After Seven Years, the San Francisco Improv Festival Returns to Bring the Community Back Together
The San Francisco Improv Festival returns August 12-16, 2026 at Silk Road Bar, its first edition since 2019 and a new chapter as a nonprofit.
After seven years away, the San Francisco Improv Festival (SFIF) is making its return August 12-16, 2026, bringing five days of live improv performances, workshops, and community celebration back to San Francisco.
Held at Silk Road Bar near Union Square, this year's festival marks more than the return of a beloved event. It also celebrates a new chapter as an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and growing San Francisco's rich improvisational legacy.
More than a comedy festival, SFIF brings together performers, students, and audiences to celebrate an art form built on collaboration, creativity, and community. The festival's return also adds to the growing calendar of live arts and cultural events drawing audiences back to downtown San Francisco.
Under the artistic direction of Marcus Sams and producers Clay Robeson and Michael J. Astrauskas, the festival returns with the theme "Under the Same Stars," a reflection of the connections that have always defined the improv community.
"Coming back together under the same stars is about more than restarting a festival," says Artistic Director Marcus Sams. "It's about celebrating the community that has always made improvisation so special. We're excited and honored to welcome artists and audiences back to San Francisco to laugh together, create together, and celebrate an art form that has always been built on connection."
A legacy of improv in San Francisco
San Francisco has long been an influential center for improvisational theatre. From the groundbreaking work of The Committee in the 1960s to generations of performers, companies, and training institutions that followed, the city has helped shape the evolution of modern improv while fostering a vibrant creative community that continues today.
Founded in 2004, the San Francisco Improv Festival has celebrated that legacy while creating opportunities for established performers and emerging ensembles alike. Following its last festival in 2019, SFIF returns with renewed energy and a nonprofit mission focused on strengthening the improv community for years to come.
The festival will feature ensembles from across the United States, bringing together established performers alongside emerging voices for five days of performances, workshops, and opportunities to connect with fellow improvisers and audiences.
Additional programming, including workshops and special events, will continue to be announced throughout the summer.
How to attend
The San Francisco Improv Festival takes place August 12-16, 2026, at Silk Road Bar near Union Square in San Francisco.
Festival passes are on sale now, and individual show tickets became available July 27.
To learn more, view the full lineup, or purchase tickets, visit sfimprovfestival.com.