SF Sketchfest announces initial lineup for the 23rd comedy festival

SF Sketchfest unveiled today the initial lineup for its 23rd annual festival, running January 15 to February 1, 2026. Spanning stages across San Francisco, the festival will showcase more than200 shows, featuring over 500 performers from across the comedy world. For over two weeks, audiences can experience an eclectic mix of sketch, stand-up, improv, music, tributes, live podcasts, and special events. Now in its 23rd year, SF Sketchfest remains a cornerstone of the comedy landscape, celebrated for its inventive programming, exclusive appearances, and unforgettable performances that connect fans with their favorite artists.

“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.”

Highlights of the 2026 festival include:

This year’s festival will feature exclusive tributes and live conversations with some of comedy’s most beloved figures. The Women of SNL: An SF Sketchfest Tribute brings together Ellen Cleghorne, Rachel Dratch, Robin Duke, Ana Gasteyer, Laraine Newman, Cheri Oteri, Julia Sweeney, and more for a night celebrating over 50 years of groundbreaking sketch comedy. An Afternoon with Randall Park (“Always Be My Maybe,” “WandaVision,” “Fresh Off the Boat”), and an evening with The Red Room Orchestra performing the film and television music of Mark Mothersbaugh, joined by the prolific composer (and Devo co-founder) himself. The festival will also honor radio legend Alex Bennett, who will appear alongside friends and colleagues Lori Thompson, Will Durst, Larry “Bubbles” Brown, Bud E. Luv, and special guest Bobby Slayton.

Puppet Up! Uncensored returns to SF Sketchfest with its one-of-a-kind mix of improv comedy and puppetry. Created by and featuring Brian Henson and Patrick Bristow and performed by members of the Jim Henson Company, the show turns audience suggestions into hilarious, unpredictable, and sometimes risqué moments brought to life by master puppeteers. A longtime festival favorite, Puppet Up! is equal parts clever, chaotic, and completely unforgettable.

The festival celebrates major milestones and reunions, including Kids in the Hall’s “Brain Candy” 30th Anniversary Live Read and Middle Aged Dad Jam Band Celebrates 25 years of “Wet Hot American Summer” with songs and scenes from the film with Ken Marino, David Wain, Janeane Garofalo, and more.

Film and television fans will find plenty to celebrate at SF Sketchfest, with a lineup that bridges nostalgia and contemporary cult favorites. Dropout and SF Sketchfest team up for a trio of live events, including Crowd Control with Jacquis Neal, Dirty Laundry with Lily Du and Grant O’Brien, and Um, Actually with Ify Nwadiwe and Brian David Gilbert, bringing the beloved streaming network’s offbeat humor to the stage. The festival also reunites iconic casts for Futurama and Nickelodeon’s Doug for a 35th Anniversary Reunion with series creator Jim Jinkins and cast members. Acclaimed writer and producer Raphael Bob-Waksberg brings an evening celebrating shows he has created, including “Bojack Horseman, Undone, Tuca & Bertie, and Long Story Short.” Other returning favorites include the always hilarious Riffapalooza: Shorts Night! with Mystery Science Theater 3000 favorites Trace Beaulieu, Frank Conniff, Bill Corbett, Kevin Murphy, and more, Found Footage Fest: Porcelain VHS Treasures, and Outtake-o-Rama: Infamous Celebrity Outtakes featuring members of the Futurama team.

Music takes center stage with the Middle Aged Dad Joel Band: Billy Joel Tribute, bringing Ken Marino and David Wain back to the stage, while Thomas Lennon & Friends Sing The Smiths teams with The Sweet and Tender Hooligans for a night of musical nostalgia. The beloved alt-rock band Guster joins the lineup with its variety show Hits & Bits, blending music and comedy in true Sketchfest style. Additional performances include sets from Dan Deacon, Bruce McCulloch, and Wolves of Glendale with OCT (On Company Time).

Headlining stand-up acts include 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, and Jena Friedman. Highlights also include Marie Faustin’s 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, and Armando Anto: The Maestro of Comedy.

Improv and sketch comedy remain at the heart of Sketchfest with returning favorites The Improvised Shakespeare Company, Upright Citizens Brigade’s ASSSSCAT, Off Book: The Improvised Musical, and Shamilton: The Improvised Hip-Hop Musical. Additional highlights include The Groundlings, Theme Park Improv with Simon Helberg, John Michael Higgins, and Oscar Nunez, WorkJuice Improv, ASSSSKETCH NY, The Big Team, Time to Kill, SpontTourCo., and more.

Alternative comedy thrives at Sketchfest with Chaos featuring Natasha Leggero, Chelsea Peretti, and Sabrina Jalees. Other highlights include Smoke Show with Jodie Sweetin, Kristen Schaal’s The Legend of Crystal Shell, Scott Thompson as Buddy Cole, Asian AF, Ask A Fuckboy, and The George Lucas Talk Show. Festival-goers can also catch inventive productions like Dana Gould’s Hangin’ with Dr. Z, Drunk Shrek, and Climate Town Town Hall, plus a growing wave of modern clowning shows such as Stamptown with Zach Zucker, Stand Up and Clown with Chad Damiani, The Amazing Banana Brothers, and Courtney Pauroso’s Vanessa 5000 that blur the lines between satire, silliness, and social commentary.

Live podcasts remain a cornerstone of the festival, with fan favorites including Welcome to Night Vale, Judge John Hodgman, Stuff You Should Know, Endless Honeymoon with Moshe Kasher and Natasha Leggero, andStraightioLab. Additional shows include Bad Dates with Joel Kim Booster, I Need You Guys with Jenny Slate, Max Silvestri, and Gabe Liedman, Staying Alive with Jon Gabrus and Adam Pally, Humor Me with Robert Smigel, The Neighborhood Listen with Paul F. Tompkins, Nicole Parker, and Brett Morris, Doug Loves Movieswith Doug Benson, Hey Riddle Riddle, The Headgum Podcast, Kinda Funny, E Pluribus Motto with John Hodgman and Janet Varney, and Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch and Irene Bremis.

Theatrical and variety programming returns with Varietopia, hosted by Paul F. Tompkins, The Thrilling Adventure Hour with Busy Philipps, Paget Brewster, Joshua Malina, and more, and Celebrity Autobiography featuring Pamela Adlon, Tony Hale, Ben Mankiewicz, Laraine Newman, Cheri Oteri, Jennifer Tilly, Blair Underwood, and more. Additional highlights include Kirsten Vangsness: Outdated, Cockettes Nouveau, Comedian Clash with Jacquis Neal, Tinder Live with Lane Moore and Fake Ted Talks with Jonathan Coulton, Paul & Storm, Andy Daly, Jean Grae, and more. The funnier side of burlesque takes center stage with Tight & Nerdy: “Weird Al” Burlesque and The Craft-lesque, a parody burlesque show of the cult film The Craft.

The annual SF Sketchfest Dozen returns to spotlight twelve rising stars in stand-up: Aaron Branch, Tina Friml, Mike Hanford, Alison Leiby, Kenice Mobley, Dauood Naimyar, Brendan Scannell, Daniel Simonsen, Greta Titelman, Tien Tran, Martin Urbano, and Sabrina Wu.

Workshops

Sketchfest also offers opportunities for artists and fans to learn from the best, including Kevin McDonald: From Improv to Sketch and Listen for Laughs, Clown Workshop with Zach Zucker, and Character Workshop with Brian Palermo (The Groundlings).

Families can enjoy Mo Willems: The Mo & Co. Show, a playful, all-ages event with special guests Kate Micucci and Cher Willems, and The Groundlings Children’s Show.

More shows and performers will be announced soon. The full schedule and lineup can be found at sfsketchfest.com.

Tickets: On sale Sunday, November 16, at 10:00 AM PT at SFSKETCHFEST.COM