There’s a reason Princeton was named one of the 20 best small towns in America by Smithsonian Magazine. Whether you want to enjoy a concert by a world-renowned musician, take a canoe trip around Carnegie Lake or watch a game of old-fashioned baseball, Princeton has plenty of events to choose from this summer. Here’s a look at some highlights.

Sunday, June 3 – Drumthwacket Garden Party Open House

• Tour the Governor’s mansion and beautiful historic gardens, designed during the turn of the century.
• A donation of $5 is suggested for the tour.
• Reservations are required; visit www.drumthwacket.org to register.

Friday, June 8 – The Sima Trio performs

• New York based Sima Trio performs in the Solley Theater of the Paul Robeson Center at 8 p.m.
• The trio will perform works by Russian composers Dimitri Shostakovich and Sergei Rachmaninov, as well as a trio by Armenian composer Arno Babadjanian.
• Tickets are $15; $10 for Princeton Arts Council members. Tickets will be available at the door half an hour before show time.

Saturday, June 9 – Paint Out at Morven

• Bring your art supplies to Morven Museum and Garden and find inspiration painting the beautiful building and gardens.
• The paint out will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• The public is also invited to watch artists at work.
• The event is $8 for members of the Arts Council of Princeton, and $10 for non-members. To register for the event, visit classes.artscouncilofprinceton.org.

Saturday, June 9 – Paddle with a Naturalist

• Jeff Hoagland, education director of Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, leads a paddle on Carnegie Lake from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Turning Basin Park, 483 Alexander Road in Princeton.
• Kayaks or canoes are available for rental.
• Fees range from $25 to $50, depending on craft. The event is appropriate for children and adults.
• Registration is required. For more information or to register, contact Maryann Polefka at (609) 737-7592.

Sunday, June 10 – Princeton kids’ marathon and annual adults’ 10K race

• Runners should be at the Princeton University Stadium by 8 a.m.
• Registration is $25 for adults and $15 for kids.
• For more information or to register, visit http://www.princetonkidsmarathon.org.
• Sponsored by Princeton HealthCare, the event aims to get kids active and also raises money for University Medical Center at Princeton’s Outpatient Pediatric Clinic.

Friday, June 15, 16, 22, 23, 28, 29 – Once Upon a Mattress

• An adaptation of the princess and the pea fairy tale, this musical will entertain the whole family.
• Shows will take place at 8 p.m. at Matthews Acting Studio, 185 Nassau St., Princeton.
• Tickets are $45; to purchase tickets visit http://www.princetonfestival.org.

Friday, June 22 – Flutist Andrea Brachfeld and Phoenix Rising perform

• Flutist Andrea Brachfeld and her five-piece Latin jazz band Phoenix Rising will perform at 8 p.m. in the Solley Theater of the Paul Robeson Center.
• Tickets are $5 for Princeton Arts Council members, students, and seniors, and $10 for non-members.
• The concert is part of the Arts Council of Princeton’s Sound Bites series.

Saturday, June 30 – Play Ball

• At 11 a.m. at the Princeton Regional Schools baseball field, the Historical Society of Princeton will sponsor an old-fashioned baseball match using 1864 or 1873 rules. Players will wear period uniforms.
• The Princeton Regional Schools baseball field is located at 25 Valley Road in Princeton.
• The event is free.

Friday, July 14 – Ilya Itin performs at Richardson Auditorium

• Piano virtuoso Ilya Itin will perform the complete Chopin Preludes, Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit, and La Valse, as well as the very first performance of a work written for him by composer Yehudi Wyner.
• The concert will take place at 8 p.m. at the Richardson Auditorium in Princeton.
• Tickets may be purchased in person, by phone (609) 258-5000, or online through the University Ticketing Web site at www.princeton.edu/utickets.

Thursday, July 19-22, July 26-29 – Princeton Summer Theater performs Boeing-Boeing

• In this classic French farce, an architect juggles three flight attendant fiancées.
• The play will run Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Hamilton Murray Theater on the Princeton University Campus.
• For tickets, call (609) 258-7062 or visit www.princetonsummertheater.org.

Tuesday, August 7 – Community Night Out

• The night out will feature free admission to the community park pool, free food, dunk tank, inflatable slides, free giveaways and more.
• The night out begins at 5 p.m. at the Princeton Community Park Pool in the Princeton Township Municipal complex.
• For more information, contact the Princeton Recreation Department at (609) 921-2100.