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The Westin Melbourne brought back their beloved Comedy Cocktails for 2025! Enjoy your pre or post-show in the hotel’s luscious Lobby Lounge, just like our friends Joel Creasey with his Sassy Short Negroni Spritz and Zoë Coombs Marr with her Cucumber Splash!

It’s nearly the weekend, and prime time for a The Melbourne Gin Co cocktail – or 3! Grab Alex Ward's Wardy’s Zesty Slipper at Swiss Club, Ali McGregor's classic and clean GLS (Gin, Lime and Soda) at Arts Centre Melbourne, and Anirban Dasgupta's Cry Daddy cocktail at Melb Town Hall!

The winner of this year's Funny Tonne award is Anna Stewart! This award, supported by ArtsHub, goes to the Funny Tonne writer with the best review, as decided by a team of industry journalists.

We’re so excited to announce that Scout Boxall is the winner of this year’s Pinder Prize! The award honours Festival co-founder John Pinder, and supports the winning artist in travelling to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The Golden Gibbo goes to Kate Dolan! Each year, the award is given to a local, independent show that champions adventurousness, in memory of the late, great Lynda Gibson.

This year’s Piece of Wood award goes to Daniel Connell! The award is chosen by the ever-growing panel of previous winners, to an artist that has been recognised for “doin’ good stuff ‘n’ that”.

Our People’s Choice award for 2025 goes to Urzila Carlson! This award is determined by you, the ticket-buying public, to artist with the most popular show at the Festival!

This year we have two recipients of the Directors' Choice Award – Noah Szto and Dan Rath! This award is hand-picked by the Festival Director in consultation with industry peers for a show that deserves to be celebrated - congratulations!

The Best Newcomer award for 2025 goes to Jessica Barton! The award is given to an artist debuting as a solo artist at the Festival. Congratulations Jessica!

And now for our final award, the 2025 Most Outstanding Show. A huge congratulations to our winner Garry Starr, and his show, 'Classic Penguins'!

We're back with another episode of Stop Kidding Yourself, in partnership with TAC, to bust some more myths about drinking before driving. Spoiler alert, it's time to stop kidding yourself, if you drink, don't drive. Leave the car and plan another way home.