•On Saturdays thru September 4, the City of Rochester will present a free laser and light show featuring The Skycosters and a host of local illustrators and animators at the High Falls Historic District, Platt & State Streets. Celebrate One City focuses on “Rochester Voices” who have played a role in shaping history – Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass and George Eastman. The shows are projected onto the wall of the Genesee River gorge and conclude with fireworks! Call (585) 428-5990; or 311 if you are a city resident.

•On Saturdays thru October 16, some of the area’s best known chefs will be at the Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union Street, to participate in Chef’s Day “At The Market.” This is your chance to taste the season’s crops and take home a recipe to try in your own kitchen. Call (585) 428-5990; or 311 if you are a City resident.

•On Sundays thru October 17, the Rochester Public Market at 280 N. Union Street will host their Greatest Community Garage Sales and Super Fleas. Bargain-hunters can take advantage of great values; and residents can sell all the ‘treasures’ that turned up during spring cleaning! Call (585) 428-5990; or 311 within the City limits.

• Thru October 31, Guided Tours of Mt. Hope Cemetery are offered every Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Admission is free for this two-hour leisurely walk of approximately one mile on paved road and uneven terrain. Call (585) 461-3494.

•The final Thursday Victorian Tea at Sonnenberg Gardens, 151 Charlotte Street in Canandaigua, will be held on August 26. The elegant tea, served by maids in Victorian costume, is presented outdoors on the veranda. Call (585) 394-4922 to make a reservation.

•On Thursday, August 26, the Rochester Walk Kick Off Party to benefit the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention will be held at Pineapple Jacks, 485 Spencerport Road. The event, which starts at 6:30 p.m., will feature music by Drama Queen, Push, Cover Boy and John Akers & Erik Welsh. Proceeds from this event will go toward the Rochester “Out of the Darkness” Community Walk that will beheld on October 3rd in Genesee Valley Park. To register for the walk, visit OutOfTheDarkness .org; for more information on the Kick Off Party, call (585) 247-5225.

•The Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit at 835 South Avenue, will hold its seventh annual Greek Fest from August 26 thru 29. Traditional Greek foods will be offered – Souvlaki, Gyro Pita, Pastichio, Mousaka, Greek Salad, Lamb Shank and Spanakopita as well as Kalamari, Loukoumathes Baklava Sundaes and plenty of Greek coffee and pastries. Traditional Greek music will be provided by The Aegeans; and the youth dance group will perform. You can also purchase goods at the boutique area – jewelry, clothing, and more. Call (585) 271-3150.

• The New York State Fair, a summer showcase of the best of New York’s agriculture, education, entertainment, industry and technology, will take place this year from August 26 thru September 6 at the Empire Expo Center, State Fair Boulevard, Syracuse NY. Over 375 acres of animals, exhibits and displays, midway rides, games, and big name entertainment make this annual event a season highlight. Headline performances in the Grandstand include Aerosmith (8/26), Jeff Dunham (8/27), Rihanna (8/28), Justin Biebr w/Sean Kingston & Jessica Jarrell (8/29), Rush (9/2), Tim McGraw w/Montgomery Gentry (9/3), and Rascal Flatts w/Kellie Pickler & Christ Young (9/4). In the Chevy Court you’ll find two free performances each day - En Vogue (8/26), Kool & The Gang (8/26), Blue Oyster Cult (8/27), Kansas (8/27), Adam Richman (8/28), Styx (8/28), Trailer Choir (8/29), Blues Traveler (8/29). Steve Lippia w/CNY Jazz Orchestra (8/30), 30 Seconds to Mars (8/30), Herman’s Hermits w/Peter Noone (8/31), 1964 Beatles Tribute (8/31), Lady Antebellum (9/1), Eli Young Band (9/2), Little Big Town (9/2), Justin Moore (9/3), Coheed and Cambria (9/3), Mitchel Musso (9/4), Robert Randolph & the Family Band (9/4), Katharine McPhee (9/5), Keith Sweat (9/5), Jackyl (9/6) and Marc Broussard (9/6). Call (800) 475-FAIR; or visit www.nysfair.org.

•The Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union Street, hosts its last Night Market w/Bands on the Bricks on August 27. The Market will be transformed into a happy hour spot for this event, from 5-9 pm, with an eclectic mix of vendors, a wide variety of food choices, a beer and wine garden, and musical entertainment. Call 311; or outside of Rochester, (585) 428-5990.

•A special event is planned for August 27 at the Italian American Community Center, 150 Frank DiMino Way. Poor Man’s Meals of Years Ago, Gourmet Specialties of Today offers music by Souvenir for listening and dancing; and a huge gourmet dinner. Call (585) 594-8882.

•The Sankofa Festival of the Arts offers a variety of events throughout the weekend of August 27 & 28. Included will be “An Evening of Theatre and Jazz” on Friday at MuCCC, 142 Atlantic Avenue, featuring three local women playwrights (Laura Thomas, Deborah C. Floyd, Delores Jackson Radney) and music by the Janet Beaman group. Then, on Saturday, there will be vendors, children’s activities and a Health, Wellness and Beauty event presented in Village Gate Square, 274 North Goodman Street. Call (585) 271-7010 for further details.

•Now in its 11th year, Snow Ridge Jam Fest 2010 is scheduled for August 27, 28 & 29 at Snow Ridge Ski Resort in Turin NY, offering three stages and more than twenty five bands! Featured act include the Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Tin Horse, American Babies, Tao Seeger, Blackwater, The Bridge, Dave Tieff, Moon Taxi, the Nate Wilson Group, George Wesley, the Sim Redmond Band, Rozatones and the Tim Herron Group. Fireworks are planned for Saturday night; and VIP tickets are available. Call (315) 348-8456; and visit www.snowridgejamfest.com for full details.

•Cobblestone Arts Center at 1622 Route 332 in Farmington NY will host a Summer Fun Festival and Fundraiser on August 28. There will be live music, a silent auction, wine tastings, festival food and a kid’s talent show. Student artwork will also be on display and available for purchase. Call (585) 398-0220.

•Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong will benefit from the Fairport Music & Food Festival on August 28. The event features eighteen bands performing on three stages - Clearly From Negligence, The Campbell Brothers, Northside Johnny, Brass Taxi, Small Town, Wild Horses, the Tussey Mountain Moonshiners, Geoff Harder & the Moonlighters, The Buzzards, Debbie Kendrick, Deep Blue Dream, The Root Beer Beaver, The Fools, Deborah Magone, Tommy Brunett, Kindred Groove, Johnny B & The MVPs and Uncle Plum. There will also be food provided by local restaurants, and a children’s area with crafts and entertainment. Activities center on Liftbridge Lane, off Main Street in Fairport. Go to www.fairportmusicfest.com for details.

•The first annual Rochester Fur Ball is Rochester’s first and only pet-friendly, black-tie gala and fundraiser. Some 250 guests are expected, many escorted by their canine (and maybe even a few feline) companions. Dogs can enjoy a doggie buffet, and a doggy spa. Humans will have a silent and live auction, dancing, a dinner buffet and a doggie fashion show to enjoy. The event takes place on August 28 at the Strathallan Hotel, 550 East Avenue. Call (585) 305-0400.

•At Smoke, Fire and Courage III, an interactive celebration of fire fighting history, equipment and techniques taking place August 28 & 29 at the Port of Rochester in Charlotte, there will be displays and demonstrations, food vendors and more. Call 311 for details from the City; or outside of Rochester, dial (585) 428-5990.

•On August 28 & 29, the Highbanks Recreation Area of Letchworth State Park in Castile NY will host a Stone Tool Technology Show. Flintknapping, tool making demonstrations, Native American crafts, a 19th Century Mountain Men encampment, an Atl-Atl competition and more will be part of the weekend’s activities. Call (585) 493-3600.

•Nola’s BBQ at 4775 Lake Avenue will host a special fundraiser titled Reaching New Heights on Sunday, August 29, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will raise funds for young MacKenzie Cheshire’s physical therapy at Ability Camp and will include music by C-Toan, Contraband and Street-Wise. All ages are welcome; and you can just stop in to enjoy the entertainment or add lunch for an additional fee. (Kids 12 & under need only pay for lunch, their admission is free.) Visit kmmclub.org/mackenzie .html for full details.

•The popular New York State Festival of Balloons will be held from September 2 thru 6 at Dansville Municipal Airport on Maple Street, Dansville NY. The event kicks off with a Balloon Glow at dusk on Thursday, and continues Friday-Monday with balloon launches and rides, arts and crafts, a car show, continuous entertainment, an international food court, rides and children’s amusements. Visit www.nysfob.com for details.

•Captain Redbeard’s Feast, a Pirate and Seafood Festival on Honeoye Lake, is planned for September 3 thru 5. On Friday night at 9 p.m., the event is kicked off by the showing of a movie by the lake. Then, on Saturday & Sunday, from noon to 9 p.m., you can grab some great pirate food – lobster, shrimp, clams, fish & chips, ice cream, fried dough, burgers and more while enjoying crafts, games, and plenty of live music. Of special interest is the Pirates Parade on Saturday – Mardi Gras style; the Offshore Pirate Ship Battle on Saturday at dusk; and the Fare Thee Well sing-a-long on Sunday. Visit captainredbeards .com for details.

•Running September 3 thru 5 at Gelston Catle Estate in Mohawk NY is Moe. Down XI. The three days of music, camping and fun features music by moe., The Black Keys, Mike Gordon, Lotus, Nas & Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, the Punch Brothers, Built To Spill, the Ryan Montbleau Band, Tortoise, The Brew, the Macpodz, Monkey Wrench, Orgone, Turbine, and Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds. Visit www.moedown.com for more information; or call (888) 512-SHOW.

•A Wine Walk is scheduled for September 4 in historic downtown Canandaigua NY. Merchants host these events, with commemorative wine glasses available at all participating locations. Call (585) 396-0300.

•On September 4, Genesee Country Village & Museum, on Flint Hill Road in Mumford NY hosts a Fireworks Extravaganza! Let’s Play Ball! American Sports History is the theme of this year’s event combining narration, music, spectacular aerial displays and custom-designed set pieces, with family activities and festival food. You can even bring your own picnic if you like. As a special treat, you can take in a live concert with Beatlemagic! Reservations are required; so call (585) 538-6822; or visit www.gcv.org.

•The Ontario Barn Festival, held on September 4 at 513 Whitney Road, Ontario NY, will feature Waitin’ On A Train, Hypnotic Clambake, The Burning Boots and The Instrument Band. The event also offers arts and crafts, a BBQ, face painting, apple & pear picking, free ice cream and more. Visit www.OntarioBarnFestival.com.

•On September 4,the Rochester Museum & Science Center and the Friends of Mt. Hope Cemetery will present a Circle of Friends event on at Mt. Hope Cemetery, 791 Mt. Hope Avenue. Call (585) 461-3494 for details on this historical walk.

•A Summer Farewell Festival is scheduled for September 5 in the Highbanks Recreation Area of Letchworth State Park in Castile NY. The event is highlighted by live bands featuring The Skycoasters and NY Rockin’ Review, family activities including balloons and face painting with Just Clowning Around, a petting zoo, lawn games, food and fireworks. Call (585) 493-3600.

•The annual Labor Day Parade steps off from East and Alexander Street on September 6, continuing along East to Main Street and on to Plymouth Avenue. Call (585) 263-2650; and visit www.rochesterlabor.org.