Magners International Comedy Festival Glasgow 2011

First organized in 2002, the Magners International Comedy Festival is held every year in Glasgow, Scotland. In 2011, the festival begins on March 17th and lasts until April 10th. The festival was started in order to build Glasgow's reputation as a comedy hotspot and to increase the visibility of the city in general. After several years of operation, the festival has expanded dramatically, now featuring over 400 shows at more than 50 venues. In this way, Magners International Comedy Festival has become one of the premier destinations for comedy fans.

The festival features acts from well-established comedians as well as up-and-comers and locals, providing a comprehensive comedy experience for festival-goers. A few performing comedians, such as Tom Deacon, have attracted significant media buzz. Deacon is well-known for his work on Radio One Sunday Nights, making him one of the UK's most talked about young stand up comics. Lauded by the Sunday Times, Deacon has appeared on Comedy Central's Last Comic Standing and BBC Switch's 5:19 Show. Another act to look out for is Irish comedian Des Bishop's one man show known as My Dad Was Nearly James Bond, which is critically acclaimed. Bishop is known for his honest, insightful form of observational comedy. Fans have also called his show emotionally touching because it deals with family illness, albeit in a lighthearted way.

The Magners International Comedy Festival also features several smaller events, such as Comedy Carnage, a show hosted by Chris Henry and Billy Kirkwood that showcases the UK's best alternative comedy. The festival also features several films, such as AMERICAN: The Bill Hicks Story, The Hangover and Jackass 3D throughout the city of Glasgow. Regardless of one's taste in humour, the sheer magnitude of the Magners International Comedy Festival is sure to provide something for everyone. Both UK residents and international comedy fans will not want to miss what the Magners International Comedy Festival has to offer.

If you're looking to visit Glasgow for the Magners International Comedy Festival, and need a hotel, check out Leonardo Hotels range of hotels in Glasgow. 

Photo Credit: Flickr user Noodle93