And now for something completely different: stuff to look forward to in the new year! The 22nd SF Sketchfest takes place in various venues from Jan. 16- Feb. 2. As always, there are hundreds of events falling into nine categories on the calendar—and some mighty big names like Kathryn Hahn, Bill Murray, Kids in the Hall, and JB Smoove. That’s an overwhelming amount of choices for comedy fans, but we’ve identified some highlights to recommend in order to get started.
Special Events & Live In-Person Tributes
The marquee names at Sketchfest are usually the first to sell out, and many buyers have already swooped up tickets to see An Evening with Tim Curry and Peaches Christ (SAT. FEB 1/Sydney Goldstein Theater). There’s still some balcony action as of this writing, but it probably won’t last too long. The format is a combo of performance and conversation, with some surprise “local luminaries” as an extra treat. Who’s going to come dressed as Darkness?
Plus
Do peruse the Plus category for more super-sized, big name shows. The obvious milestone event here is The Groundlings 50th Anniversary (SUN. JAN 19/Great Star Theater). Learn about the legacy of the improv and sketch comedy OGs from both founding and current members who have taken their talents to the world. The lineup includes Laraine Newman, Mindy Sterling, Julia Sweeney, Jordan Black, David Crabb, Michael Hitchcock, and Phil LaMarr.
Music & Comedy
Tight & Nerdy (FRI JAN 31/Club Fugazi) is a troupe of women in San Francisco who perform Weird Al-themed burlesque, and that’s by far the most intriguing sounding event in the Music & Comedy category this year. An eponymous documentary is in the works, too. Who knew?! The brilliant bookers of Sketchfest, apparently…
Podcasts & Talk Shows
With 19 events to consider this year, the Podcasts & Talk Shows section has grown into a truly robust category at Sketchfest. Returning regulars like Doug Loves Movies and The Flophouse: A Podcast About Bad Movies are reliable. But if you want to shake it up, Journos: A Stream of Consciousness News Hour (SUN. JAN 19/Lost Church) takes place the day before the inauguration and could offer a dose of necessary gallows humor to get through the week ahead.
Sketch & Improv
Singular concepts such as Drunk Theatre and Pass That Blunt are certain highlights of the Sketch & Improv category, which is packed with mainstays like The Groundlings, Killing My Lobster, and Upright Citizens Brigade. In a returning annual favorite, the audience at SF Sketchfest 2025: The Black Version (SAT. JAN 18/Cobb’s Comedy Club) will get to suggest movie titles and the cast (creator Jordan Black and fellow Groundlings alums Nyima Funk, Daniele Gaither, Phil LaMarr, Karen Maruyama, and Gary Anthony Williams) then performs a Black version of that movie.
Stand-Up Comedy
The city’s longest-running independent showcase for female, non-binary, and gender non-conforming talent was just added to the schedule. Resistance Is Fertile (SUN. JAN. 26/The Lost Church) was just added to the schedule so that hosts Luisa Alana and Brooke Heinichen can discuss the “unique joys of not being a man in today’s world” with guests Natasha Collier, Sophia Garrow, Denise Lee, Geneva Rust-Orta, and Natasha Vinik. Now needed more than ever!
Theater & Cinema & Storytelling
Sketchfest always has several festivals within the festival. For an Eighties experience that can’t be scripted, raid the VHS tombs at the Found Footage Festival 20th Anniversary (FRI. JAN 31/The Gateway Theatre). Videos of New Age cultists, swinging singles, and male stripteases are promised.
Variety & Game Shows
The average ticket price of Sketchfest events appears to be around $30-40. The two-day Comedian Clash: A Game Show Experience (SAT. JAN 25 and SUN. JAN 26/Cobb’s Comedy Club) offers diverse lineups of at least seven comics for that price range. Looks like a solid way to be exposed to a range of approaches to humor.
Workshops
There’s only one listed workshop at Sketchfest, and I am excited for anyone who gets to attend it: Kevin McDonald’s From Improv to Sketch Workshop (SUN JAN 26/The Gateway Theatre). At $186, it’s one of the biggest splurges in all of Sketchfest outside of the Bill Murray Meet and Greet, but the four-hour session from The Kids in the Hall legend promises to be a master class and a window into a world of possibilities. Tickets are low as of press time.
There are also dozens of emerging artists who will have their first Sketchfest moments this year; dive into the schedule to learn more.
Tamara Palmer hosts the free Creative Jobs newsletter.
