San Francisco, CA | November 15, 2024 – Get ready to enter the new year in tears of joy! The much-anticipated and beloved SF Sketchfest is returning for its 22nd year, and from January 16 to February 2, 2025, San Francisco will transform into a comedy mecca, hosting more than 180 shows across iconic venues!
From live standup, podcast recordings, and orchestral performances, to tender reunions commemorating the 45th anniversary of Airplane! and the 50th anniversary of The Groundlings, and tributes to the storied careers of legends Tim Curry, Kathryn Hahn, and Richard Kind, SF Sketchfest will be brimming with something for every comedy enthusiast.
The incredibly inclusive diversity of this side-splitting showcase is truly a hallmark of pride, as SF Sketchfest is also hosting comedy sets from a wide range of POC and queer comedians. Here is a list of the many different intersectional shows you can’t miss for a dose of culturally-specific laughs!
When: Thursday January 16, 2025 7:00pm – 8:30pm PST
Where: Lost Church
What: Host Baruch Porras Hernandez created ¿Donde Esta Mi Comedy? back in 2016, having the first show at a gay sexual health clinic to a packed crowd and they’ve been making audiences laugh ever since!
With: Baruch Porras Hernandez, Ashley Monique, Graciella Hamilton, Molina Molina, and more!
When: Thursday January 16, 2025 7:30pm – 9:00pm PST
Where: Gateway Theatre
What: GAYSIAN AF is the premier glitter-dowsed, hammer-wielding showcase for LGBT Asian American entertainment. Come see the best stand-up, music, and improv this side of Proposition 8 (topical reference!?). Originally born from the hit variety show Asian AF, GAYSIAN AF returns after a year-long hiatus bigger, better, stronger, and gayer.
With: Jiavani, Chris Renfro
When: Friday January 17, 2025 9:30pm – 11:00pm PST
Where: Great Star Theater
What: Asian AF (Asian As F*) is the premier comedy variety show in Los Angeles and New York, spotlighting both upcoming and established Asian American actors, stand-up comedians, improvisers, sketch performers, musicians, storytellers, and more.
With: Keiko Agena, Will Choi, Peter Bui, Denise Lee, and more!
When: Friday January 17, 2025 7:00pm – 8:30pm PST
Where: Lost Church
What: Hilarious Habibis – hosted by Gena B. Jones and Lynn Maleh – is Hollywood’s FIRST EVER standup showcase featuring Middle Eastern/North African [MENA] comedians. The show, which has been featured in Alaraby TV and Between East, aims to bring together a diverse group of artists and audiences to laugh about everything, from brown parent trauma and cultural hiccups to AMC commercials and lube.
With: Lynn Maleh, Gena B. Jones, Kari Assad, Christie Bahna, and more!
When: Sunday January 19, 2025 1:00pm – 2:30pm PST
Where: Gateway Theatre
What: Filipino AF is a comedy variety show featuring the best Filipino American talent around. Improv, sketch, standup, and even some music and dance. (It’s Filipinos after all!) The show started in LA, and we are STOKED to bring it to the bay!
With: Allyn Pintal, Joy Regullano
Embarrassed by Night Celebrates Tết
When: Tuesday January 21, 2025 7:00pm – 8:30pm PST
Where: Lost Church
What: The all-Vietnamese-American standup showcase Embarrassed by Night proudly makes its return to San Francisco Sketchfest to celebrate the Year of the Snake! Come ring in the serpentine Lunar New Year with loads of laughs and cultural joy from this eclectic, elite all-Viet lineup of comics!
With: Fred Le, Andy Van, Peter Bui, David Nguyen, and more!
Joel Kim Booster: Rude Little Pig
When: Friday January 24, 2025 7:30pm – 9:00pm PST
Where: Great American Music Hall
What: Joel Kim Booster is a Chicago-bred, Los Angeles-based stand-up comedian, writer, and actor who was named one of the TIME100 Next 2022 as an emerging advocate and creative and a Variety Screenwriter to Watch (2022). Joel has also been recognized as one of The Queer Young Comics Redefining American Humor by the New York Times. Joel starred in the Searchlight Pictures rom-com “Fire Island”, which won the 2023 Dorian Award for Best TV movie and was called an “instant classic” by the AV Club.
With: Joel Kim Booster, opening set from Brendan Scannell
When: Saturday January 25, 2025 7:30pm – 9:00pm PST
Where: Lost Church
What: a nationally touring stand-up show featuring female-identifying performers of MENASA (Middle Eastern, North African, & South Asian) descent. The show was created as a response to tokenism and underrepresentation in entertainment, and to let everyone know that we are NOT the same person!
When: Saturday February 1, 2025 7:00pm – 8:30pm PST
Where: Cobb’s Comedy Club
What: a competitive self-care comedy show hosted by comedian, writer and actor Jenny Yang. Every show features comedians, celebrities and wellness experts ready to test their knowledge of the latest wellness trends and reveal their own self-care obsessions.
With: Jenny Yang, Doug Benson, Kate Micucci, Nori Reed, Saul Trujillo
When: Saturday February 1, 2025 9:30pm – 11:00pm PST
Where: Gateway Theatre
What: Nori Reed and Hayden Johnson co-host an iconic night of stand-up & trans absurdity with their favorite comedians. With guests Kevin Allison, Natasha Muse, Ify Nwadiwe, and Sabrina Wu.
With: Nori Reed, Hayden Johnson, Natasha Muse, Ify Nwadiwe, Sabrina Wu
Plan Your Festival Experience
The festival will take place across top venues, including Club Fugazi, Cobb’s Comedy Club, The Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, and more. A full schedule, along with additional show announcements, can be found at sfsketchfest.com.
With such a diverse and exciting lineup, tickets are expected to sell out quickly. Don’t miss your chance to experience the magic of SF Sketchfest 2025.
🎟 Tickets are now on sale at sfsketchfest.com!
About SF Sketchfest
Founded by David Owen, Cole Stratton, and Janet Varney, SF Sketchfest has become the longest-running comedy festival in the U.S., renowned for its eclectic programming and intimate live performances. For over two decades, the festival has brought comedy fans closer to their favorite stars while introducing them to the next big names in comedy.
This January, come laugh, connect, and celebrate at SF Sketchfest 2025!
