Summer events in Albany are sweltering

   Staying in Albany for the summer and not sure what else there is to do besides house parties and Bogies? Thankfully this area has plenty of festivals, concerts and more to keep you occupied on your nights out during the summer season. Because we spend so much time on campus or on the same streets downtown, summer is the perfect opportunity to get out and explore.

   To kick the next few months off right, start by planning a day-trip to Saratoga Springs. The Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center will be hosting a plethora of artists between now and August. Acts start with Dave Matthew's Band on June 4th and include Kings of Leon, Phish, O.A.R. and end with John Mayer on August 8th. The performing arts center is about a 30 minute drive from UAlbany so any of these concerts can become the perfect reason to go off campus for a bit.

   In to comedy shows? Well this isn't like sketchy characters but there is The Comedy Works. Comedy Works is a string of shows put on between now and the end of August at the The Best Western across the street from the campus on Western Ave. An act runs for a week at a time and tickets are $15 in advance. While the acts do not include any big names, the shows promise to be at least slightly entertaining. There's no guarantee that you'll laugh so hard you'll cry, but its better than nothing.

   Want to catch a movie on a budget? Even though there aren't many options besides what's playing at Crossgates, there is a small window of opportunity for an alternative. From May 23rd through the 25th the film "Chloe" will be playing at Proctors Theater in Schenectady for $6. A movie that wasn't highly publicized in the States, it was only shown in a few select movie theaters after its release. "Chloe," which stars Julianne Moore, Amanda Seyfried, and Liam Neeson, is the sultry story of a wife (Moore) who hires an escort (Seyfried) to test her husband (Neeson) to see if he will cheat. After the first encounter Seyfried and Neeson have, Moore's plan spirals out of control — leading to a very intriguing and twisting plot. Full of seduction and suspense, this role is great for Seyfried because she finally steps out of the "good girl/dumb blonde" lead.

   For those who want something different, "The Godfather" will be playing at The Palace theater for $5 on Monday 24th at 7pm, its one night only and for $5 it seems like a good deal.

   Trickling down into the free category, the options open up a little more.

   May 14th through 16th is the 41st annual Greek Festival at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church. The church is about an 8 minute drive from campus off Western Ave before hitting Lark Street. The festival's flyer boasts live music and dancing, a Greek pastry shop and an indoor antique market full of collectibles. You're bound to find something that would look great in the dorms for next year. Of course there will also be tons of free food.

   Try skipping thirsty Thursdays one week and head downtown to Alive at Five. For 21 years now this event, hosted at the Albany Riverfront Park, showcases local, regional and a few national music acts on a stage. An array of summer-time favorite foods are served, from BBQ and lemonade to cotton candy — all from local vendors. The Riverfront Park can be found by crossing the Hudson River Way Pedestrian Bridge at Broadway and Pine Street downtown.

   On Fridays, try 1st Friday. Every 1st Friday of the month the Upstate Artists Guild puts on this event to showcase the work of local painters, photographers, musicians and more. With about 30 different locations, there is something for anyone to enjoy. Located on Lark St. the trolleys will take you uptown or downtown and run for four hours.

   These are only a few examples of what the city has to offer. All of these events can be searched for online along with many more. Take an afternoon to find out what else is going on downtown or in the Albany area in general. If you still can't decide then search the ASP website, our writers have covered plenty of restaurants and bars this year, at least one should strike some interest.

   Either way this summer boasts enough fun times to create some long-lasting summer memories.