Organiser hails record year for city’s comedy festival
GLASGOW International Comedy Festival (GICF) has revealed 2024’s edition was a record-breaking year, with the highest number of shows in the festival’s history as Glasgow became “the funniest city in the world”.
Hosting more than 560 shows across 19 days, GICF issued more than 50,000 tickets to comedy fans for 50 venues across the city.
The festival’s final shows took place on Easter Sunday, including homegrown talent Some Laugh Live at the Pavillion Theatre with special guests Greg Hemphill and Raymond Mearns, a sold out show at The Stand for Susan Riddell and more.
The closing weekend also saw the announcement of Susie McCabe as 2024’s Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award winner, with the Glasgow comedian receiving a personal video message from Sir Billy himself at the GICF Comedy Gala following performances from Janey Godley, Raymond Mearns, Jin-Hao Li, Kiri Pritchard-McLean and more.
Presented by festival director Krista MacDonald, Elaine C Smith and 2023’s winner Janey Godley, Susie McCabe accepted the award to a standing ovation followed by an emotional speech on the stage of the King’s Theatre.
MacDonald said: “As a record-breaking Glasgow International Comedy Festival comes to a close, I’d like to extend a huge thanks to everybody who makes Scotland’s largest dedicated comedy event happen.
“From staff at our incredible venues, audiences who make trips all over the city to see shows, partners, stakeholders, our small in-house team and of course the acts who give so much of themselves on stage – it’s a combined effort to ensure Glasgow can claim its title as the funniest city in the world.
“With over 560 shows and over 50,000 tickets issued, GICF is well on its way to achieving our three year growth plan within its second year, put in place to ensure Glasgow’s comedy festival can go from strength to strength.”
WITH landscapes famed for their array of flora and fauna, Scotland in the springtime is the perfect destination to see the country’s wildlife emerge from their winter slumber.
And to help keen explorers make the most of their adventures, Scotland’s largest conservation charity, the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), has shared its springtime guide to some of the best places to spot the nation’s incredible wildlife.
The guide includes otters, one of Scotland’s most popular but shy animals, which can be found at Inverewe Garden in the north-west Highlands; puffins, which are set to return from their time at sea as they prepare for egglaying in the Treshnish Isles; black grouse in the ancient pinewoods of Mar Lodge Estate; red squirrels in Threave and tricky-to-spot pine martens at Crathes Castle in Aberdeenshire.
Emily Wilkins, NTS ranger for