1994

First Leicester Comedy Festival takes place featuring Matt Lucas, Harry Hill and John Shuttleworth.

1995

Leicester Comedy Festival features The Comedy Store Players, Felix Dexter and George Melly. The programme also features a Disability Comic Workshop led by Johnny Crescendo and a performance by Khel Rangara. First Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Competition takes place; Stevie Knuckles wins.

1996

Emergency Exit Arts launch festival with amazing pyrotechnic performance through the streets of Leicester. Programme also includes Mark Lamarr, Linda Smith, Julian Clary, Jon Pertwee and Russell Peters. A live production of Fever Pitch takes place in a conference room at Filbert Street stadium and an education programme tackles issues linked to racism and sexism in football.

1997

Craig Charles, Alan Davies, Barry Cryer, Bobby Davro, Dylan Moran, Bill Bailey, Graham Norton and Jack Dee perform at the festival whilst Johnny Vegas wins Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year. A bumper year! The Guardian said the community programme helped create “a pretty broad grin”.

1998

David Baddiel, The Deaf Comedians, Mark Little, Phil Jupitus, Ken Campbell and Bernie Clifton perform at the festival. Vintage Theatre Company, set up for those aged over 50, perform The Spotted Chameleon.

1999

The Funjabis, Stephen K Amos, Andy Parsons, Heart n Soul Roadshow and Goodness Gracious Me perform at Leicester Comedy Festival. Also featured are a special live tribute to Graham Chapman and an interview with Alan Birchenall by Alistair McGowan.

2000

Stewart Lee, Lee Hurst, Mighty Boosh, Jo Brand and Reginald D Hunter perform at Leicester Comedy Festival as well as the first Leicester charity gig in aid of Amnesty International, hosted by Jo Brand. The creator of “The Weakest Link” Cathy Dunning performs at 27a Access Artspace.

2001

Paul Merton, The Philharmonia Orchestra, Daniel Kitson, Rich Hall, Ross Noble and John Hegley perform alongside Charnwood Community Theatre. BBC Light Entertainment organise a writing comedy for radio workshop.

2002

Tim Vine, Brendon Burns, Pam Ann, Gervase Phinn and Men In Coats perform.

Peter Kay performs an intimate gig in Leicester as a warm up for his 180 date tour, “Mum Wants a Bungalow”.

2003

Tina C, Dave Spikey, Mark Thomas, Jimmy Carr, Omid Djalili perform alongside Doug Stanhope who flies in from the U.S especially for the festival. The festival also hosts the first (& last) National Chortle Comedy Conference at Phoenix. The first Summer Raspberry festival takes place in July featuring Jimmy Carr, Count Arthur Strong and Daniel Kitson.

We create The Odds film and education pack. The project focuses on young men and attitudes towards alcohol and sexual health.

We also manage the Street Petite Street Arts Festival across Derbyshire.

2004

Dara O’Briain, Charles Collingwood, Barry Cryer perform and the first Festival Fringe takes place in pubs across Leicestershire. Crowds gather in Braunstone Park to watch the outdoor spectacle Blast!

The first Ditch the Chips programme was delivered in Leicester schools and the young people produce an animation DVD around healthy eating.

2005

Jason Manford, Phil Cool, The Umbilical Brothers, Jason Byrne and John Otway perform. The first Chortle Comedy Quiz takes place as well as the first festival performances by Gujarati Comedy Group. BBC Radio 4 record The News Quiz and young people from Bosworth Community College perform sketches.

We organise a Laughing Fit healthy living day which uses the arts to promote positive health messages.

We design, manage and programme the Darley Park World Music Festival.

2006

Roseanne Barr makes her first ever UK stand-up performances at Leicester Comedy Festival. Stewart Lee takes part in a debate about Jerry Springer the Opera in Leicester Cathedral. Lee Mack, Jeremy Hardy and Ben Elton perform shows. Performer Rob Gee was adopted into the welcoming arms of Eyres Monsell Primary, Sparkenhoe Community Primary and Mellor Primary School. Soft Touch and Refugee Housing joined forces with Leicester Comedy Festival on a cartooning project for new arrivals to Leicester.

We programme and manage the comedy tent at Summer Sundae Weekender.

We deliver the Ditch the Chips programme in schools across Northamptonshire.

We start delivery of the cr8 project. The project uses comedy and the arts to help schools meet the Healthy Schools standard. We also start work with Ash Field School and later install an Architects of Air Luminarium on the school playground.

2007

Russell Brand, Paul Merton, Josie Long, Arthur Smith and Tim Minchin perform. John Ryan performs his Hurt Until It Laughs show in two Leicestershire prisons, and some of the inmates move to the back row in case John picks on them…… A special event takes place to honour writer and Leicester lad Joe Orton, featuring Sue Townsend, Joe’s two sisters and Simon Fanshawe.

First Best of Leicester Comedy Festival tour visits Derby, Nottingham & Leicester.

Launch ofMake Me Happy programme www.makemehappy-online.co.uk

We work with Groundworks to deliver a project promoting composting to children in North West Leicestershire.

2008

Pappy's Fun Club, Michael McIntyre, Frankie Boyle, Mark Watson and Jon Richardson perform at Leicester Comedy Festival. We develop the first Hotel D’Comedie performances in the beautiful Hotel Maiyango. Captain Carrot performs to young people from schools from across Leicestershire, spreading a healthy eating message. Hathi Productions perform The Rise and Fall of Chugenlal Patel and we premier our Those YoungMinds performance focusing on issues connected with young people and emotional health.

We manage the opening event for Highcross Leicester and allow hundreds of local people to participate in the event.

We take our health shows to Edinburgh Fringe and conduct health checks on comedians. This is covered by various media including BBC Scotland and The Scotsman. We also deliver Ditch the Chips in Erewash, Derbyshire.

2009

Gilded Balloon set up camp at The City Rooms for duration of festival. They feature over 30 shows in 3 venues. Ed Byrne, Clive James, David O’Doherty, Hans Teeuwen, Mark Thomas and Shazia Mirza perform.

Young people from across the East Midlands perform as part of the Pieces project, a partnership with Nottingham Playhouse. We set up a partnership with Age Concern to develop a comedy project with older people. We also start talks with Leicester’s Youth Offending Service about a project with offenders.

The Best of Leicester Comedy Festival tour has grown to 14 venues across the UK.

We deliver the Games Village and Social Programme for Special Olympics Leicester. We also deliver the first SO 2009 festival in Skegness in partnership with sinfonia ViVA.