Bay Area Black Comedy Showcase is Back

What do Jamie Foxx, Chris Tucker, Mike Epps, Nick Cannon, Mark Curry and others have in common? These celebrity comedians are all alumni of the Bay Area Black Comedy Competition, the largest urban comedy showcase in the country. This year, the 25th anniversary finals and festival will be held at

The Paramount Theatre

on May 14. Six finalists will go head to head, each doing their best to win the audience over. Other famous comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld, Chelsea Handler and Kevin Hart have also performed at The Paramount. Get your tickets now - you never know who will be the next star out of the bunch!

Ready for Summer at Jack London Square 

Gear up for a range of activities all summer long in Jack London Square. This month, enjoy a Happy Hour Cruise with Celebrations on the Bay on May 5. Take your mother on the water for a special brunch cruise aboard the U.S.S. Potomac on Mother's Day, or enjoy a moonlight kayaking ride with California Canoe & Kayak on May 14. Starting in June, Dance Under the Stars at the Foot of Broadway with a free dance lesson each week, ranging from salsa to swing. Sit back and enjoy live music on the Ferry Lawn with SoundWaves, including pop/rock, R&B, latin and other performances. Hop aboard the U.S.S. Potomac for a series of cruises on the Bay, and catch a waterfront flick on the Market Lawn. For more events happening in Jack London Square, visit www.jacklondonsquare.com.

From April 16 - August 14, "Michael C. McMillen: Train of Thought" will be on display at the Oakland Museum of California. From large-scale recreations of surreal scenes to small miniature depictions, Michael's work brings viewers into another dimension. Other pieces include sculptures, assemblages, paintings, drawings and films, all of which depict a made-up world. Michael's work is intended to be abstract - his goal is to allow viewers to see something different that they've never experienced before. Pick up a map in the Gallery of California Art to find where his work is dispersed throughout the gallery and allow yourself to get lost in your own interpretations of his creations. For more information, visit www.museumca.org.

During the first two weekends in June, Pro Arts will host the

East Bay Open Studios, highlighting the eclectic artwork found in the East Bay. The celebration is the largest arts event in the Bay, attracting more than 50,000 visitors each year. Make sure to book your room in advance at one of Oakland's hotels to experience this special event. Hotels in Jack London Square include the Executive Inn & Suites, The Inn at Jack London Square, Homewood Suites by Hilton and the Waterfront Hotel. In the Downtown/Old Oakland area, try the Courtyard Marriott, Oakland Marriott City Center or the Washington Inn. For easy airport access, stay at the Days Hotel Oakland Airport, Hilton Oakland Airport, the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites and the Red Lion Hotel.  For more Oakland accommodations, visit www.visitoakland.org/hotels.

Hola Mexico!

Great news for travelers - direct flights to and from the Oakland International Airport to Mexico City are now available via Volaris Airlines. OAK will celebrate the the new service in coordination with the grand opening of the remodeled Terminal 1 Welcome Area on May 6. Terminal 1's newly remodeled World Passage Duty Free and Travel Retail shop is also now open to both domestic and international travelers, offering high-value, low-price gifts and personal items. The new shop is a welcome addition to the new terminal due to the increase in passenger traffic for the airlines. Get your bags packed and head over to OAK to see the exciting changes for yourself. For more information, visit www.flyoakland.com/.