Our favorite SF festivals this January 

January is a busy time in San Francisco. With so many things to see and do, we've put together a list of our top festivals going on this month to get you to through the winter to spring. 

SF Sketchfest, January 9-26

Photo: SF Sketchfest

Since 2001, SF Sketchfest has brought an annual programme of sketch comedy to San Francisco to brighten up our January. Founded as a way to showcase the talents of six Bay Area sketch comedy groups, the festival has grown into a nationally recognized comedy festival mixing national celebrities and local favorites as well as talented, up-and-coming comics from throughout North America, including performers who regularly feature on television shows such as “Saturday Night Live” and “The Upright Citizens Brigade”. This year the program includes over 250 shows, including performances and discussions, taking place in over 20 venues across the city over 18 glorious days. 

Women’s March San Francisco, January 18

Photo: Beth Thomas, Flickr

 Join the Women’s March in 2020 to stand up for the rights of women everywhere and get 2020 off to a flying start. This annual march brings together women and allies from all backgrounds to march in the name of women’s rights, with issues ranging from immigrant rights to workers rights to reproductive rights and more. This year, the rally will begin at 11am at Civic Center Plaza, and from there the march will progress through the city. Find out more information and stay up to date with any changes on the Eventbrite page and the official website. 

San Francisco Movement Arts Festival, January 24

Photo: SF Movement Arts Festival

 The 6th Annual San Francisco Movement Arts Festival (SFMAF) is one of our top picks for this January.  With over 300 performers, catch the entire Grace Cathedral transformed into a stage for one night only, with the main floor, chapels, stairways and more becoming their own hubs of entertainment. Multiple performances occur simultaneously at the “movement stations”, so you can walk around the space and discover more and more artists as you progress. Each station will feature up to six groups performing short rotating pieces, including ballet, ethnic, ballroom dancing, Movement choirs and more. With over 90% of performers being local to the Bay Area, it’s the perfect way to explore the SF arts scene without freezing your toes off this January. The box office opens at 5:00pm or you can find out more information on the Eventbrite page.

San Francisco Tape Music Festival, January 10-12

Photo: SF Sound

The San Francisco Tape Music Festival is a three day ode to everything music, electronic and experiential. America's only festival devoted to the performance of audio works projected in three-dimensional space, this unique festival features four distinct concerts of classic audio art and new fixed media compositions by 35 composers from both the Bay Area and abroad. The audience sit in complete darkness and experience the music forming around them, with productions by members of the SF Tape Music Collective and guest composers on the program. This year, the festival features contemporary “fixed media” compositions by eighteen international composers, including Francis Dhomont and Natasha Barrett as well as tape classics by Pierre Schaeffer and other favorites. Find out more on their website.