Glasgow is one of those jovial maritime cities that takes pride in playing as hard as it works. Fiercely liberal and proudly working-class, Glasgow is the anti-thesis of your uptight, buttoned-down English town. Its mighty sea-faring heritage and charming Victorian townscapes are intermixed with chic and stylish bars and a hedonistic brand of club-hoppers and night-crawlers that might even raise a Londoners eyebrow.
Glasgows reputation as one of Britains entertainment epicentres is well-deserved; it boasts a vibrant live music scene that has been compared to that of Detroits during the Swinging Sixties. Not only does it have world-class arenas whose concerts draw crowds by the thousands but the city is also a confirmed aficionado of cutting-edge theatre. Supplementing these is a whirlwind of year-round festivals and events encompassing everything from celebrations of the regions traditional Celtic strains to jazz, art and even comedy.
When it comes to that last aspect, Magners Glasgow International Comedy Festival is the event of the year. The schedule for the hugely popular comedy festival reads as an international Whos Who list of international rib-tickling talent for all ages.
The tale of how one of Britains most anticipated live entertainment events got started is as simple as it is long-spun. The Comedy Club had just begun realizing the potential for stand-up acts and its international demand when they approached the Glasgow council with the idea for the festival. Glasgow was specifically chosen as a prime candidate to host the festival due to its excellent selection of venues and well-known reputation as a city that likes to laugh.
Thus it was that the Scottish Comedy Agency first launched the Glasgow International Comedy Festival in March 2003 with the solid backing of many of the citys major arts promoters. Its resounding success secured the event a permanent spot in the citys yearly calendar of festivities.
In 2006, Magners Irish Cider threw their hat into the ring as their chief promoter. Five years into this very productive alliance, together with their travel, hotel and media partners as well as reputed bodies such as Event Scotland, the renamed Magners Glasgow International Comedy Festival continues to be one of the most successful and anticipated live entertainment events in the world.
The objectives of the festivals run deeper than keeping the citys sense of humour alive. In addition to putting Glasgow on the map as a leading tourist destination, the festival is also a celebration of diversity, representing all aspect of the Glaswegian community and highlighting the citys home-grown talent alongside international comic geniuses.
Today, the festival involves over 50 venues which stages over 400 shows. The festival goes on for an average 25 days, with headlining acts by household names as well as fresher, lesser-known talent. The comic repertoire includes a wide range of humorists; from adult-oriented comedic entertainers who push the boundaries of contemporary satire to more family-friendly acts. With different brands of humour to suit every taste and age, Glasgow and Magners continue to prove that laughter really is the best medicine.
Those looking for
hotels in the Glasgow city centre are pointed to the Millennium Hotel Glasgow. The well-reputed
Glasgow hotel housed in the elegant Victorian building affords great access to the citys best museums and galleries as well as its hottest retail outlets and much more.
