We're having a laugh - more comedy announced for Open House Festival
28th April 2026
Vittorio Angelone and Tim McGarry announced for open house festival
When tickets for this year’s Open House Festival Bangor went on sale two weeks ago, the demand for comedy was immediately evident, with the three announced comedians, Neil Delamere, Emer McBride, and Deirdre O’Kane, the first to sell out.
To meet this obvious need to have a laugh, the Festival has just announced two new comedy shows. Vittorio Angelone will be performing his stand-up show, you can’t Say Nothing anymore, at the Walled Garden in Bangor Castle on Thursday 20th August, and Tim McGarry will be at the Court House on Bangor seafront with his solo show, The Height of Nonsense on Saturday 8th August.
“As soon as tickets for the festival went on sale, it was clear to us that comedy was the frontrunner in terms of demand this year,” said Open House Festival Director, Kieran Gilmore. “Our comedy shows are always popular, especially at the Walled Garden as it is such a unique and beautiful venue, but we have never witnessed such an urgency for them. We can only assume it’s due to the times we are living in. People are desperate for an opportunity to have a really good laugh.”
Vittorio Angelone is a rising star on the UK and Ireland comedy circuits, with sellout shows, TV appearances, and his hit podcast, Mike & Vittorio’s Guide to Parenting. He has risen through the ranks of the comedy world at an incredible speed, building a dedicated following with stand-up clips and sketches, amassing millions of views online. In March, his spat with former Conservative minister Penny Mordaunt during a live airing of Channel 4’s The Last Leg, went viral, elevating his popularity overnight.
Veteran Northern Irish comedian Tim McGarry is best known for hosting the comedy panel show, The Blame Game, and his role as Da in the sitcom, Give My Head Peace.
“Vittorio is the comedian everyone is talking about just now, and Tim is the comedian everyone loves,” said Kieran. “They have both performed at the Court House, our year-round venue, in the past, but this will be their first visit to the festival, and we can’t wait to see our audiences share a good old laugh with them.”
Tickets for Vittorio Angelone and Tim McGarry go on sale at 10am on Friday 24th April. To purchase tickets and view the full festival programme go to: www.openhousefestival.com
Open House Festival is an arts charity supported by Ards & North Down Borough Council and Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
