SF Sketchfest Announces Postponement of 2022 Festival

Due to the ongoing pandemic and rising Covid Omicron cases, SF Sketchfest announces the postponement of the 2022 comedy festival scheduled for January 7-23 in San Francisco. Bringing people together to laugh and celebrate comedy is what SF Sketchfest does best, and until it is safe to do so, the festival will hit pause on the events planned for next month.

"The safety of our artists, staff and audiences is our number one priority. Over the past week we have had many artists reach out to us to express concern about traveling and performing at a time when the Covid Omicron variant is causing increased positive cases and breakthrough infections around the country. We have also had some artists and staff members test positive for Covid. Faced with multiple artist, show, and flight cancellations, we have made the tough decision to postpone the festival to a later date, which will be announced in the coming weeks. Our goal is to keep as much of the original lineup intact as possible," say festival co-founders Cole Stratton, David Owen and Janet Varney. "As always, we are grateful for the continued support and understanding of the comedy fans and community and look forward to rescheduling SF Sketchfest."

The festival is asking all ticket holders to hold on to their tickets while dates are being rescheduled. Once new dates are announced, all ticket holders will be contacted directly with options. All ticketing-related questions can be directed to boxoffice@sfsketchfest.com.

SF Sketchfest, co-founded and directed by David Owen, Cole Stratton and Janet Varney, produces the eclectic San Francisco Comedy Festival, the longest-running comedy festival in the U.S. SF Sketchfest is an internationally-recognized and critically-acclaimed event that mixes major comedy stars and the best up-and-coming comedians from around the world for over two weeks of sketch, stand-up, alternative comedy, music, improv, films, tributes, live podcasts, workshops, and panel discussions. SF Sketchfest offers its audiences the rare opportunity to see their favorite performers in intimate live performances and discussions.

In past years, SF Sketchfest has featured renowned comedy artists such as Aziz Ansari, Fred Armisen, Dan Aykroyd, Maria Bamford, Dave Barry, Mike Birbiglia, Jack Black, Rachel Bloom, Carol Burnett, Dana Carvey, Margaret Cho, Billy Crystal, Noel Fielding, Zach Galifianakis, Ricky Gervais, Christopher Guest, Eddie Izzard, Monty Python's Terry Jones, Key & Peele, Eugene Levy, Michael McKean, Kate McKinnon, Tig Notaro, Conan O'Brien, Catherine O'Hara, Patton Oswalt, Penn & Teller, Amy Poehler, Paul Reubens, Mort Sahl, Amy Schumer, Amy Sedaris, Garry Shandling, Harry Shearer, Robert Townsend, Aisha Tyler, George Wallace, Reggie Watts, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Robin Williams, and "Weird Al" Yankovic. The festival has also hosted film and television stars including Alan Arkin, Will Arnett, Candice Bergen, Bruce Campbell, Lizzy Caplan, Dick Cavett, Bud Cort, Ted Danson, Laura Dern, Danny DeVito, Sally Field, Nathan Fillion, Jeff Goldblum, Elliott Gould, Jon Hamm, Neil Patrick Harris, Bill Irwin, Ricky Jay, Rashida Jones, Cloris Leachman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jane Lynch, Parker Posey, Paul Rudd, Jason Schwartzman, Adam Scott, Jason Segel, Tony Shalhoub, and Gene Wilder; ensemble comedy groups The Kids in the Hall, Mr. Show, "Mystery Science Theater 3000," The State, "Drunk History" and the Upright Citizens Brigade; reunions of the casts of "Best in Show", "Airplane!" "Wet Hot American Summer", "Animal House", "Twin Peaks" and "Party Down"; musical guests David Byrne, Bill Frisell, Ben Gibbard, Tenacious D, Aimee Mann, The Monkees, Bob Mould, Rhett Miller, tUnE-yArDs, Nellie McKay, Robert Glasper, and many more.