Melbourne will be glistening with giggles as artists from both local soils and abroad convene for what has become one of the renowned events on the city's calendar, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Spanning from March 28 to April 22, this year is the 26th installment of the festival and it's shaping up to be yet another cracker.

The opening night will see 20 international and local artists behind the mic at St Kilda's Palais, each with five minutes to engage and enthrall the audience. As well as bringing the big stars to town, the festival is renowned for nurturing local talent, and on April 15 a handpicked selection of the best comedians from each state will be performing at the RAW Comedy National Final. These local heroes will be competing for the title of National Champion, their hard fought efforts on display for your pleasure.

The competition doesn't stop there: the Annual Great Debate is one of the festival highlights and will see the bulging brains of the festival lock horns with each other as sheer wit and intellect are used to argue the affirmative or negative. Agree, disagree or despise, views on the matter are irrelevant as the real pleasure of this spectacle is in the delivery.

Spanning a month, the program seems endless. International heavyweights Arj Barker, Danny Bhoy, Russell Kane and Stephen K Amos again grace the bill, as do local favourites Tom Gleeson, Carl Baron, Fiona O'Loughlin and Dave Hughes. Put simply, it's the who/s who of the comedy scene, and you can get your hands on tickets as of now through ticketmaster.com.au. The Gala - described as the 'Event of All Comedy Events' - has already sold out, and other events are hot on its heels.

From the opulence of the Forum Theatre and grandeur of the Town Hall right through to the intimate, grassroots venues that form the backbone of the comedy scene, MICF has established itself as a kingpin on the international circuit, so grab a ticket and don't miss out.

For more details see comedyfestival.com.au.

WORDS: Gerard Wilson