Best Family Friendly Entertainers In San Francisco
It's an age-old conundrum when parents face long weekends and big birthday parties: how to entertain the whole family. Fortunately, inspired, stimulating entertainment that will pique and please all ages abounds in the Bay Area.
Boswick the Clown
Boswick Enterprises
1359 8th Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 665-1909
www.boswick.net
Price: click here for quotes
Hours: click here for calendar
Boswick the Clown sports impressive credentials. A former Ringling Brothers Circus clown, he's the world's fastest balloon maker according to the International Juggling Association and has appeared on television shows, movies and commercials. Boswick's greatest talents are his quippy humor that appeals to people of all ages and deft magic tricks. His performances bring children from the audience to the center stage and make them the stars of the show. Boswick the Clown performs at libraries and schools around the Bay and is available for birthday parties and corporate events as well.
The Sippy Cups
P.O. Box 371637
Santa Monica, CA 94037
(415) 335-4422
www.thesippycups.com
Price: varies by event
Hours: click here for shows
The band the Sippy Cups makes music fun for both adults and children by embracing the fact that kids, just like adults, want to rock. It unabashedly describes its music as rock 'n roll, performing at venues typically reserved for adult acts, such as Great American Music Hall and the Rickshaw Stop (where it recorded its album "Kids Rock for Peas"), and includes cover versions of songs by the Ramones, Rolling Stones, War, Syd Barrett and the Beatles. Parenthood has taught the Sippy Cups that children appreciate whimsy as much as power chords, so it includes original songs about snails, jellyfish, loose teeth and growing up in its shows along with juggling, unicycles, colorful props and costumes, and a lot of audience participation.
Related: Bay Area's 10 Must-See Museums For Kids
Charity and the JAMband
(415) 425-0372
www.jamjamjam.com
Price: varies by show
Hours: click here for calendar
As its name suggests, Charity and the JAMBand play a loose, laid-back, soulful brand of rock music. Expect to dance at these kids' concerts. The band leads the audience in dance moves specific to each song guaranteeing good exercise for the kiddos. Charity and the JAMBand hosts the JAMBand Family Festival, a free family concert series every summer at the Park Chalet restaurant in San Francisco's Sunset District, and it performs at libraries, matinees and other events throughout the year around the Bay area. Charity Kahn, the band's namesake, runs a number of classes and camps for children up to age 8, designed to use music to make the world a better place and people happier and more fulfilled.
Magic Dan
591 Moscow St.
San Francisco, CA 94112
(415) 337-8500
www.magicdan.com
Price: varies by event
Hours: click here for schedule
It's no illusion that Magic Dan is one of the most sought after family entertainers in the Bay Area. With positive messages reinforcing education, reading and self-esteem, audience members are left captivated by each performance. With 25 years in the profession, Magic Dan works with schools, libraries and private parties, at which every birthday child is the star of the show.
The Buddy Club
P.O. Box 8012
Berkeley, CA 94707
(510) 236-7469
www.thebuddyclub.com
Price: varies by event
Hours: click here for schedule or book your own event
Celebrating its 25th year, The Buddy Club's children's shows present a variety of talent, from magicians, jugglers and clowns to ventriloquists, acrobats and puppeteers. Performances are designed for children ages 2 to 12 and occur from July through April at venues in San Francisco, Berkeley, Danville and San Rafael as well as outdoor fairs, festivals and camps during the summer and fall. The Buddy Club is a popular destination for birthday parties, at which the guest of honor is included in the act, and partygoers get the best seats in the house. A Buddy Club show is sure to get the whole family laughing together.
Related: Best Party Places for Kids in the Bay Area
Robyn Chelsea-Seifert is a freelance writer living in San Francisco. Her work has appeared in The Miami Herald, Creem, Hit Parader, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel and International Musician. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
