With gas prices hovering around $3 a gallon, it's not a bad idea to do some of your vacationing this summer right here in your own hometown.

	Summer '06 Listings Free shows: The best part of summer! Festivals: The sun never sets on summer fun Recreation: The great outdoors Places: Purely Pittsburgh Pop Concerts: Summer music mix Classical: Something old, something new Fine Art: Dreams and visions Dance: A little bit of heat Cinema: Movies in the park Stage: A playful summer

So that you can make the best of it, we've assembled a special package of stories on places to go and things to do for the Summer of '06. Before we move on to the zillions of listings that follow, let's take a quick look at some of the talking points this season.

On the concert landscape, it would be easy to say dinosaur rock once again dominates, but there are a few surprises in there for a slightly younger crowd, including Nine Inch Nails, Pearl Jam, Dashboard Confessional, Ani DiFranco and Kelly Clarkson.

The best page in this whole section is probably the Free Shows list. The Three Rivers Arts Festival has compiled a concert schedule for a broad range of tastes, from Raul Malo to Tom Verlaine to Rosanne Cash. Hartwood and South Park look pretty healthy, too.

As a reminder, just before the fireworks go off on the Fourth of July, it won't be the Pittsburgh Symphony on the Point Park Stage. It will be the River City Brass Band.

For something unique to 2006, don't miss the opening of Schenley Plaza in Oakland on the weekend of June 8-11 with the Zany Umbrella Circus, live music, free carousel rides and more.

Summer movies were covered yesterday, but, to review, watch for blockbusters like "Superman Returns," "X-Men: The Last Stand," "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" and "Snakes on a Plane."

Finally, you're going to hear a lot about Pittsburgh Roars. What is it? That's hard to pin down. But it's a citywide promotional campaign that seems to start with the "Fierce Friends" exhibition at the Carnegie Museum and encompass everything from the animal-themed miniature golf course at the Arts Festival to the cars at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix.

If you want to see real lions, well, they're at the zoo.

Have a great summer.