Must see comedy heading to Darwin!
Darwin Festival have just announced their line up, and comedy fans are in luck!
There’s something magical about laughing under the Top End sky, and Darwin Festival 2026 is serving up one of the strongest comedy lineups the Northern Territory has seen. From beloved TV icons to sharp new voices, this year’s festival has something for every comedy fan. Here’s who you won’t want to miss.
Nath Valvo
If you haven’t fallen in love with Nath Valvo yet, Darwin Festival is your chance. The award winning, Melbourne-based comedian is one of Australia’s funniest performers. Nath’s shows are confessional, clever and full of the sort of laughs that include a high kick. He’s a festival favourite for good reason, and his Darwin show is set to be an absolute highlight. You may have seen him in I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here or hosting the MICF Gala.
Brett Blake
🎟️ 5-8 Aug | Brown’s Mart Studio
Award winning Brett Blake is touring the country with his show Little Turd. Brett recently co-hosting the Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala with Bronwyn Lewis and you can see Brett on the current season of Taskmaster.. Little Turd is about the importance of second chances, the hypocritical expectations we have of young people, and how your number one enemy might just end up being your biggest champion. Only Brett can manage to make a story of police brutality, learning disabilities, questionable 90’s parenting and growing up in a shit suburb “funny”.
Tom Gleeson
🎟️: 18 & 19 Aug | Sunset Stage
Tom Gleeson needs little introduction. The Hard Quiz host and multiple Logie winner has built a career on one of the sharpest, driest wits in the business. Famously deadpan and disarmingly confident, Tom’s live shows are a masterclass in comedy craft — proof that knowing exactly what you’re doing on stage is, in itself, hilarious. His Darwin show promises everything fans love about him: smart, incisive, and not suffering fools gladly.
Rove McManus
The return of Rove McManus to the live comedy stage is always an event, and Darwin gets to be part of it. The man who hosted a generation of Australian television brings his characteristic warmth, charm and impeccable timing to Darwin Festival, delivering a show that feels like catching up with an old friend — one who happens to be genuinely, effortlessly funny. Expect big laughs, great stories, and a room full of very happy people.
Josh Thomas
Josh Thomas is a one-of-a-kind. Creator and star of the internationally acclaimed Please Like Me and Everything’s Gonna Be Okay, Josh brings his uniquely candid, and brilliantly odd perspective to the Darwin stage. His live shows feel personal and completely surprising all at once, a genuine look behind the curtain — the kind of comedy that stays with you long after the lights come up.
Dave Thornton
A seasoned performer whose shows have been described as ‘devastatingly effective’ (Chortle), Dave is back with a brand-new hour of stand-up, focusing on the small things that frustrate him and the large things that get on top of him…. more or less. Show not part of Darwin Festival.
Plan Your Darwin Festival Comedy Experience
Darwin Festival 2026 runs through August, with shows at venues across the city. Whether you’re a local or making the trip up to the Top End, this is the year to see comedy in Darwin.
Don’t wait — these shows will sell out.
