SF Sketchfest has unveiled the lineup for its 23rd edition, taking place at venues across San Francisco from January 15–February 1, 2026.
Featuring a mix of sketch, stand-up, improv, music, tributes, live podcasts, and special events, the festival will this year showcase more than 200 shows, featuring over 500 performers from around the world. Notables among them include Pamela Adlon, Maria Bamford, Raphael Bob-Waksberg, Joel Kim Booster, Janeane Garofalo, Tony Hale, Thomas Lennon, Ken Marino, Eugene Mirman, Adam Pally, Chelsea Peretti, Busy Philipps, Adam Savage, Kristen Schaal, Stamptown, Jennifer Tilly, Paul F. Tompkins, Blair Underwood, and David Wain, to name just a few.
“We’re thrilled with how our 23rd festival has come together, with returning icons like the Kids in the Hall (to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their classic film “Brain Candy”) and The Henson Company’s hilarious and mind-blowing Puppet Up! Uncensored, alongside new faces to SF Sketchfest like the legendary Mark Mothersbaugh and the endlessly talented Randall Park,” said SF Sketchfest founders David Owen, Cole Stratton, and Janet Varney. “We’re especially proud to honor the brilliant women of SNL and to share so many incredible shows with our audiences this year.”
Tickets to SF Sketchfest go on sale Sunday, November 16 at 10 a.m. PT at the fest’s website. View the initial lineup below.
Tributes, Conversations, and Special Events
● The Women of SNL: An SF Sketchfest Tribute with Ellen Cleghorne, Rachel Dratch, Robin Duke, Ana Gasteyer, Laraine Newman, Cheri Oteri, Julia Sweeney, and more
● An Afternoon with Randall Park
● The Red Room Orchestra, performing the film and television music of Mark Mothersbaugh, joined by Mothersbaugh
● Tribute to Alex Bennett with Lori Thompson, Will Durst, Larry “Bubbles” Brown, Bud E. Luv, and special guest Bobby Slayton
● Puppet Up! Uncensored with Brian Henson and Patrick Bristow, with performers from The Jim Henson Company
Anniversaries, Milestones, and Reunions
● Kids in the Hall’s “Brain Candy” 30th Anniversary Live Read
Middle Aged Dad Jam Band Celebrates 25 Years of “Wet Hot American Summer” with Ken Marino, David Wain, Janeane Garofalo, and more
● “Futurama” Reunion
● Nickelodeon’s “Doug” 35th Anniversary Reunion with series creator Jim Jinkins and cast members
Film, TV, and Streaming Events
● Dropout Live Events:
○ Crowd Control with Jacquis Neal
○ Dirty Laundry with Lily Du and Grant O’Brien
○ Um, Actually with Ify Nwadiwe and Brian David Gilbert
● Raphael Bob-Waksberg Evening (“Bojack Horseman,” “Undone,” “Tuca & Bertie,” “Long Story Short”)
● Riffapalooza: Shorts Night! with MST3K favorites Trace Beaulieu, Frank Conniff, Bill Corbett, Kevin Murphy, and more
● Found Footage Fest: Porcelain VHS Treasures
● Outtake-o-Rama: Infamous Celebrity Outtakes featuring members of the “Futurama” team
Music & Comedy
● Middle Aged Dad Joel Band: Billy Joel Tribute with Ken Marino and David Wain
● Thomas Lennon & Friends Sing The Smiths with The Sweet and Tender Hooligans
● Guster: Hits & Bits
● Dan Deacon
● Bruce McCulloch
● Wolves of Glendale with OCT (On Company Time)
Stand-Up Comedy (Headliners & Highlights)
● Headliners: Maria Bamford, Janeane Garofalo, Joel Kim Booster, Dulcé Sloan, Eugene Mirman, Todd Barry, Andy Daly, Brent Weinbach, Eddie Pepitone, Alice Wetterlund, Ed Gamble, Ify Nwadiwe, Carmen Christopher, Brittany Carney, Jena Friedman
● Additional Shows:
○ Marie Faustin: Why Are You Single?
○ Jo Firestone: Friends of Single People
○ Sup; Bro? with Josh Gondelman and Alison Leiby
○ Trans-It Girls with Nori Reed and Hayden Johnson
○ Armando Anto: The Maestro of Comedy
Improv & Sketch Comedy
● The Improvised Shakespeare Company
● Upright Citizens Brigade’s ASSSSCAT
● Off Book: The Improvised Musical
● Shamilton: The Improvised Hip-Hop Musical
● The Groundlings
● Theme Park Improv with Simon Helberg, John Michael Higgins, Oscar Nunez
● WorkJuice Improv
● ASSSSKETCH NY
● The Big Team
● Time to Kill
● SpontTourCo.
● More to be announced
Alternative Comedy & Clowning
● Chaos featuring Natasha Leggero, Chelsea Peretti, and Sabrina Jalees
● Smoke Show with Jodie Sweetin
● Kristen Schaal’s The Legend of Crystal Shell
● Scott Thompson as Buddy Cole
● Asian AF
● Ask A Fuckboy
● The George Lucas Talk Show
● Dana Gould’s Hangin’ with Dr. Z
● Drunk Shrek
● Climate Town Town Hall
● Modern clowning:
○ Stamptown with Zach Zucker
○ Stand Up and Clown with Chad Damiani
○ The Amazing Banana Brothers
○ Courtney Pauroso’s Vanessa 5000
Live Podcasts
● Welcome to Night Vale
● Judge John Hodgman
● Stuff You Should Know
● Endless Honeymoon with Moshe Kasher and Natasha Leggero
● StraightioLab
● Bad Dates with Joel Kim Booster
● Staying Alive with Jon Gabrus and Adam Pally
● Humor Me with Robert Smigel
● The Neighborhood Listen with Paul F. Tompkins, Nicole Parker, Brett Morris
● Doug Loves Movies with Doug Benson
● Hey Riddle Riddle
● The Headgum Podcast
● Kinda Funny
● E Pluribus Motto with John Hodgman and Janet Varney
● Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch and Irene Bremis
Variety, Theater & Special Events
● Varietopia (hosted by Paul F. Tompkins)
● The Thrilling Adventure Hour with Busy Philipps, Paget Brewster, Joshua Malina, and more
● Celebrity Autobiography with Pamela Adlon, Tony Hale, Ben Mankiewicz, Laraine Newman, Cheri Oteri, Jennifer Tilly, Blair Underwood, and more
● Kirsten Vangsness: Outdated
● Cockettes Nouveau
● Comedian Clash with Jacquis Neal
● Tinder Live with Lane Moore
● Fake Ted Talks with Jonathan Coulton, Paul & Storm, Andy Daly, Jean Grae, and more
● Tight & Nerdy: “Weird Al” Burlesque
● The Craft-lesque
Sketchfest Dozen: Rising Stars
● Aaron Branch
● Tina Friml
● Mike Hanford
● Alison Leiby
● Kenice Mobley
● Dauood Naimyar
● Brendan Scannell
● Daniel Simonsen
● Greta Titelman
● Tien Tran
● Martin Urbano
● Sabrina Wu
Workshops
● Kevin McDonald: From Improv to Sketch and Listen for Laughs
● Clown Workshop with Zach Zucker
● Character Workshop with Brian Palermo (The Groundlings)
Family Programming
● Mo Willems: The Mo & Co. Show with Kate Micucci and Cher Willems
● The Groundlings Children’s Show
This article was published by Matthewgrobar on 2025-11-14 03:01:00
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