Onondaga County
Summer Brewfest
Summer is well-known among beer connoisseurs as the time to enjoy a fresh brew, and there is no better venue for this simple pleasure than the annual Summer Brewfest. The fest is held at Clinton Square in downtown Syracuse, roughly an hour from Manhattan. In addition to the numerous local and international microbreweries, Summer Brewfest will include live music. There are a limited number of tickets, so get them while they last. June 22, 5:30 p.m.; $50, $10 for designated drivers. Syracuse, cnysummerbrewfest.com.

NY State Blues Festival
Clinton Square in Syracuse is home to many events, but the New York State Blues Fest boasts one of the longest performer rosters and attracts some of the biggest crowds. The three-day-long festival offers everything from local talent, such as Soul of Syracuse, to internationally acclaimed blues bands like River City Junction. A three-day pass costs $25, but a VIP one, with access to food, drinks and a club crawl, will set you back $150. July 13-15; $25, $150 for VIP passes. Syracuse, nysbluesfest.com.

Middle Eastern Cultural Festival
Middle Eastern communities are present in all four corners of the country, and upstate New York is no exception. With this festival, Middle Eastern New Yorkers celebrate Saint Elias, the patron saint of the St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in Syracuse. The event originated in 1937, becoming the social event of the year for the Arabic-speaking community of central New York. The church grounds are converted into a Middle Eastern food haven, chock full of shish kebab, grape leaves, spinach pies, hummus, pastries and Arabic coffee. In addition, the church sets up a souk, marketplace, selling jewelry, gifts and rugs, and visitors will be entertained by live Arabic music and dances. July 20-22; free. Syracuse, sainteliasny.com.

Northeast Jazz and Wine Festival
Those who appreciate the simple pleasures in life—a nice glass of merlot and some Miles Davis—should head to the Northeast Jazz and Wine festival this summer. Admission to the event is free and includes wine tastings from local and international wineries, coupled with 22 hours of performances. One perk of this event is the air-conditioned wine pavilion. July 27-29; free. Syracuse, cnyjazz.org.

The Great New York State Fair
Arguably one of the biggest summer fests in the state, The Great New York State Fair spans over 12 days and includes entertainment and a number of competitions, from best antique automobile to prettiest rose. The fair is an out-and-out traditional American festival, complete with two 4-H competitions: 4-H Youth Building Exhibits and 4-H Youth Livestock. Aug. 23-Sept. 3; $6 advance, $10 day of. Syracuse, nysfair.org/home.

Jazzfest
If you walk down St. Mark’s Place in the East Village, you might pass by a few notable jazz clubs; if you are looking for an all day jazz fête, head to the 30th year of Jazzfest in Jamesville. The icing on the cake? Admission is free. Gas up the car or get on a bus and amp up during the four-hour ride. Acts include Cyrille Aimee and Mingo Fishtrap. On Friday, Kenny G will be the headlining performance, and on Saturday, Average White Band and Donovan with Troubadour will lay down the beat. June 22-23; free. Jamesville, syracusejazzfest.com.

Oswego County
Harborfest
Each year, the city of Oswego hosts its annual Harborfest. This will be the 25th year of the festival, and to kick it off, Kenny Loggins will be playing along with a trove of cover bands such as BIG SHOT, which pays homage to Billy Joel, and The Mayor of Margaritaville, a wink and a nod to their inspiration, Jimmy Buffett. For those who need a break from the vintage tunes, head to the juried arts and crafts fair or the numerous food tents selling fair favorites like fried dough and turkey legs. July 26-29; free. Oswego, www.oswegoharborfest.com.

Saratoga County
40th Annual Round Lake Antiques Festival
While it isn’t too difficult to find a roughed-up antique on the side of the road on trash day in New York City, connoisseurs who don’t want to risk the possibility of bed bugs and are looking for a truly good find can trek to the 40th annual Round Lake Antiques Festival. In close proximity to the town of Saratoga Springs, the weekend festival features 250 vendors and draws close to 20,000 people each year. June 23-24, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; free. Round Lake, greatamericanantiquefest.com/antique_shows/round_lake.htm

Cayuga County
Sterling Renaissance Festival
Travel back to the year 1585 this summer at the Sterling Renaissance Festival, where the Medieval Era is in full swing. Go to a wench auction, eat steak on a stake and learn to dance like a bard. With over 100 vendors selling their unique wares and people running around in ye olde garb, this little village will surely feel like a blast to the past, without all the awful smells and diseases that plagued the Dark Ages. Saturdays and Sundays, July 7-Aug. 19; $22.95, kids 6-12 $12.95, group rates and multiday passes available. Sterling, sterlingfestival.com/festivalinformation.html.

Dutchess County
Dutchess County Fair
Each August, the Dutchess County Fair in Rhinebeck opens to the public for six days, catering to nearly half a million patrons. Only two hours from New York City, the Dutchess County Fair is the second largest in the state and serves as a showplace for agricultural marvels from across the county. Aug. 21-26; $12 advance, tickets to grandstand events sold separately. Rhinebeck, dutchessfair.com.

Columbia County 

Columbia County, located just two hours north of Manhattan, is easily accessible by car or train (Metro-North to Wassaic). Meandering country roads offer the cyclist breathtaking views of unsurpassed rural beauty. Several trails are available on the Columbia County Tourism website, but here’s one of the favorites:

Copake Falls to Ancramdale, in the southeastern part of the county. Begin your ride in Copake Falls—Bash Bish Bike Shop is nearby where bikes for all ages are available for rent. The ride is characterized by mostly country roads and a few high-traffic sections with no real steep hills; the toughest hill is at South East Ancram Road and is 130 vertical feet of climbing. The 23-mile ride past some of the prettiest farmland in the county has gentle to moderate hilliness but can be shortened to an even gentler 11-mile version or 8 miles of nearly flat terrain. Stop for lunch in Ancramdale or Copake, hamlets with characteristic charm, or finish your ride with a swim at Taconic State Park or a hike to beautiful Bash Bish Falls. For more information, visit columbiacountytourism.org.

Dutchess County

Dutchess County is about an hour and a half drive or train ride on Metro-North from New York City. Nestled in the center of the Hudson Valley, Dutchess County has many bike routes that showcase the scenic beauty of the Hudson River. There are six suggested bike ride itineraries through different sections of the county.

The Dutchess Rail Trail and the Harlem Valley Rail Trail allows cyclists to ride through the scenic routes that people in Dutchess County adore. But first, kick-start your day watching the sunrise on the Walkway Over the Hudson.

The Walkway Over the Hudson in Poughkeepsie has been a popular state park since it opened in 2009. Cyclists are invited to ride across the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world at 1.28 miles. When you are finished, head over to the Dutchess Rail Trail.

The Dutchess Rail Trail allows cyclists to travel southeast from Poughkeepsie at Morgan Lake. Enjoy 12 miles of educational points of interest and wildlife found along the trail. Take a break at the bridge over at Sprout Creek, filled with trout every year.

Are you a cycling aficionado without a car? Check out the Harlem Valley Rail Trail. This 10-mile trail begins at the Wassaic train station, accessible from Metro-North on the Harlem Line. Bring your bikes from New York City and hit the trail. For information, visit dutchesstourism.com.

Orange County

Biking trails of every stripe can be found in Orange County. The Heritage Trail offers riding on a paved rail trail for 12 miles through scenic villages and farmland. Expert riders may prefer the paved roads that wind through Bear Mountain State Park. These byways are shared with cars, but are not major roads. Stewart State Park offers a bit more adventure for mountain bikers along dirt paths that were once residential streets. The park is off-limits to vehicles, so riders are left to pedal on these well-marked, now unpaved roads through the scenic foliage, wetlands and waterways.

Views over the Hudson can be seen from the protected path on the Newburgh/Beacon Bridge. The dedicated path is also open to pedestrian traffic.

Last summer, Route 218 around Storm King Mountain was closed to vehicular traffic on Sundays for hikers and bikers. The road is carved out of the face of the mountain and offers expansive views of the Hudson River. We’re expecting this route to open again as a trail, but it has not been confirmed. Accomplished bicyclists can navigate it on their own without the closing, but should be aware that this is a winding, narrow road. For more information, visit orangetourism.org.

Westchester County

Since 1974, Westchester County residents have enjoyed the popular Bicycle Sundays program that opens a 6.5-mile stretch of the historic Bronx River Parkway to bicyclists and other non-motorized use on a series of Sundays each year. Bicycle Sundays will commence this year on May 6 at the County Center in White Plains. No motorized vehicles are permitted.

The Bicycle Sundays route is a 13.1-mile round trip from the Westchester County Center in White Plains to Scarsdale Road in Yonkers. Bicycle Sundays are held in May, June and September, with the exception of Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. Participants travel through White Plains, Hartsdale (a hamlet in the Town of Greenburgh), Scarsdale, Eastchester, Tuckahoe and Yonkers as they complete the Bicycle Sundays route.For more information, visit friendsofwestchesterparks.com.