Important events taking place both on- and off-campus 

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

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