| Melbourne is a popular city that offers good shopping, | | | | setting up the festival and it has been going since its |
| bars and excellent cuisine. In the Central Business | | | | launch in 1987. Each year there are more than 400,000 |
| District you can spend hours just sitting at one of the | | | | who come to see its local and international comedians |
| stylish pavement cafes watching the crowds go by. | | | | and it is now Australia's largest cultural event. Tickets |
| Melbourne's location near to Port Phillip Bay makes it | | | | are reasonably priced making it available for travelers, |
| ideal for a holiday and there are numerous luxury and | | | | tourists and locals to enjoy the 3 week event. |
| comfortable Melbourne hotels providing | | | | Not the only comedy venue in Melbourne, there are |
| accommodation to the large numbers of tourists who | | | | other clubs that have open-mic nights where anybody |
| visit annually. | | | | who so wishes can get up and try to tickle a few ribs. |
| The city center's main attractions can be found in the | | | | One such venue is Dog's Bar, where every Thursday |
| areas of the Docklands, Eureka Tower, Queen | | | | night they organize a comedy night with open-mic. The |
| Victoria Market and Southgate. Federation Square is | | | | event originally started off in a small private room back |
| where everyone arranges to meet up and locals and | | | | in 2004 after it was seen how popular the Melbourne |
| visitors gather here for its cultural experiences, places | | | | Festival was, and has been going ever since. Now a |
| to eat and, and shopping. Albert Park, Carlton, | | | | regular weekly event it advertises an intimate audience |
| Richmond, and South Yarra are other places of | | | | experience and everyone gets a chance to stand up |
| interest, and St. Kilda is one of the most picturesque | | | | and see if they can make the audience laugh, |
| points of the Bay just a short distance from the city | | | | irrelevant of whom they are. |
| with sandy beaches. | | | | The Last Laugh Comedy Club was established in 1975 |
| If you are looking for somewhere to eat then head to | | | | and is based at the Athenaeum Theatre. The club has |
| Fitzroy, home to Melbourne's bohemians, the streets | | | | seen all kinds of comedians pass through its doors, and |
| here are full of alternative shops and artistic events, it's | | | | been host to some of Australia's, and the worlds, |
| also a focal point for the September Melbourne Fringe | | | | funniest comedians. The line up is changed constantly |
| Festival, a celebration of the independent arts scene. | | | | and some of the big names you might be familiar with |
| Or do a little shopping at Smith Street in Collingwood | | | | include Alexei Sayle, Ben Elton, David Strassman, |
| and Chapel Street at Prahran, a stylish and fashionable | | | | Wendy Harmer, Rita Rudner and Richard Stubbs. |
| destination with over 300 unique and diverse stores full | | | | The Comic's Lounge in Sydney has live comedy 6 |
| of style and personality. | | | | nights a week with big names from TV and radio |
| Melbourne is a city that likes to laugh and this is | | | | making an appearance. If you prefer stand-up, |
| reflected in the number of comedy clubs and events | | | | improvisation, sketch or theatre they can |
| that are organized in various venues. The annual | | | | accommodate everyones taste. |
| Melbourne International Comedy Festival is one of the | | | | Melbourne receives a great number of tourists every |
| more popular events that attract thousands to its | | | | year that are accommodated for with a range of |
| exciting line-up, and is up there alongside the Edinburgh | | | | luxury, middle and budget hotels. Check out Melbourne |
| Festival Fringe and Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival. | | | | hotels online for a choice of accommodation to find |
| It takes over the city every autumn with its | | | | one that suits your budget and needs. If you're looking |
| adventuress timetable of stand-up comedy, cabaret, | | | | for places to stay in Melbourne that offer family |
| theatre, street performance, film, television, radio and | | | | accommodation or require full cooking facilities, you |
| visual arts. | | | | should be able to find what you're looking for with an |
| Barry Humphries and Peter Cook are responsible for | | | | apartment in Melbourne. |