•At the Orleans County 4-H Fair, you will find a midway, stage entertainment, animals, 4-H youth exhibits, special food nights, merchandise, and food vendors. The Fair is being held on the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds, Route 31, Knowlesville NY thru July 31. Call (585) 798-4265.

•Meanwhile, at the Ontario County Fairgrounds, County Road 10, Canandaigua NY, the 2010 Ontario County Fair will also run thru July 31. Midway rides and food vendors, 4H activities and judging, horse pulls, DIRT racing, a demolition derby, fireworks, nightly band concerts and more are planned. Call (585) 394-4987.

•Twilight Tours of Mt. Hope Cemetery are planned on Tuesdays and Thursdays thru August 12. The 90-minute walks include topics of general interest. Go to www.fomh.org for details or call (585) 461-3494.

•The very popular Sterling Renaissance Festival at 15835 Farden Road in Sterling NY (between Fair Haven and Oswego) is open this year on Saturdays and Sundays thru August 15. This authentic English Renaissance village features twelve stages of continuous live entertainment, interactive village characters, a live full-armored joust tournament, arts and crafts, olde world rides and games, specialty foods and themed weekends. Special events include a Highland Fling on July 31 & August 1, Fantasy Weekend on August 7 & ,8 and Wine Lovers’ Weekend on August 14 & 15. Call (800) 879-4446; and go to www.SterlingFestival.com for details.

•Tuesday Nature Nights, sponsored by the City of Rochester, run thru August 24. Explore nature and the city’s parks and neighborhoods by bike, on foot, or in a canoe at 6 pm each Tuesday this summer. Go to www.cityofrochester.gov for full details; or call (585) 428-6755; 311 within the City limits.

•Hot summer nights are planned at the Rochester Public Market, 280 Union Street, thru August 27 during a program called Night Market w/Bands on the Bricks. The Market will be transformed into a happy hour spot every Friday from 5-9 pm, with an eclectic mix of vendors, a wide variety of food choices, a beer and wine garden, and musical entertainment from a variety of genres, including local performers along with regional and national headliners on selected nights. Call 311; or outside of Rochester, (585) 428-5990.

•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. Saturday walks planned include a July 31 event, “The Civil War Tour;” and an August 7 tour focusing on “The Revolutionary War.” Call (585) 461-3494.

•Carnival rides and games, a variety of foods, games of chance and more will be featured at the Hilton Fire Department Carnival, July 28 thru 31 at 135 South Avenue, Hilton NY. Call (585) 392-8601 for details.

•St. Joseph’s School at 39 Gebhardt Road in Penfield will host its first annual Next To New Sale on July 30 offering housewares, toys, books, appliances and more. Visit www.sjspenfield.org for details.

•Long Acre Farms and JD Wine Cellars will join efforts on July 30 to host a Sampling Soiree. Freshly prepared dishes, more than forty gourmet products and more will be featured at 1342 Eddy Road in Macedon NY. Call (315) 986-4202.

•From July 30 thru August 1, the Puerto Rican Festival will be held in the Frontier Field VIP Parking Lot, 333 North Plymouth Avenue…three days of live salsa, comida criolla, cultural events, celebrity guests, a 5K race, and more. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Our Generations.” The artist lineup this year features Angel & Khuriz, Carlos y Alejandra, Johnny O, Cynthia, Rey Ruiz, Plena Libre and Victor Manuelle. (See our Coming to Town section for details.) And, don’t miss the 6th annual Downtown Puerto Rican Parade on Saturday, July 31. The parade allows groups to showcase themselves in a fun and festive way; and leaves from the Liberty Pole downtown at 10 a.m. Call (585) 234-7660; or visit www.prfestival.com.

•Enjoy an International Marketplace, food, adult beverages, games, raffles, one of a kind auction items, animal encounters and music at Party Madagascar. Funds raised at the July 31 event will support conservation projects that benefit both the people and the unique wildlife in Madagascar. Party Madagascar will take place at the Seneca Park Zoo, 2222 St. Paul Street. Call (585) 336-7200.

•At the July 31 York Valley Fest, you can enjoy a pancake breakfast, arts and crafts and food vendors, a quilt display, an agricultural display, a car show, music, games and a chicken BBQ in the Village of York NY. Call (585) 243-3128.

•The House of Guitars at 645 Titus Avenue will host their first Big Outside Tent Sale on July 31 from 10 am. To 7 p.m. Guitars, drums, amps, CDs, DVD movies, albums and more will be offered. Call (585) 544-3500.

•The Brockport Summer Arts Festival taking place on July 31 & August 1 on the SUNY Brockport Campus, Holley Street, Brockport NY will feature over 100 artists and craftspeople, music, food vendors, activities for kids, a Duck Derby, the Brockport Rotary BBQ, a Music Festival and the Brockport Fire Department Car Show. Call (585) 260-7764.

•The annual Finger Lakes Region Volkswagen Club All-Volkswagen car show and swap meet, Bug Bust 20, will be held on August 1st at Webster High School, 875 Ridge Road, Webster. The event features awards in 16 show classes; and food and beverages will be available. Call (585) 671-5914.

•On August 1, an Antique and Classic Car & Truck Show, the 50th annual from the Genesee Valley Antique Car Society, will be held on the RIT Campus in Henrietta. This year’s event features cars from 1960. There will also be antiques, arts & crafts and collectibles, an auto flea market and a car corral. Call (585) 377-0946.

•The Livingston County Fair is scheduled for August 3 thru 7 this year at the Fairgrounds on Rt. 36 in Caledonia. The event features midway rides and food vendors, horse shows, a miniature horse pull, tractor pulls, motorsports, nightly band concerts and more. Call (585) 538-2168.

•There will be arts and crafts, food, fireworks and live bands at the Phelps Sauerkraut Festival, taking place at the Firemen’s Field, 77 Ontario Street in Phelps from August 5 thru 7. The Kraut Idol Contest is scheduled for Friday, and the Sauerkraut Parade and 20K Race are planned on Saturday. Go to phelpssauer krautfestival.com for full details.

•Running August 5 thru 7, the Farmington Firemen’s Carnival will offer wine tastings, a fireman’s parade, repelling demonstrations, a children’s parade, fireworks, and concerts by Dan Frank & The True Believers on Thursday, by Dilf on Friday and by Hazer on Saturday. The fairgrounds are located at 135 Hook Road, off Rt. 96 by the race track. Call (585) 398-7530.

•The Sterling Stage String Fling, held August 5 thru 8 at the Sterling Stage Kampitheatre, 274 Kent Road, in Sterling NY, is a popular event and well worth the drive. The progressive bluegrass and alternative string band music festival features over 30 of the region’s top acoustic artists including Hot Buttered Rum and Gordon Stone Band. There is also plenty of camping, vendors and food. Call (818) 212-9489; or go to www.SterlingStage.com for further information.

•On Thursdays from August 5 thru 26, Sonnenberg Gardens at 151 Charlotte Street in Canandaigua will host Victorian Teas. The elegant tea, served by maids in Victorian costume, is presented outdoors on the veranda. Call (585) 394-4922 to make a reservation.

•Asbury First United Methodist Church will offer their first annual Basement Sale on August 6 & 7 with antiques, jewelry, linens, holiday decorations, toys, crafts, books, baked goods and more. Call (585) 271-1050.

•Rushville Congregational Church on Main Street in Rushville NY will present their 208th (!) Annual Flea Market and Sale on August 6 & 7. Baked goods, pre-enjoyed clothing, household treasures and a BBQ will be featured. Call (585) 554-3887.

•Delicious Polish food, music, dancing, children’s games, arts and crafts, baked goods, and more will be part of the St. Stanislaus Polish Arts Festival, taking place on August 6 & 7 on the St. Stanislaus Church Grounds, 1124 Hudson Avenue. Call (585) 467-3068.

•Three days of bluegrass music on the grounds of Brantling Ski Slopes, known as the Brantling Bluegrass Festival, is planned on August 6, 7 & 8. Scheduled performers include Rhonda Vincent, Kate Lee, Bristol Mountain Bluegrass, The Delaney Brothers, the James King Band and more. Food and craft vendors and camping are also available at 4015 Fish Farm Road, Sodus NY. Call (315) 331-2365.

•The Elba Fie Department hosts the annual Onion Festival in Village Park, Main St. Elba NY on August 6 & 7. Events include a Firemen’s Parade, a Kiddie Parade, Rides, a Kid’s Tractor Pull, great food, the crowning of the Onion Queen, music by 7th Heaven, Flint Creek, Savage Cabbage and others. Call (585) 757-6889.

•The Tinker Nature Park, at 1525 Calkins Road in Henrietta, will host a Civil War Encampment on August 6 thru 8. The event will feature a concert by the Excelsior Fife and Drum Corps and battle reenactments. Call (585) 359-7044.

•Palmyra Pirate Weekend, taking place August 6, 7 & 8 at the Port of Palmyra NY, offers a full weekend of action and adventure. Highlights include the Pillage ‘N the Village Bed Race Regatta, a Pirate Kazoo Band Parade, the Pirate Ball, and a Pirate Window Painting Contest. There will also be canal boat rides, free movies in the park, museum and walking tours, pirate tales, live music, food, children’s games, a dunking booth and more. Call (315) 597-4849; or go to www.piratesoftheeriecanal.com for details.

•More than a dozen vintage baseball teams from across the country and Canada will compete at the National Silver Ball Tournament, August 6 thru 8, at Genesee Country Village & Museum in Mumford NY. Each team competes using 1865 rules, in period costumes, during this 8th annual tournament. The Championship game will be played on Sunday. Call (585) 538-6822; or visit www.gcv.org.

•A Wine Walk is planned for August 7 in historic downtown Canandaigua NY. Merchants host these events, with commemorative wine glasses available at all participating locations. Call (585) 396-0300.

•August 7 is the date for the Central NY Wine & Jazz Fest in the Village of Wolcott NY. Over a dozen Upstate New York wineries will offer tastings and sales throughout the event; and there will be plenty of jazz – by Nancy Kelly, the Rick Holland Little Big Band and E.S.P. Vendors will offer fine cheeses, jewelry and unique artisan creations as well. Call (315) 530-7171; and see www.wolcottlionsclub.org for further information.

•An African/African-American Festival, hosted by Rochester A.B.O.V.E., is planned for August 7 at the Highland Park Bowl, South Avenue and Robinson Drive. The event will provide entertainment, food, African drum and dance, arts and crafts, an inflatable play center, pony rides, vendors, educational information and more. Call (585) 576-2471.

•On August 7, the Cobblestone Arts Center, at 1622 Route 332 in Farmington NY will host a Life Pilot Fundraiser in support of Kofi Goodwin who has been diagnosed with Retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer found only in children. Kofie had to have his eye removed; and this event is designed to help the family with expenses. Call (585) 398-0220.

•Canoe and kayak races on the canal, old time craft demonstrations, a food court, live musical entertainment, a 5K run and more are planned for the August 7 Medina Canal Heritage Day. The event takes place at the Medina Canal Marina, Medina NY. Call (585) 798-1790.

•The Lima Crossroad Festival, held on August 7 at Rts. 5 & 20 in Lima NY, will offer arts, crafts and food vendors, a kids’ carnival with a rock wall and inflatables, a bed race, a classic car show, the “Battle of the Bands” contest, a lima bean recipe contest and more. For more information, go to www.crossroadscouncil.org.

•Artists and crafters and continuous music highlight the August 7 Dansville Art & Music Extravaganza. Three blocks of Main Street will offer sidewalk sales; musical performances of various sorts will be presented; and a “Taste of Dansville” will be featured. Call (585) 335-3965.

•The popular Park Avenue Summer Arts Festival is scheduled for August 7 & 8 along Park Avenue in the City of Rochester, from Alexander to Culver. The juried arts and crafts show features over 300 exhibitors, with Park Avenue merchants also displaying their wares. There will be a ’Kids on Park’ activity area, festival food and music on three stages. See www.park-avenue.org for further details.

•You can learn about Laura Ingalls Wilder and her ties to Western New York on August 7 & 8 at the Genesee Country Village & Museum, Flint Hill Road, Mumford NY. During Laura Ingalls Wilder Days, you can also enjoy hands-on activities, a horse-drawn wagon ride, and celebrity guest appearance by a Little House on the Prairie cast member! Call (585) 538-6822; or visit www.gcv.org.

•Hogan’s Hideaway at 197 Park Avenue is hosting the first annual Magic Hat Fanfunkintastic Weekend on August 7 & 8. Bands performing on Saturday include Extened Family, the Beaumonts, Sophistafunk, and the Rubblebucket Orchestra. On Saturday, Walden, Filthy McNasty’s, Revision, and Spiritual Rez will play. Call (585) 442-4293.

•The annual Ferragosto Picnic at the Italian American Community Center, 150 Frank DiMino Way, will take place this year on August 8. The event offers great food, bocce, a sing-a-long and more. Call (585) 594-8882.

•This year’s Wayne County Fair is scheduled for August 9 thru 14 at the County Fairgrounds on West Jackson Street, Palmyra NY. As always, the event will feature a large midway of rides and games, community food booths, agricultural and 4H exhibits, live music, children’s entertainment and activities, animal shows, a parade, and major grandstand events including a Demolition Derby and Championship Figure 8 Racing. Go to www.waynecountyfair.org for full details.

•Empire Farm Days at the Rodman Lott & Son Farms in Seneca Falls NY provides an opportunity for FFA and 4-H students to show off their tractor driving skills. The agricultural extravaganza will also include seminars, live animals, family activities, a BBQ and more. Call (877) 697-7837.

•Running August 11 thru 14 on Gehan Road, off Routes 5 & 20 East in Canandaigua NY, is the annual Pageant of Steam. The gathering offers displays and demonstrations of antique farm equipment, parades, tractor pulls, a craft and flea market, food, and live music. Camping is also available. Call (315) 331-4022.