SeeCalifornia.com

2019 brings much joy and a little sadness to the comedy world when a San Francisco entertainment staple, Beach Blanket Babylon, shutters its doors at Club Fugazi on Green Street.

After 45 years, 17,216 performances and 6.5 million visitors, San Francisco’s longest-running musical revue says farewell in December 2019. It’s seasonal holiday show sold out as soon as tickets went on sale for the grand finale.

“I just felt it was time after 45 years, it was the right time to close,” said Jo Schuman Silver, the show’s producer. “It’s better for us to go out on top than to drag this out.”

SeeCalifornia.com staff are among the millions who’ve attended this zany production known for insider San Francisco jokes and extremely big hats and costumes worn by actors who mix and mingle with the audience. It’s a boo-hoo moment to see this tradition end, but not to worry, there are many more laugh events that you can still grab.

Holiday Laughs

PASADENA: Doo Dah Parade does 42 in 2019. The out-of-this-world antithesis to The Rose Parade takes place on November 24. It’s kind of like Burning Man meets the streets of Pasadena, but of course, this is family entertainment in the city.

PALMDALE, LONG BEACH, RANCHO CUCAMONGA: Charles Phoenix Holiday Jubilee takes a retro look at the 1950s-70s era with Kodachrome slides, food demos such as making a Jello fruit mold, and much merriment.

SAN FRANCISCO: The Golden Girls: The Christmas Episodes returns with drag actors playing the parts of Dorothy, Blanche, Sophia and Rose and acting out some of the TV series famous Christmas episodes.

SAN FRANCISCO: Great Dickens Christmas Fair isn’t specifically comedy, per se, but the lively entertainment does a play on Victorian era holidays, a’la San Francisco style.

SAN FRANCISCO: Kung Pao Kosher Comedy held on Christmas is for all the Jewish and non-Christmas celebrants who’d like a good Chinese meal and some laughs. Oy vey!