There's so much to do in Rochester in the summer. So much, in fact, that just looking at pages and pages of endless listings can leave you, dear reader, nearly paralyzed by the sheer number of events that fill nearly every day of the next three months. So let us do the work for you.

City has played social planner, picking one activity for you to indulge in every single day of the summer, from the Summer Guide publication date (June 16) to Labor Day (September 6). Given those limitations it isn't a comprehensive listing of everything that's going on -- for that you should pick up City Newspaper every Wednesday for that week's events, or visit our online calendar at rochestercitynewspaper.com -- but it's a good mixture of festivals, special events, concerts, art exhibits, stage shows, and more that will practically guarantee that you make the most of the summer.

Wednesday, September 1

ART: Rochester Contemporary Art Center's annual "State of the City" exhibit returns this year, running August 6-September 9. This edition will feature innovative drawings by Trevor Flynn, teetering urban paintings of Amy Casey, and sculpture and documentation of recent work by the Spectres of Liberty project. Parking Day, the global transformation of metered parking spots to mini-parks, will be held on September 17, making a good complement to this show, which raises questions about the reality of urban life. During the exhibit, British artist and educator Flynn will lead several public workshops; check rochestercontemporary.org for a full schedule or more details. Rochester Contemporary is located at 137 East Ave., and has open gallery hours Wednesdays-Sundays 1-5 p.m. -- RR

Thursday, September 2

SPECIAL EVENT: Summer is winding down, so now's a good time to get a last taste of some of the season's natural bounty at the South Wedge Farmers Market, which runs every Thursday 4-8 p.m. June through October in the parking lot behind Boulder Coffee o Alexander Street. It's a great resource for locally grown, healthy, organic food, perfect for making a dinner to impress that certain someone or giving your family a nutritious meal. Swfarmersmarket.org has a complete listing of vendors and entertainment. - JN

Friday, September 3

SPECIAL EVENT: The Drum Corps Associates will be holding the 2010 DCA World Championships right here in the Flower City, running all weekend September 3-5. Rochester is a drum-corps hotspot, and this event will no doubt highlight that fact in spectacular fashion. A number of visiting drum and bugle corps will descend on downtown, with Friday-night performances held at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center and the nearby Radisson Hotel, not to mention a drum-corps block party outside, which sounds like a very loud, rather ridiculous good time. Later in the weekend the field performances take place at Rochester Rhinos Stadium. Ticket prices vary; all information can be found at dcacorps.org. -JB

Saturday, September 4

SPECIAL EVENT: Spend the night star-gazing in style by going to the Strasenburgh Planetarium next door to the Rochester Museum and Science Center (657 East Ave) for the free weekly Saturday-night telescope viewing. With a telescope lens that's 12.5" in diameter you're bound to find the Rochester skies to be beautiful. You do have to work for it a little by climbing 60 steps up to the top of the tower, but you're sure to get a better view than you would stretched out on your front lawn. The telescope is operated by volunteers from the astronomy section of the Rochester Academy of Science. Viewing starts when the sun goes down and runs until about 10 p.m. Call the planetarium box office after 7:30 p.m. at 697-1945 to confirm that the telescope is open (it's weater dependent). -JH

Sunday, September 5

DANCE: Summer's just about over; time for one last hurrah. The night before Labor Day is generally celebrated in the club world with The Black Party, signifying the end of the season where it's appropriate to wear white, and basically just another reason to shake your ass in the club before the frost starts to hit. Tilt Nightclub (444 Central Ave) throws a hell of a Black Party bash every year, typically with popular local DJ Jon Herbert at the board and a drag queen or two handling emcee duties. Head out and bid the summer a farewell by being just a little more debauched than usual. Wear black, of course, and don't bother showing up before 11 p.m. For more information on Tilt and its various special events call 232-8440. -- ER

Monday, September 6

RANDOM: Brace yourself: it's all over. Labor Day signifies the end of summer as we know it, and the cold weather is just around the corner. But if you've taken even half the suggestions on this list to heart you should have had a hell of a season. After you've slept in and gotten over your hangover from the Black Party, take the holiday to plan out your fall. There's so much that goes on in this town from September through December that you won't have a chance to miss the sun and the heat. From a few major festivals - notably the Memorial Art Gallery's Clothesline Festival and the Mendon Station Festival (both September 11-12) and the City of Rochester's River Romance Weekend (October 8-10) - to dozens of arts and cultural organizations launching their new seasons, Rochester's just as busy when the mercury drops. -- ER