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SF Sketchfest opens Jan. 10, with some 250 shows at more than a dozen San Francisco venues and such A-List performers as Carol Burnett, Margaret Cho, Janeane Garofalo, W. Kamau Bell and many more, It really is one of the Bay Area’s most impressive events, even if a lot of folks have never heard of it.
So here is what you need to know before heading in, from dining and drinking possibilities, to picks for shows, to transportation and parking options. Because let’s face it, we all could use a good laugh, couldn’t we?
First off, just what the blazes is a “Sketchfest?”
Sketch refers to sketch comedy — think the skits they run on “Saturday Night Live” or the off-the-cuff improv routines on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” But that doesn’t matter a ton because Sketchfest has a whole lotta different kinds of comedy. You’ll also find stand-up comedy, screenings of classic films like “Best In Show” (with cast members on hand), Q&As with top comedians and — a segment mushrooming in popularity — live podcasts. To give you a taste, here are our tips for the 10 best shows. Or check out the event’s website and peruse the schedule. That’s also where you can snag tickets — and you definitely want to do that. A lot of events sell out, so do not head to a show without grabbing a ticket first. Most shows are in the $25-$35 range.
Parking and transportation
Sketchfest events take place all over the city — from The Mission to North Beach to Nob Hill to the theater and financial districts, the Tenderloin and neighborhoods we’re pretty sure didn’t even have names until a couple of days ago (see the venue map below). So obviously your options vary. BART can get you to a lot downtown, theater district and Mission spots (especially if you are OK with walking a block or two). As for parking, Sketchfest has an arrangement with the SpotHero parking reservation site. Go to the Sketchfest website’s venue page and you’ll find links to SpotHero for specific venues. Parking Panda and ParkMe are other options — download the apps and type in your venue. Reserved parking is a very good idea for venues like the Castro theatre, for which parking is notoriously difficult. Prices will vary widely depending on when and where you are going. And here’s some more information on parking garages in and around the downtown core.
Dining and drinking
Comedy is best consumed with a full tummy and drinky-poo or two under your belt (at least that’s the way we roll). Of course your options are all over the place in San Francisco, where there are only about 458 gazillion places and ways to eat. We can help a little on that. Here are 5 killer restaurants in the Mission. And if you are headed to Union Square/Civic Center/theater district, here are some awesome dining options for that area.
