Paco Romane Comedian, Actor, Writer
Free five-hour alfresco funny fest
Published 11:36 am, Tuesday, September 15, 2015
FROM SF WEEKLY
Sunday September 20th is the 35th annual Comedy Day hits Golden Gate Park with some 40 comedians performing on one stage for five hours. Free.
The fun starts before noon, with J. Raoul Brody and the Stupeds setting the tone — or tunes. Headliners include Marga Gomez, Will and Debi Durst, Bob Sarlatte, Diane Amos, the sketch comedy troupe Mission CTRL, Paco Romane and many more — including not one, but two members of the state Legislature: Tom Ammiano and Mark Leno. Not to mention Brian Copeland, deservedly receiving this year’s Standup Comedy Legend Award.
The lineup may change, and surprise drop-in guests are more the rule than an exception. Check website for latest details.
— Robert Hurwitt
Comedy Day: Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20. Free. Sharon Meadow, Golden Gate Park, S.F. (415) 820-1570.www.comedyday.org.
It was 1975, and comedian Jose Simon had a dream. Barbra Streisand did it. A number of rock ‘n’ roll bands had done it, too. Even the symphony gave it a go. Free outdoor concerts were becoming more commonplace in music. So, why not one featuring comedians? A free outdoor performance in The City that is considered the cradle of civilization for comedy would be a great way for local comedians to say thank you to their fans.
It took a few years and a lot of cooperation from a lot of people to make it happen, but since 1981 more than 750 of the world’s funniest comedians have performed free-of-charge for more than a half-million people at the original outdoor comedy concert, Comedy Day. It started in the Golden Gate Park Music Concourse (affectionately known as the Band Shell), moved to the Polo Fields in 1987 to accommodate larger crowds and, for the past few years, has found a home in Sharon Meadow.
San Francisco’s professional comedy community joins together each year to support this highly-entertaining, five-hour show. The Punch Line, Cobb’s Comedy Club, SF Sketchfest, and others help make Comedy Day the most anticipated comedy event of the year.
