The Edinburgh Comedy Festival runs alongside the Fringe, proudly boasting that it is the world’s largest comedy festival. It is in fact the name given to most of the comedy events that take place during the Fringe itself.

Around 500 different live comedy shows are put on – showcasing acts from every corner of the world - between 05th – 31st August (2009). Anyone can get involved with The Edinburgh Comedy Festival; all you need is a microphone and some half-decent jokes (well maybe some decent jokes would be better).

Major venues across Edinburgh stage well known shows, usually by some of the worlds favourite comedians – whereas take a walk up a little side street and you’ll find a crowd packed into a tiny venue watching a comedian nobody’s ever heard of.

The main venues associated with the comedy festival and the fringe are operated by an assortment of production companies, students and chancers , many of whom travel between Edinburgh and other major global cities to stage comedy shows as well as hosting events at their own venues across Edinburgh.

These are Assembly, The Gilded Balloon, Pleasance and Underbelly, all of whom are happy to hear from any of you looking to put on shows or want to help out around the festival. Remember though that these places fill up fast as this is one of the country’s biggest annual events.