Excitement is building in Inverness for the start of the annual Happyness comedy festival.
The comedy kicks off in the Highland capital today and will be running at various venues across the city until Sunday.
The line-up for the third year of the festival include well-known faces such as Fred MacAulay, Patrick Kielty, Tommy Tiernan, Jason Byrne, Sean Hughes and Patrick Monahan.
This year will also feature the Boy with Tape on His Face, a silent comedian who entertains the audience using props.
Organisers of the festival, The Gilded Balloon, have pulled in other talented stand-ups including Gordon Southern and the young Irish comic Aisling Bea.
Most of the events are based at Eden Court Theatre but others will spill out onto the streets and into local pubs and art galleries.
Happyness will also bring back “Class Clowns” the popular competition to find the funniest student in the region.
The grand final hosted on Sunday at Eden Court by Patrick Monahan will give schoolchildren in the Highlands and islands an opportunity to improve their confidence, public speaking skills and through stand up comedy.
Inverness Leisure will also host a pro-celebrity football match between some of the comedians and the players from Inverness Caley Thistle.