| The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is an | | | | The Melbourne International Comedy Festival hosts |
| event held in Melbourne, Australia. It is considered to | | | | numerous comedy artists both from the international |
| be the 3rd biggest comedy festival in the | | | | and local scenes. The 2008 Melbourne International |
| international arena and is the most massive cultural | | | | Comedy Festival included 298 shows and 1, 765 |
| event to be held in Australia. Commercialization of the | | | | performers. This includes art exhibitions, musical |
| event is kept to a minimum and the atmosphere at | | | | shows, debates, improvisational theatre, plays, sketch |
| the comedy festival is very relaxed compared to the | | | | shows but includes a great number of cabaret acts |
| other big three comedy festivals. The Melbourne | | | | and stand up. |
| International Comedy Festival was started in the year | | | | Special events that take place at the Melbourne |
| 1987. The festival is held for a period of 3 weeks, | | | | International Comedy Festival include the Comedy |
| starting generally on the first of April (April Fools | | | | Festival Gala, the Great Debate and Upfront. The |
| Day). During the first half of the 1990s the Melbourne | | | | Comedy Festival Gala is the opening night show. |
| International Comedy Festival was held at the | | | | A visit to Melbourne would require a stay at one of |
| Melbourne Town Hall but now the venues for the | | | | the comfortable hotels in Melbourne. The Langham |
| event are selected rite throughout the city. This year | | | | Hotel, Melbourne would be a good place to stay |
| the event will be held from the 1st to the 26th of | | | | among the number of hotels located in Melbourne. |
| April 2009. | | | | |