2008 Comedy Day

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 500 of the world's funniest comedians have performed free-of-charge for over a half-million people at Comedy Day. It started in the Golden Gate Park Music Concourse (affectionately known as the Band Shell), moved to the Polo Fields in 1986 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 produce the five-hour show. The Punch Line, Cobb's Comedy Club, SF Sketchfest, Pepperbelly's, and Jose Simon (founder of Comedy Day) each produce an hour-long, highly entertaining set.

The State of California and The City supports it, too. The Governor of California, San Francisco's Mayor's Office, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, the KGO Radio, The Onion and Grants for the Arts (San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund) all contribute generously to Comedy Day. One of the most popular performers in the past few years, in fact, has been the former mayor himself: Willie Brown.