The announcement came alongside a candid message from festival organiser Sam John Michael, who reflected on this year’s event, praising audiences while expressing frustration at what he says was a lack of support from parts of the town.
In a social media post announcing the festival’s return, Michael wrote: “Yes, we’re doing it again!”
He went on to claim that the festival received little attention from local media and criticised what he described as a lack of backing from publicly funded arts organisations, saying he hoped they would offer more support in future, whether through sponsorship or simply helping to promote the event online.
Sam also claimed that a local venue scheduled a competing event during the same week as the festival, and said he was disappointed that some comedians cancelled appearances before performing at a charity event featuring high profile acts later that week.
Despite those challenges, he described the festival as a success.
“Yet somehow, it was a success,” he wrote. “All the acts are getting paid within a week of sending their invoices and the thousand who turned up for shows were fantastic.”
He reserved particular praise for local audiences, adding: “Swindon audiences are, in my opinion, the best comedy audience in the South West. They deserve a great comedy scene.”
Sam argued that if Swindon wants to establish itself alongside cities such as Bristol and Oxford as a destination for live comedy, it needs stronger backing from the town itself.
The announcement has already generated enthusiasm from supporters online, with the festival confirming the dates and encouraging comedy fans to “save the date”.
The festival has become an increasingly prominent fixture in Swindon’s cultural calendar, bringing together established comedians and emerging talent across a range of venues in Old Town.
Whether organisers receive the additional support they are calling for remains to be seen, but preparations for the 2027 festival are already underway.
