running comedy festival in Europe.
Celebrating its eighth year in February 2026, the UK Kids’ Comedy Festival is bigger than ever, proudly presenting 70 shows aimed at children aged 4 to 14 years, running from 4–22 February 2026 across 30 venues in Leicester and the surrounding area.
This year’s fun-packed programme features Marcel Lucont’s ‘Enfants Terribles 2: Another Game Show for Awful Children’, and Olaf Falafel’s ‘Stupidest Super Stupid Show’, alongside mixed-bill favourites such as the Comedy Club 4 Kids.
The Kids’ Gala Preview Show will take place at The Y on 14 December 2025, hosted by Edy Hurst, and headlined by award-winning musical act Jonny Awsum.
The festival is proud to continue expanding its outreach and education programmes, sharing the joy of comedy to inspire the next generation of performers, supporting mental well-being, building confidence, and fostering creativity.
Designed to spark laughter and imagination in young audiences, festival initiatives include Laugh Academy – a half-term workshop where children aged 11–18 learn to write and perform their own comedy, Loving Laughing – a showcase of local year 6 pupils competing for the title of The Funniest School in Leicestershire (as part of the festival line-up at The Y Theatre) and The Joke Spot – an open-access initiative in public spaces inviting children to get on stage, tell their own jokes, and develop reading comprehension and performance skills.
Join in the fun as The UK Kids’ Comedy Festival brings families together through laughter—creating memories, inspiring imagination, and celebrating the joy of being silly together.
Charlotte Laidet, Festivals and Programme Director at Big Difference Company, the charity behind the festival, said: “We’re proud to see The UK Kids’ Comedy Festival grow a little more each year, with new venues and shows joining in. We see the increasing offering from acts creating family-friendly versions of their shows, and this year we’re thrilled to have Soft Touch Arts — the first venue fully dedicated to The UK Kids’ Comedy Festival. As a charity, it’s important to us that comedy remains an art form that’s accessible to everyone and enjoyed from a young age.”
Leicester Comedy Festival main partners are De Montfort University and Leicester City Council.
The Patrons of The UK Kids' Comedy Festival are: Rosie Jones & Michael Rosen.
The Patrons of Leicester Comedy Festival are: Eshaan Akbar, Stewart Lee, Sikisa, Jo Brand & the late Tony Slattery.
● Instagram: @Kidscomedyfest / Facebook:@Kidscomedyfest
● Instagram: @LeicsComedyFest / Facebook: @LeicsComedyFest / TikTok: @LeicsComedyFest
About The UK Kids' Comedy Festival.
The UK's only comedy festival for kids is celebrating its eighth year in 2026 and features over 70 events in 30 venues. Performances include Jarred Christmas & Hobbit, Marcel Lucont, Olaf Falafel, SHELF, Jody Kamali Mama G & Comedy Club 4 Kids. The UK Kids' Comedy Festival's key focus is to engage children in creative and social contact with others and provide shows for all the family to enjoy. With educational and participatory events to enable children to build self-confidence, make friends, have social interaction, and enhance creative development, hosting a series of workshops and events.
About Leicester Comedy Festival
Leicester Comedy Festival is Europe's biggest and longest-running comedy festival, and is celebrating its 33rd year in 2026, with its biggest festival to date. Leicester Comedy Festival 2026 features 700 shows across 76 venues. Comedians who are expected to perform include Maisie Adam, Ahir Shah, Sophie Duker, Sara Pascoe, Chris McCausland, Paul Merton, Milton Jones, Sue Perkins, Darren Harriott, Olga Koch, Chloe Petts & many more.
About Big Difference Company
Big Difference Company is a charity that originated from the highly successful Leicester Comedy Festival. The festival hosts a wide variety of events, featuring established names and up-and-coming talents. The charity operates year-round, working with communities across Leicester and Leicestershire. They produce programs, projects, and events aimed at enhancing the lives of the community through comedy, laughter, and the arts.
