Presented by Cover Yours Ltd and Wellington Comedy

The capital's premier comedy competition. Witness the rising stars in stand-up comedy before they hit the big time.

The stepping stone for many New Zealand comedians, the Raw Comedy Quest has brought forth new comedy talent from across the country, with heats in Christchurch, Wellington, Palmerston North and Auckland.

The top 10 from our semifinals head to the Wellington final. 2023 Wellington finalist Luke Tawi won the 2023 National Raw Comedy Quest, and 2024 Wellington finalist Chen Wang and 2025 Wellington finalist Lydia came runners up, can the capital win it again?

Each semifinal is MC'd by a pro comedian, more details to be announced.

Kick your weekend off with a rollercoaster of comedy!

Thanks to support from the Wellington City Council, Cover Yours Ltd, and One Foundation