Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - There's always so much going on in Puerto Vallarta and around Banderas Bay, it can be difficult to keep up with it all. Here's a look at some of this week's Puerto Vallarta news headlines and community announcements, plus a couple of this weekend's events that you won't want to miss.

Puerto Vallarta Tourism on the Rise

Mexico's Ministry of Tourism has reported that Puerto Vallarta had an average hotel room occupancy of 8,612 rooms from January to April 2014, an increase of 10% when compared to the same period in 2013. This represents an 8% increase in overall hotel occupancy for the destination, which had the biggest increase in hotel occupancy of Mexican beach destination so far this year. Puerto Vallarta’s International Airport (PVR) received 126,000 international passengers from January to April, 2014. Dubbed the country's "Most Mexican Port," Puerto Vallarta is increasingly becoming more accessible for travelers as improvements continue to be made to the destination's access points and infrastructure. The beach destination has invested heavily in tourism promotion, which has led to the addition of new flight frequencies and routes, and an increase in cruise ship arrivals.

ACT II Entertainment Giving Back to the Community

ACT II Entertainment is planning several events to give back to the community. The first will be on Saturday, June 7th, the opening night of ACT II's summer musical, Serendipity Cafe, which will serve as a Gala Benefit for Corazón de Niña (CDN), a non-profit shelter for young girls who have been removed from shockingly abusive situations. The evening begins at 6:30 pm with a wine and botana reception, followed by the musical performed by the 2014 graduating class of local teens and young adults in the educational outreach program run by Danny Minnini in partnership with Alas Escuela de Canto. A $350 peso donation is suggested, with a portion of the proceeds going towards filling CDN's almost bare pantry. If you cannot attend the show, ACT II is collecting donations of non-perishable foods to help feed the girls. The second event is still in the works. Tentatively planned for the July 4th weekend, 'Vallarta Got Talent' will be a community variety show, party, and silent auction to raise funds for the completion of the Banderas Bay Women's Shelter. So, if you've got a special talent you want to show off, or a prize to donate for the silent auction, please contact ACT II at (322) 222-2357 or via Facebook.

1st Annual Riviera Nayarit Mountain Bike Race

The Liga Deportiva de Ciclismo de Montaña Jalisco A.C. (The Jalisco Mountain Bike Sports League) and the Club Velo Bike, along with the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau, invite the general public to their 1st annual Riviera Nayarit Mountain Bike Race. The competition will take place on May 31st at La Montalbeña Ranch, located in Litibú in Higuera Blanca. Between 250 to 300 cyclists and from the states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, and Michoacán are expected to meet the challenges the cross-country 8-kilometer circuit presents. Twenty-six categories will have staggered departing times starting at 4 pm, with participants ranging from 5 to over 60 years of age, both male and female. This race is a very timely event, as at the end the best athletes will be chosen to continue on to the national competition, an incentive for all the competitors.

New Art Center Opens in Puerto Vallarta

On May 28th, around 150 people celebrated the opening of Puerto Vallarta's Oficina de Proyectos Culturales, an independent non-profit arts organization dedicated to fostering dialogue through exhibitions, round table discussions, public art, and arts education programs. The new art center's inaugural exhibition, Davis Birks' Paraiso en Proceso examines various facets of life in Puerto Vallarta, both past and present. Employing the contemporary practices of installation art, sound art, and land art, the exhibit's fifteen installations not only utilize the gallery space, but also the existing garden areas. Birks invited other artists, architects, and urban planners to collaborate on specific works of art for the opening show, which runs through July 12th. The next time you are in downtown Puerto Vallarta, be sure to stop by the Oficina de Proyectos Culturales on the corner of Juarez and Aldama to get a glimpse of 'Paradise in Progress.'

Weekend Events in Puerto Vallarta and Around Banderas Bay
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• Vallarta Restaurant Week Continues through May 31

• 54th San Blas International Fishing Tournament

• Mariachi Gala & Charro Tournament for PV Charities