Upcoming events 

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 that should interest college students, and 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 e-newsletter packed with events every Thursday. And please keep in mind that dates below are subject to change.

August 22 – September 13

GENESEO: Weeks of Welcome

Activities are organized to help foster personal connections with other students, faculty, and staff to promote community on campus. • Geneseo.edu

August 14 - 17

Rochester Ukrainian Festival

A Rochester tradition for over 40 years, the Rochester Ukrainian Festival brings traditional Ukrainian food, dance, arts and crafts to the city. • St. Josaphats Ukrainian Catholic Church, 940 East Ridge Road. • rochesterukrainianfestival.com

August 23

Fairport Music and Food Festival

The festival includes live music across three stages, 20 bands, and tons of local food. • Liftbridge Lane, Village of Fairport. • fairportmusicfestival.com

August 25

NAZARETH / RIT / BROCKPORT / GENESEO: Fall Semester Begins

August 29

Labor Day Parade

10 talented marching bands help celebrate the American labor movement in the annual Labor Day Parade. • Downtown Rochester, from Alexander Street and Plymouth Avenue. • rochesterlabor.org

August 29 – September 1

New York State Festival of Balloons

Labor Day weekend festival of hot-air balloon rides. • Dansville Municipal Airport, Dansville. • Nysfob.com

September 2

FLCC / MCC / FISHER / UR: Fall Semester Begins

September 6 - 7

Clothesline Arts Festival

Rochester's longest-running arts and crafts festival returns this year with museum tours, live entertainment and various art viewings. • Memorial Art Galley, 500 University Avenue. • mag.rochester.edu/clothesline

September 6 - 7

Macedon Lumberjack Festival

Tap into your inner lumberjack with a weekend of lumberjack-themed activities like log rolling and tree falling. • Macedon Center Fireman's Field, Canandaigua Road. • macedoncenterfire.org

September 12 - 13

Greentopia Festival

Celebrate the environment with workshops, speakers, food, and more at one of Rochester's newest and fastest-growing festivals. • High Falls District. • greentopiafest.com

September 11

CITY's South Wedge-Ucation

An absolutely free event, held by City Newspaper, geared to bring area college students into the city to get deals from local merchants, see some local art, and get acquainted with Rochester culture. • South Wedge Neighborhood. • rochestercitynewspaper.com

September 13 – 14

Palmyra Canaltown Days

Boat tours, live music, arts shows, a parade, and other events make for a pumping weekend in Palmyra. • Village of Palmyra. • almyracanaltowndays.org

September 14

Purple Foot Festival

Come celebrate the grape harvest in a particularly foot-purpling way. Stomp grapes, go on a hay ride, and see some live music. • Casa Larga Vineyards, Fairport. • casalarga.com/purplefoot

September 15

Festival of Food

Held at the massive Public Market, Foodlink's Festival of Food offers attendees samples from over 100 local Rochester eateries. • Rochester Public Market, 280 North Union Street. • foodlinkny.org

September 18 - 27

First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival

After just three years, the Rochester Fringe Festival is already hosting more than 380 different shows in all forms of art. • rochesterfringe.com

September 19 - 21

Rochester Sci-Fi, Comic Book, and Anime Con

Fans of all things geeky are more than welcome to enjoy the festivities, which include a talk from voice actor Billy West and Brent Spiner, perhaps better known as Star TrekL TNG's Data. • Main Street Armory, 900 East Main Street. • rochesterscifianimecon.com

September 21

Rochester Marathon

Come watch, or participate in, a 26.2-mile marathon and relay and a 13.1 mile half-marathon through the city. • Downtown Rochester. • rochestermarathon.com

September 24 - October 2

MCC: Alumni Week and Homecoming

Monroe Community College's homecoming weekend this year includes an alumni art exhibit, a homecoming carnival, and a 5K walk/run.

September 27 - 28

Naples Grape Festival

If smashing grapes isn't exactly your thing, you can admire them a bit more respectfully at this festival, and also enjoy a grape pie contest as well as live entertainment. • Naples Village, State Route 21, Naples. • naplesgrapefest.org

October 3 - 5

Cohoctan Fall Foliage Festival

The small town of Cohoctan is offering some big festivities this year, including fireworks, a parade, and a chili cook-off. • Town of Cohoctan. • fallfoliagefestival.com

October 4 - 5

Hilton Apple Fest

Immerse yourself in all things apple at this one-of-a-kind festival, where you can enjoy an apple pie eating contest, a car show, and more. • hiltonapplefest.org

October 13 - 14

BROCKPORT / GENESEO / UR: Mid-Semester Break

October 16 - 19

UR: Meliora Weekend

The University of Rochester's alumni weekend features talks from Pulitzer Prize-winner Doris Kearns Goodwin and "Orange is the New Black's" Laverne Cox.

October 16 - 19

RIT: Brick City Homecoming

This year's homecoming weekend includes a performance from veteran comedian Bill Cosby, as well as a hockey game.

October 10 - 19

ImageOut Film Festival

Upstate New York's longest-running LGBTQ film festival is returning this year with feature film screenings, shorts, and documentaries. • Dryden Theatre, Little Theatre, and other venues. • imageout.org

October 14 - 19

Rochester Fashion Week

Although comparisons to New York's Fashion Week are inevitable, offering far more inclusive fashion shows and events across six different venues. • Various locations downtown. • fashionweekofrochester.org

November 2 - 16

Rochester Jewish Book Festival

Read up on some Jewish culture and history with guest readings from Jewish authors. • Jewish Community Center, 1200 Edgewood Avenue. • rjbf.org

November 26 - 30

FLCC / NAZARETH / RIT / FISHER /BROCKPORT / GENESEO / UR: Thanksgiving Break

November 27 - 30

MCC: Thanksgiving Break

December 12

NAZARETH: Fall Semester Ends

December 13

BROCKPORT: Fall Semester Ends

December 14

FISHER: Fall Semester Ends

December 16

GENESEO: Fall Semester Ends

December 18

MCC: Fall Semester Ends

December 19

RIT: Fall Semester Ends

December 21

FLCC / UR: Fall Semester Ends

January 12

NAZARETH: Spring Semester Begins

January 14

Fisher/UR: Spring Semester Begins

January 20

MCC / GENESEO: Spring Semester Begins

January 26

FLCC / RIT / BROCKPORT: Spring Semester Begins

January 30 - February 1

UR: Winterfest Weekend

This annual weekend includes a comedy show, an "Iron Chef" challenge, and a standup comedy special.

March 1-8

FISHER: Spring Break

March 7-15

UR: Spring Break

March 9-15

NAZARETH: Spring Break

March 14 – 22

FLCC / BROCKPORT / GENESEO: Spring Break

March 23 - 29

RIT: Spring Break

April 24 - 26

UR: Springfest Weekend

Ring in the coming Spring with a variety of live entertainment options as well as the annual Dandelion Day Carnival.

April 24 – 27

RIT: Springfest

RIT's Springfest Weekend features scavenger hunts, musical performances, dances, and fun foot events.

May 2

FISHER: Spring Semester Ends

May 4

NAZARETH: Spring Semester Ends

May 9-10

FISHER: Commencement

NAZARETH: Commencement Weekend

May 11

UR: Spring Semester Ends

May 13

BROCKPORT: Spring Semester Ends

May 15-17

UR: Commencement Weekend

May 16

FLCC / BROCKPORT / GENESEO: Commencement

BROCKPORT: Spring Semester Ends

May 21

MCC / RIT: Spring Semester Ends

May 23

RIT: Commencement