About

SF Sketchfest was founded in 2001 by David Owen, Cole Stratton and Janet Varney as a way to showcase the talents of six Bay Area sketch comedy groups: The Fresh Robots, Kasper Hauser, The Meehan Brothers, Please Leave the Bronx, Totally False People and White Noise Radio Theatre. The festival debuted in January of 2002 at the Shelton Theatre in downtown San Francisco and has grown rapidly into a nationally recognized comedy festival that mixes national headliners, local favorites and the best up-and-coming groups from throughout North America for a month of sketch, improv, stand-up and alternative comedy. A favorite with audiences, critics, and performers alike, the festival has grown substantially to become a highly anticipated artistic showcase that consistently delivers top quality comedic performances, tributes and panel discussions. To learn about past participants, visit the Past Festivals page.

Audiences have overwhelmingly responded to SF Sketchfest’s diverse programming which has featured performers from every major North American television comedy smash of the last 25 years including “Saturday Night Live,” “The Kids in the Hall,” “Mr. Show,” “Arrested Development,” “VEEP,” “The Upright Citizens Brigade,” “The State,” “Mystery Science Theatre 3000,” “Strangers With Candy,” “Key & Peele,” “The Simpsons,” “The Daily Show” and more. SF Sketchfest offers its audiences the rare opportunity to see their favorite performers in intimate live performances and discussions.

Jonathan Agam, Mary Aller, Kristina Arellano, Allyson Baker, Fred Barnes, Tara Beppel, Shelley Berniker, Allie Blackman, Dana Blankman, Jennifer Brooks-Stratton, Julian Burrell, Jill Buschini, Marc Capelle, Bikram Chatterji, Michael Churven, Richard Ciccarone, Brett Cline, Bart Coleman, Maddie Conte, Amanda Courtney, Ari De Tomasi, Gabriel Diani, Josh Dick, Aaron Dixon, Kyle Doerkson, Veronica Dolginko, Eric Dosier, Debi Durst, Will Durst, Audre Ebbs, Emily Edgerton, Lauren Egstad, Arnold Engelman, Michael Flynn, Angelo Fraboni, Zack Freedman, The Fresh Robots, Joe Friel, Thea Gagliardi, Abi Ghiridharan, Marcus Glass, Grace Goldstein, Kate Goldstein-Breyer, Danl Goodman, Sam Gooley, Joshua Grannell, Anita Greenspan, Ebony Elaine Hardin, Anne Harris, Greg Hess, Katie Hicks, Jeanne Hizon, Matt Holliman, Carly Hoogendyk, Jason Hoover, Seth Horan, Mark Jourdian, Michele Kappel, Kasper Hauser, Barry Katzmann, Jessica Kelley and The Elysian Theater, Rob Kolker, Rich Korson, Jordan Kurland, Marilyn Langbehn, Josh Lanham, Angelica Lee, Josh Lindgren, Rae Livingston, Lindsey Locke, Len LoFrisco, Erin Lubin, Silvio Lund, Mad-Dog Madigan, Christina Manning, Jennifer Marmor, Bruce McCulloch, Molly Meador, The Meehan Brothers, Diane Melanson, Nicole Merritt, Stacey Molski, Jakub Mosur, Holly Mulder-Wollan, Aigul Myekyei, Paul Nathan, Shannon O’Halloran, The Owen Family, Harper Todd Owen, Marisa Paonessa, Arlen Papazian, Dan Pasternack, Roger Pincombe, Marisa Pitzeri, Please Leave The Bronx, Jordyn Pritsker, Elliot Randall, Shane Ray, Beck Renne, Brandon Reynolds, Corey Rosen, Ben Rossman, Christian Routzen, Christopher Ryan, Arthur Sadler, Al Samuels, Allyna Sanchez, Valentin Sandoval, Molly Schminke, Adam Segal, Stormy Shepherd, Tovah Silbermann, Cody Simmons, Scott Singh, Bruce Smith, The Stratton Family, Laura Swisher, Reg Tigerman, Amanda Todd, Ellen Udovich, Philip Varney, Marlene Vigil, Tucker Voorhees, Joe Waterman, Gabe Watkins, Sarah Weinberg, Paige Wertzler, White Noise Radio Theatre, Lindsay Wilkinson, Cher Willems, Greg Wilson, Duncan Wold, Susan Zachary, Cameron Zetty, Zach Zucker

The 2026 SF Sketchfest is dedicated to the memories of festival alumni, friends, and family: John Bouvier III, Rebekah Del Rio, Pat Finn, David Himelfarb, Lanny Lighthill, David Lynch, Jonathan Mayers, Herb Nanas, Rob Reiner, Jill Sobule, Lynne Marie Stewart, George Wendt, and Bob.