Don’t be a part of the masses that think there’s nothing to do–beat the heat and be entertained!

The end of another spring semester has arrived. The time has come to relax and sleep, that is if you are not attending summer classes. During the summer months, students seem to find themselves not waking up until noon and looking for activities to do.

There are many things to do around Fresno and the surrounding areas of the Central Valley.

Starting this summer of festivities, the Tower District will be hosting the Rainbow Parade and Festival as well as Father’s Day Blues Fest.

If you enjoy plays, then Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theatre will be showing “The Pirates of Penzance” and “West Side Story.” Mid-June through July, “Macbeth” will be playing at Woodward Park as well as “The Taming of the Shrew” in mid-July and August for the 10th season of the Woodward Shakespeare Festival.

When it comes to movies, Fashion Fair Mall will be hosting “Movies on the Plaza,” a showcase of a variety films which includes “Top Gun” and “Sixteen Candles” in May and June.

If concerts are your calling, Sierra Vista Mall will have the “Rock the Mall Summer Concert Series” featuring “Foreigner Unauthorized” and “Journey Revisited.”

For the outdoors enthusiast or those looking to gain experience, Kings and Sequoia National Parks will  be holding events that aim to enrich the mind. According to www.visitsequoia.com, “Wildlife Wednesdays” are free clinics that teach tricks on how to spot wildlife. The website also lists “Flashlight Hike,” a hiking experience held at night to highlight wildlife in the dark.

There will also be the “Sole 2 Soul 5k Summer Series” held at Woodward Park. The Sole 2 Soul store’s website says that these races “are not about awards or t-shirts, but rather they allow you to enjoy some great company and race against your previous times, if you chose to race multiple times.” The first race is on June 10; the cost to sign up before a race is $5 and $7 on the day of the race.

If you seek fresh organic foods, then you could check out the different farmers markets that are already around the city. Manchester Mall hosts their farmers market on Fridays from 10 a.m. until dusk. The Vineyard Farmer’s Market, located on the northwest corner of Blackstone Ave. and Shaw Ave., is on Wednesdays from 3-6 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. until noon.

With so much to do around Fresno, there are no excuses to say that you are bored. Summer is about catching up with old hobbies and discovering new ones. Even with summer classes, these activities could be a way to help take your mind off of sitting in a hot classroom.