_{Cover Image: Pete Helliar. Image by Chris Hillary.}

There’s something wonderfully local about the Side Splitter Comedy Festival. Each October, Memorial Hall in Hamilton Hill shifts from familiar community landmark to comedy clubhouse, drawing audiences from across Perth’s south for nights built around big laughs, easy company and a festival atmosphere that feels refreshingly close to home.

In 2026, that atmosphere returns in force. Presented by the City of Cockburn and produced by WA Comedy, the 11th edition of Side Splitter lands across two weekends – 23, 24, 30 and 31 October – with a program that brings some of Australia’s most recognisable comedians to one of the city’s most welcoming suburban stages.

This year’s lineup is led by Pete Helliar and Luke Heggie, alongside Geraldine Hickey, Sam Taunton, Dilruk Jayasinha, Kirsty Webeck and Ivan Aristeguieta. Together, they bring acclaimed solo shows seen on stages around the country to audiences in Hamilton Hill, making Side Splitter one of the easiest ways to catch major Australian comedy without heading into the city.

Festival Director Ronan Freeburn says there was no appetite for coasting after last year’s milestone 10th anniversary. “It would have been easy to rest on our laurels after celebrating 10 years of Side Splitter last year,” he says, “but I think we’ve come back with probably our strongest lineup yet.”

For Freeburn, the strength of the festival is in the mix: respected national names, sharp solo hours, a closing-night showcase and a setting that encourages audiences to make an evening of it. “We’ve got some of Australia’s best comedians bringing their solo shows to Hamilton Hill across two huge weekends, before we wrap it all up with the Gala Spectacular on the final night,” he says. “It’s a program we’re incredibly proud of.”

That final-night Gala Spectacular has become a Side Splitter favourite. Hosted by a hilarious MC and featuring eight comedians delivering their best material, it offers the kind of fast-moving, high-energy finale that regularly sells out – part tasting plate, part victory lap, and a fitting farewell to the festival for another year.

The festival opens on Friday 23 October with Ivan Aristeguieta’s Ready to Mambo, followed by Kirsty Webeck’s Lost for Words. Saturday 24 October brings Dilruk Jayasinha’s Gratitude Guy and Sam Taunton’s This Must Be the Place.

The second weekend continues on Friday October 30 with Geraldine Hickey’s Live! and Luke Heggie’s I Won’t Say It Again, before Saturday October 31 closes with Pete Helliar’s An International Kerfuffle and the Gala Spectacular. The Gala will be AUSLAN interpreted by Paula Norman.

Part of Side Splitter’s charm is what happens before and after the lights go down. The festival’s popular pop-up garden bar and food truck hub will return, giving audiences a relaxed place to gather, grab a drink, share dinner and turn a comedy ticket into a full night out.

It’s an accessible, low-fuss festival experience: big-name performers, suburban convenience, free parking and simple public transport options, all centred on Memorial Hall at 435 Carrington Street, Hamilton Hill, on the corner of Carrington Street and Rockingham Road.

Early Bird pricing is available until 9PM Wednesday 30 September, with group booking discounts also available. With Side Splitter shows regularly selling out, audiences are encouraged to book early.

Side Splitter Comedy Festival 2026
October 23, 24, 30 and 31
Memorial Hall, Hamilton Hill
Pop-up garden bar and food trucks from 6PM each night
Tickets: sidesplitter.com.au