What’s On in Leicester This February: A Culture Diary That Feels Like a Mini-Holiday

If you’ve been craving a reset without booking a flight, this is your sign. What’s on in Leicester this February (2026 edition) reads like a city-sized escape: big-name comedy across town, theatre nights at Curve, arena-style shows at De Montfort Hall, and after-dark experiences that genuinely feel like an “event.”

Below is a human-friendly diary you can use to plan your month—every date and listing is pulled from official venue/event sources.

What’s on in Leicester this February: the headline plan (2026)

• Leicester Comedy Festival: 4–22 February 2026 (citywide).

• Curve (theatre + festival nights): includes Legally Blonde (7–21 Feb 2026) and multiple Comedy Festival shows.

• De Montfort Hall: comedy + ballet/concert programming through early and mid-February.

• Easy family/after-dark options nearby: “Lanterns of the Wild” at Twycross Zoo runs until 22 Feb.

Week 1: early-Feb “switch your brain off” nights (3–8 Feb)

A classic ‘treat yourself’ opener:

• Tue 3 Feb: PUNK OFF – The Sounds of Punk and New Wave (listed as cancelled on De Montfort Hall’s schedule—still useful to know if you were considering it).

• Wed 4 Feb: Daniel Sloss: Bitter at De Montfort Hall.

• Thu 5 – Fri 6 Feb: Swan Lake at De Montfort Hall.

• Sat 7 Feb: The Nutcracker at De Montfort Hall.

And the big citywide moment begins: Leicester Comedy Festival starts 4 Feb and runs all the way to 22 Feb, so you can build your February around it as your “mini-holiday backbone.”

Week 2: the “one proper night out” week (9–15 Feb)

If you want a week where you only commit to one plan but make it count:

• Sun 15 Feb: The Classic Rock Show at De Montfort Hall.

Also: this is a good stretch to book one Comedy Festival night that matches your taste (big names, new acts, or smaller venues). The festival’s official programme highlights nearly 700 shows across the run.

Week 3: Curve nights + Comedy Festival crescendo (16–22 Feb)

This week is where Leicester really feels busy (in a good way).

Curve theatre anchors

• Legally Blonde: Sat 7 – Sat 21 Feb 2026 at Curve.

• Curve’s listings also show:

  • Wed 18 – Sat 21 Feb: Theatre Day 

  • Wed 18 Feb: Dear Zoo 

Leicester Comedy Festival at Curve (specific dated picks)

• Thu 19 – Sat 21 Feb: Leicester Comedy Festival: Bridging the Gap 

• Sun 22 Feb: An Audience with Fatiha El-Ghorri 

• Sun 22 Feb: Leicester Comedy Festival: Closing Gala Show (Curve Studio Theatre).

Comedy Festival at De Montfort Hall (late-Feb highlights)

• Sat 21 Feb: Chris McCausland: Yonks! 

• Sun 22 Feb: Paul Merton & Suki Webster’s Improv Show 

Comedy Festival at Leicester Cathedral (more dates)

Leicester Cathedral lists Comedy Festival events including:

• Fri 20 Feb: Milton Jones

• Sat 21 Feb: Shaparak Khorsandi

Any-day plans that still feel like an “occasion”

Not every mini-holiday needs a late night.

• Lanterns of the Wild – Trail at Twycross Zoo: runs 11 Jan – 22 Feb (after-dark lantern trail experience).

• The Oz Experience: runs 11 Jan – 1 Apr (city puzzle/adventure format listed by Visit Leicester).

These are perfect if you want something structured that isn’t “sit in a seat for two hours.”

Make it feel like a mini-holiday (without overplanning)

A simple formula that works:

• Pick 1 “big ticket” night (Curve / De Montfort Hall / a headline comedy show).

• Add 1 low-effort culture slot (cathedral comedy, a trail, or a puzzle experience).

• Leave one weekend flexible so you can grab last-minute festival tickets (Comedy Festival runs the whole month stretch).