Sixteen comedians compete at the Orinda Theatre on Saturday, Sept. 5, in a preliminary round of the 50th San Francisco Bay Area Comedy Competition.
Each comic gets six minutes to win over the crowd. The show starts at 2 p.m. at 2 Orinda Theater Square. Tickets are available at orindamovies.com.
Samson Koletkar of Comedy Oakland is hosting the round. Comedy Oakland, which has partnered with the competition for more than a decade, said in a Facebook post that hundreds of comics applied for the 2026 competition. The organization describes the event as one of the longest-running comedy competitions in the country. The Orinda Theatre will host a second preliminary round the following Saturday, Sept. 12, with a different host and lineup, giving locals another chance to see this year's contestants.
The 16 performers selected for the Sept. 5 Orinda preliminary come from cities across the Bay Area and one from Atlanta. Among the competitors: Gabriel Alexander, Steven Asifo, Chelsea Bearce, Brett Harper Jennings, Adrianna McCai, Priya Puram, Alfred Robinson, Jonny Stein, Jake Sullivan and Tyrik Woods. The full roster is listed on Comedy Oakland's Instagram.
Friday night on the lawn
Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga hosts its Oasis Music Festival on Friday, Sept. 4, starting at 7 p.m., according to Lamorinda Life's event calendar. Four acts will perform on the campus lawn, according to Lamorinda Life.
More this weekend and month
The long weekend offers additional options beyond the two headlining events. Friday also brings a Makers Market at 5:30 p.m. at the Orinda Theatre and a reimagining of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" featuring projections at 8:30 p.m. at the Orinda Community Center. Saturday's Yoga Sculpt class starts at 10 a.m. at Moraga Commons Park, followed by a Loard's Ice Cream social.
The Lamorinda Dinner Club meets Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in Lafayette. Reservations cost $19.99, with dinner and drinks purchased separately.
