You can find something local to do every weekend throughout the year, but when the weather is warm, very little searching is required. Summertime in the Baltimore area means tons of options for entertainment — much of it free.

It’s natural to wonder where to start, though. Consider the following highlights and events a solid starting place for filling your summer calendar.

Summer Social at West Shore Park Through August, every second Friday of the month will feature a family-friendly party at West Shore Park with food trucks, bar service by Dooby’s, a kids play area and more. It all kicks off tonight, from 5 p.m.-8 p.m., with a performance by the Kelly Bell Band. West Shore Park, 501 Light St., Inner Harbor. Free. baltimorewaterfront.com.

Brew at the Zoo This fundraiser for the Maryland Zoo has unlimited samples of more than 80 craft beers and live music, supplied this year by local artists like the Kelly Bell Band and Nelly’s Echo. Entry also includes all-day admission into the zoo. 1 p.m.-7 p.m. May 27-28. Maryland Zoo, 1 Safari Place. $50-$75 ($25 for a nonsampling ticket). marylandzoo.org.

Outdoor film festivals Summertime means grabbing a blanket and some snacks, and watching a free movie outside. And luckily, there are several outdoor movie series in the area to choose from. To name a few: the American Visionary Art Museum’s Flicks from the Hill series (Thursdays in July-August on Federal Hill); Films on the Pier in Fells Point (8:45 p.m. Wednesdays in July-August at the end of Thames Street Pier); and Summer Movie Nights in Bel Air (select Fridays in June-August at Shamrock Park). Schedules to be announced. avam.org; facebook.com/filmsonthepier; belairmaryland.org;

Capital Jazz Fest A three-day concert of jazz, R&B, soul and more, the 25th Capital Jazz Fest features nearly 30 acts, including Robin Thicke, Charlie Wilson, Corinne Bailey Rae and Anthony Hamilton. Doors open 6:30 p.m. June 2, 10 a.m. June 3-4. Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. $59.50-$194. merriweathermusic.com.

Philippine Festival Immerse yourself in Philippine culture with live music, games, food, arts and crafts and more. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m., and the festival runs 11 a.m.-7 p.m. June 3. Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road, Timonium. $3-$5 (free for kids under 12). katipunan.org.

Taste of 3 Cities Food Truck Festival A gathering of the best food trucks from Washington, Philadelphia and Baltimore, this all-day festival will also feature live music, performance artists and craft beer. Noon-10 p.m. June 3. Patterson Park, Eastern and Linwood avenues. $15-$600. tasteof3cities.com.

Chance the Rapper Chicago’s Chance the Rapper, one of the brightest young voices in music, will bring tales of joy, loss, faith and braggadocio to Baltimore in support of his acclaimed album, last year’s “Coloring Book.” 7 p.m. June 6. Royal Farms Arena, 201 W. Baltimore St. $39.50-$79.50. royalfarmsarena.com.

Baltimore Floatilla Experienced paddlers — of the kayak, canoe and paddleboard variety — will make a five-mile journey from Canton Waterfront Park to the Inner Harbor to raise awareness for improving the harbor’s water quality. An after-party with food and live music will take place back at the park. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. June 10. Canton Waterfront Park, 3001 Boston St. and Inner Harbor. $40. baltimorefloatilla.com.

HonfestStart teasing those beehives. A proudly Bawlmer — excuse us, Baltimore — event, the Hampden festival celebrates the historic working women of the city in a style that’s the neighborhood’s own. Expect live entertainment, a parade of hons and dance contests. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. June 10 (a block party will be held 8:30 p.m.-10 p.m.), noon-6 p.m. June 11. Free. honfest.net.

Feast of St. Anthony Little Italy has been celebrating its culture since 1904 with food (calzones, fried dough, pizzelles), drinks (Italian beer and wine) and spectator-friendly events like a bocce tournament, live music and a sausage-eating contest. Noon-8 p.m. June 10, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. June 11 along Exeter and Stiles streets. Free. promotioncenterforlittleitaly.org.

St. Nicholas Greek Folk Festival Explore Greek culture with four days of live music, regional dance troupe performances and authentic Greek food. There will also be demonstrations of how to make items like spanakopita and tyropita (cheese pie). Noon-10 p.m. June 8 and June 11; noon-11 p.m. June 9-10. Greektown Square and Events Center, 701 S. Ponca St., Greektown. Free. stnicholasmd.org.

Books in Bloom This inaugural book festival in Columbia will feature readings, panel discussions, a poetry wall, a pop-up bookstore, and appearances by authors including April Ryan (“At Mama’s Knee”), David Ebershoff (“The Danish Girl”), Michael Eric Dyson (“Tears We Cannot Stop”) and more. Noon-5 p.m. June 11. The Chrysalis in Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. Free. downtowncolumbiamd.com.

Baltimore Pride

This year’s festivities celebrating Baltimore’s LGBTQ community — all under the theme “Pride Unleashed” — are moving north from Mount Vernon to various locations in up-and-coming neighborhoods like Old Goucher, Charles North and Station North. The parade on North Charles Street kicks the weekend off at noon June 17, followed by the block party, located between 23rd Street and North Avenue. The June 18 festival will take place at Druid Hill Park from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free. baltimorepride.org.

Baltimore Wine Fest This all-day event returns to Canton for its third year with more than 160 wines from around the world, local food purveyors, cooking demonstrations and more. Noon-7 p.m. June 17. Canton Waterfront Park, 3001 Boston St. $38-$95; $15 general admission (no wine samples). baltimorewinefest.com.

Sondheim Artscape Prize finalists exhibit Take a close look at the work of the finalists for Baltimore’s most prestigious artist award (and a $25,000 prize) — from painter Mequitta Ahuja to multimedia artist Amy Yee, among five others. On display June 17 through Aug. 13 at the Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St., Mount Vernon. Free. thewalters.org.

LatinoFest From Latino cuisine and arts to a vast array of live music (including salsa, merengue, bachata and more), this yearly event, once again taking place at Patterson Park, has celebrated Latino heritage and culture since 1980. June 24-25; times to be announced. Patterson Park, Eastern and Linwood avenues. Free. latinofest.org.

Fourth of July Celebration At the Inner Harbor, first comes the live music — provided this year by the U.S. Navy Band Commodores — at 7 p.m., and then it’s the wow-inducing fireworks extravaganza from 9:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. July 4. Inner Harbor Amphitheater, Pratt and Light streets. Free. promotionandarts.org.

Shore Leave An annual convention focused on science-fiction movies and TV shows, the 39th Shore Leave will give fans a chance to meet special guests like Kevin Sussman (“The Big Bang Theory”), Jodelle Ferland (“Dark Matter”) and more. July 7-9; times to be announced. Hunt Valley Inn, 245 Shawan Road, Hunt Valley. $20-$100. shore-leave.com.

Merriweather 50th-Anniversary Concert The famous Columbia venue will celebrate a half-century with more than one bang. Jackson Browne, Willie Nelson & Family and Father John Misty will all perform, and host Grace Potter will play a couple acoustic songs as well. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. July 15. Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. $55-$125. merriweathermusic.com.

Le Diner en Blanc Founded in Paris, this pop-up picnic is known for its exclusivity, all-white dress code, and the fact attendees must bring their own, well, everything — from white chairs and linens to the food itself. The dinner will make its Baltimore debut July 15 (time TBD), and the location will be revealed the day of the event. Price to be determined. baltimore.dinerenblanc.com.

Baltimore Caribbean Carnival Baltimore transforms into the Caribbean for the weekend, with bright costumes, lively music and island cuisine. Festivities kick off with a 11/2-mile parade at noon July 15, starting at 900 33rd St. and making its way to Lake Clifton Park, 2701 St. Lo Drive. The celebration continues there with a two day-festival, 5 p.m.-10 p.m. July 15 and noon-9 p.m. July 16. Parade is free, festival is $10-$20. baltimorecarnival.com.

Artscape The theme for this year’s three-day event — which, entering its 36th year, is still billed as the country’s largest free arts festival, drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees annually — is “Camp Artscape: Adventure Awaits.” Expect an announcement soon about the live music acts, exhibits, dance performances and more. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. July 21-22 (with Artscape After Hours from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.); 11 a.m.-8 p.m. July 23. In various locations along Mount Royal Avenue, Cathedral Street and Charles Street, and in Bolton Hill and Station North. artscape.org.

Nitro Circus Annapolis native Travis Pastrana brings his high-flying action sports show — featuring freestyle motocross, BMX, scooter and inline riders — home for the first time. 2 p.m. July 23 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, 550 Taylor Ave., Annapolis. $19-$79. nitrocircus.com.

Baltimore Fashion Week Produced by the Fashion Umbrella Foundation, Baltimore Fashion Week will offer a space for rising designers and brands to show off what they have in store. This year’s event will feature a “sneakerhead” program, a 10th-anniversary party, a three-day runway show and more. Various times, Aug. 6-13, Columbus Center, 701 E. Pratt St. Prices vary based on events. baltimore-fashionweek.com.

BronyCon The world’s largest celebration of “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” began in New York City in 2011, but Baltimore has emerged as its home, now hosting the weekend-long convention for the fifth straight year. Aug. 11-13; times to be announced. Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W. Pratt St., downtown. $65-$1,000. bronycon.org.

Moonrise Festival Baltimore’s premier electronic dance music festival returns to Pimlico Race Course, 5201 Park Heights Ave., with high-profile acts including Afrojack, Big Gigantic, Excision, Lil Uzi Vert, Run the Jewels, Porter Robinson and more. Aug. 12-13; times to be announced. Two-day general admission starts at $159.50 and will increase leading up to the festival. moonrisefestival.com.

Feast of St. Gabriele Miss out on the fun of June’s Feast of St. Anthony? Don’t fret — Little Italy throws another annual festival filled with the games, drinks and homemade food you’d expect. Noon-8 p.m. Aug. 19, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Aug. 20 along Exeter and Stiles streets. Free. promotioncenterforlittleitaly.org.

Cirque du Soleil: OVO The colorful world of insects — from spiders and fleas to ants and crickets — comes to life with Cirque du Soleil’s trademark flair. 7:30 p.m. Aug. 23-25, 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Aug. 26, 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Aug. 27. Royal Farms Arena, 201 W. Baltimore St. $38-$153. royalfarmsarena.com.

Maryland State Fair Whether you come for the horses and livestock, carnival rides or sinfully delicious fried food, there’s plenty for the family to enjoy at the state fair. Concert headliners include Pennsylvania hard-rock act Halestorm on Aug. 25 and actress/pop-singer Sabrina Carpenter on Aug. 26. Concerts, which cost $40-$50, begin at 7 p.m. The fair runs Aug. 24-Sept. 4 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. Times and ticket prices vary. marylandstatefair.com.

Baltimore Art, Antique &

Jewelry Show

This indoor antiques show returns to the Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W. Pratt St., for its 36th year with a fine craft show, antiquarian book fair and tons of exhibitors from the area and all over the country. Noon-8 p.m. Aug. 24, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Aug. 25-26, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Aug. 27. Baltimore Convention Center. $20. baltimoresummershow.com.

Maryland Renaissance

Festival

Entering the grounds of the Renaissance Festival, now in its 41st year, is like stepping into a time machine. Expect artisans, performers in costume and character, tons of food (a smoked turkey leg is a must) and much more. Saturdays and Sundays from Aug. 26 through Oct. 22 (plus Labor Day). 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis. $7-$25 ($38 for two-day pass). rennfest.com.

wesley.case@baltsun.com

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