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Emily Haines, lead singer of the band Metric, performs during the Mazda Gamechanger Exclusive Live Event on Wednesday, June 26, 2013, in New York City, New York.John Minchillo

Summer finally crept in this week, sheepishly, because of its late arrival. It is here now, though, with a full schedule of events and activities, many of which continue on a regular weekly schedule through September. Here's a sampling of the alfresco fun to be had, this week and beyond.

Saturday, June 29: You are fans of Metric, City and Colour and Serena Ryder? Get out of town! No, really, get out of town to Butler's Barracks National Historic Site in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., where the Juno-winning acts join forces for an all-day festival (2:30 p.m., $49.50, at 1-855-985-5000 or ticketmaster.com.). Closer to home, the Toronto Rush ultimate-disc franchise takes on their fellow frisbee fanatics at Varsity Stadium (4 p.m., torontorush.com).

Sunday, June 30: Laptop maestros and their fans descend upon the Flats at Molson Canadian Amphitheatre for the two-day Digital Dreams Music Festival (June 29 and 30, 3 p.m., $108.25, 1-855-985-5000 or ticketmaster.com.). For more pedestrian affairs, try Christie Pits where the baseballing Toronto Maple Leafs play each Sunday (2 p.m., mapleleafsbaseball.com).

Monday, July 1: While the Canada Day Regatta at Centre Island has folks paddling and rowing in a variety of styles for a total of 99 races (ddra.ca), there were many who thought the Toronto Blue Jays were rudderless in the early going. The squad has snapped its slump just in time for a game at Rogers Centre, where the first 20,000 fans receive special edition red caps (1:07 p.m., bluejays.mlb.com).

Tuesday, July 2: "What, with my tongue in your tail? Nay, come again, Good Kate; I am a gentleman." Has that line ever worked? To Sept. 1, Canadian Stage presents Shakespeare's saucy early comedy The Taming of the Shrew (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m., PWYC, $20 suggested) in repertory with his tragedy Macbeth (Wednesday, Fridays and Sundays, canadianstage.com).

Wednesday, July 3: The shed on Lake Shore West is open for another season of international touring acts, including the pop specialist Bruno Mars, who hits Molson Amphitheatre on July 3 (7:30 p.m., $61 to $155) and July 6 (8 p.m.). Mars's latest hit single is When I Was Your Man, a bittersweet ballad which fits right into the TIFF in the Park: A Summer of Romance series at David Pecaut Square. Beginning with Casablanca, they'll will play-it-again-Sam all summer every Wednesday a new weeper (9:15 p.m., free, tiff.net).

Thursday, July 4: The Music in the Garden Series, which kicks off its 14th season of free music with presentations of Beethoven and Dvorak by the Beau String Quartet (June 30, 4 p.m., 475 Queens Quay W.), continues with Thursday's program of Mediterranean baroque music (7 p.m.). This week also sees the start of a roving theatrical presentation of Forgotten Voices: Beyond the Conflict of the War of 1812, which visits various parks in the Etobicoke area, including Jeff Healey Park (July 4, 7 p.m., free, 416-201-7093 or siriustheatrical.com).

Friday, July 5: The annual Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition is a biggie, with four days to browse the paintings, drawings, photography, sculptures, ceramics, glass art, jewellery of more tha 500 artists (free, Nathan Phillips Square, torontooutdoorart.org.).

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