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College life will probably keep you pretty busy. But there's lots going on in and around Rochester all year long, so you'll want to put aside the books every once in a while and get off campus. Below you'll find a list of major upcoming events in the Rochester area, along with major campus events for most of Greater Rochester's colleges and universities.
For more events make sure to pick up City Newspaper every Wednesday, check out the searchable online calendar at rochestercitynewspaper.com, or sign up for City's Weekend Planner, a free enewsletter packed with cool events every Thursday.
August 23
NAZ: Annual Orientation Day of Service
Nazareth College seeks students who want to make a difference in their own world and in the world around them. Naz.edu.
August 23-September 14
GENESEO: Weeks of Welcome
Activities offered help to increase personal connections with other students, faculty and staff and promote a sense of belonging. Geneseo.edu.
August 24
Fairport Music and Food Festival
Several stages of live music and food from Brockport-area restaurants, with proceeds benefiting Golisano Children's Hospital. Liftbridge Lane, Village of Fairport. fairportmusicfestival.com
August 26
RIT/NAZ/ROBERTS/BROCKPORT/GENESEO: Fall Semester Begins
August 29
MCC: All College Day
Kick-off event to the academic year. Monroecc.edu.
RIT: Conversion Celebration
A celebration for the school's conversion to semesters. Rit.edu.
August 29-August 30
UR: Wilson Day/George Eastman Day of Service
Kick-off event to the academic year with volunteering component. Rochester.edu.
August 30-September 3
New York State Festival of Balloons
Labor Day weekend festival of hot-air balloon rides. Dansville Municipal Airport, Dansville. nysfob.com.
SEPTEMBER
September 3
MCC/FISHER/UR: Fall Semester Begins
September 6
NAZ: Involvement Fair
Information on how to join various college clubs or community organizations. Naz.edu.
September 6-8
UR: Yellowjacket
Weekend Celebration of school spirit with a variety of events for campus community. Rochester.edu.
September 7
Antiquarian Book Fair
Booksellers from New York State and beyond gather to sell new and old tomes. Main Street Armory, 900 E. Main St. 325-2050, [email protected].
September 7-8
Clothesline Arts Festival
The city's largest, long-running art fest features more than 400 NY State artists. Memorial Art Gallery, 500 University Ave. mag.rochester.edu/clothesline.
Mendon Station Festival
The Mendon railroad station might be long gone, but passengers of all ages can still board this weekend adventure of arts, food, and races. Mendon Station Park, 1371 Pittsford Mendon Road, Mendon. mendonfoundation.com.
Macedon Lumberjack Festival
Be prepared for the old heave-ho at this burly weekend of crafts, demonstrations, and timber sports like log rolling and tree falling. Macedon Center Fireman's Field, Canandaigua Road. macedoncenterfire.org.
September 10-15
Greentopia Festival
One of Rochester's newest and fastest-growing festivals celebrates the environment with workshops, films, speakers, art, food, and more. High Falls District. greentopiafest.com.
September 12
City Newspaper's South Wedge-Ucation
FREE event geared specifically to bring area college students into the city to get great deals from local merchants and interact with local arts & cultural organizations. South Wedge neighborhood. Rochestercitynewspaper.com.
September 12-14, 19-20
Irondequoit Oktoberfest
Germany comes to Irondequoit in full force with two weekends of lotsa yodeling. Camp Eastman, Durand Eastman Park. irondequoit.org.
September 14-15
Palmyra Canaltown Days
Boat tours, live music, arts shows, a parade, and other events make for a pumping weekend in Palmyra. Village of Palmyra. palmyracanaltowndays.org.
September 15
Purple Foot Festival
Celebrate the harvest in foot-purple-ing style at this grape stomping festival, which also has hay rides and live music. Casa Larga Vineyards, Fairport. casalarga.com/purplefoot.
September 16
Festival of Food
One ticket grants you access to samples from more than 100 local eateries at this gut-busting festival, formerly known as Savor Rochester. Public Market, 280 N. Union St. foodlinkny.org.
September 17
BROCKPORT: Constitution Day
Naturalization ceremony as new citizens take oath of U.S. citizenship. Brockport.edu.
September 19-28
First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival
After a wildly successful debut last year, Rochester's massive arts festival doubles its length from five to 10 days. rochesterfringe.com.
September 20-22
Rochester Sci-Fi, Comic Book, and Anime Con
Whether you're a gamer, a comic collector, an adamant anime viewer, a sci-fi lover, or all of the above, you can get your geek on here. Main Street Armory, 900 E. Main St. rochesterscifianimecon.com.
September 21
MCC: Homecoming
September 22
Rochester Marathon
This is what you've been training for all year: a 26.2-mile marathon and relay and a 13.1-mile half-marathon through the city. rochestermarathon.com.
September 25
Food Truck Rodeo
Final event of the 2013 season features more than a dozen local food trucks and live music. Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union St. Cityofrochester.gov.
September 27-28
GENESEO: Homecoming
September 27-29
ROBERTS: Homecoming
September 28-29
Naples Grape Festival
If you're not into smashing grapes, you can admire them more delicately at this festival with a pie contest, entertainment, and live music. Naples Village, State Route 21, Naples. naplesgrapefest.org.
AppleUmpkin Festival
Can't decide if you prefer apples or pumpkins? You won't have to choose between the fall favorites at this arts and craft festival. Gaslight Village, Wyoming, NY. appleumpkin.com.
OCTOBER
October 5-6
Cohoctan Fall Foliage Festival
There will be a lot of excitement in the small town of Cohoctan during this weekend: Fireworks, football game, art shows, parade, and more. Town of Cohoctan. fallfoliagefestival.com.
Fall Festival feat. Agricultural Society Fair
This harvest fest has competitions in everything from pies to crafts to the biggest pumpkin, as well as vintage farm exhibits. Genesee Country Village and Museum, Mumford. gcv.org.
Hilton Apple Fest
Forget about the pumpkins here — this festival is all about the apples, not to mention arts and crafts, a pie contest, and a car show. Town of Hilton. hiltonapplefest.org.
October 10-13
UR: Meliora Weekend
Alumni weekend has guest lectures, performances, seminars, and more. rochester.edu/melioraweekend.
October 11
FISHER: Fall Recess
October 11-13
RIT: Brick City Homecoming
Homecoming weekend for RIT alumni and families, with live music, entertainment, and reunion events. rit.edu.
October 11-20
ImageOut Film Festival
Upstate New York's longest-running gay and lesbian film festival returns with LGBT features, shorts, and documentaries. Dryden Theatre, Little Theatre, and other venues. imageout.org.
October 12-15
ROBERTS: Fall Recess
October 14-15
GENESEO: Mid-Semester Break
October 16-20
Rochester Fashion Week
Strut your stuff, or admire the stuff of others, during a fabulous week of fashion shows, a boutique crawl, and a clothing switch and swap. fashionweekofrochester.org.
October 18-20
NAZ: Family Weekend
NOVEMBER
November 3-17
Rochester Jewish Book Festival
Lectures, readings, and author visits illuminating books by Jewish writers and about Jewish culture. Jewish Community Center, 1200 Edgewood Ave. rjbf.org.
November 6-12
Polish Film Festival
Feast your eyes on classic and contemporary Polish films, along with music recitals, lectures, and panels with Polish filmmakers and actors. Dryden Theatre; Little Theatre. rochester.edu/College/PSC/CPCES.
November 27-December 1
NAZ/ROBERTS/BROCKPORT/GENESEO/FISHER: Thanksgiving Recess
November 28-29
UR/RIT: Thanksgiving Holiday
DECEMBER
December 11
RIT: End of Fall Semester
December 13
NAZ/ROBERTS: End of Fall Semester
December 14
BROCKPORT/FISHER: End of Fall Semester
December 17
GENESEO: End of Fall Semester
December 19
MCC: End of Fall Semester
JANUARY
January 13
NAZ/ROBERTS/FISHER: Start of Spring Semester
January 15
UR: Start of Spring Semester
January 21
MCC/GENESEO: Start of Spring Semester
January 27
RIT/BROCKPORT: Spring Semester Begins
January 31-February 2
UR: Winterfest Weekend
Annual weekend features a step show, a comedy show, movies, and other activities that rid of the winter blahs. Rochester.edu.
FEBRUARY
February 15-23
ROBERTS: Winter Break
MARCH
March 3-9
FISHER: Spring Break
March 8-16
UR: Spring Break
March 15-23
BROCKPORT: Spring Break
March 17-21
GENESEO: Spring Break
March 24-28
RIT: Spring Break
APRIL
April 4-6
UR: Spring Showtime Weekend
Weekend features a showcase of student talent, the Spring Drag Show, and Club Rochester. Rochester.edu.
April 9
BROCKPORT: Scholars Day
A day of hundreds of presentations on a variety of topics, free and open to the public. Brockport.edu.
April 12
ArtAwake
Event put on by the Urban Exploring Club in which the group takes over an abandoned building and throws a giant party with food, music, art, and more. (Tentative date.) artawake.org.
April 16-20
FISHER: Easter Break
April 17-21
ROBERTS: Easter Recess
April 24-27
High Falls Film Festival
Film festival with a focus on women in front of and behind the camera. Little Theatre, Dryden Theatre, Cinema Theater. highfallsfilmfestival.com.
MAY
May 3
FISHER: Spring Semester Ends
Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival
RIT students and faculty showcase their innovations and creations at a campus-wide festival of games, demonstrations, performances, and more. rit.edu/imagine.
May 5
NAZ: End of Spring Semester
May 9
ROBERTS: End of Spring Semester
May 10
ROBERTS/FISHER: Commencement
May 10-11
NAZ: Commencement Weekend
May 14
RIT/GENESEO: Spring Semester Ends
May 17
BROCKPORT/GENESEO: Spring Semester Ends/Commencement
May 17-18
UR: Commencement Ceremonies
May 22
MCC: End of Spring Semester
May 23-24
RIT: Commencement Ceremonies