The parties of summer are sensual. The air smells of salty ocean, pine forest, or suntan lotion. The drinks are ice-cold, just the thing after a day in the sun. The food is simple: Shellfish and barbeque, corn on the cob, watermelon, just-picked berries. Many of the season’s social gatherings are private and take place in the hinterlands, where people have the space and time to entertain.

The time of year is reason enough to celebrate, but there’s no shortage of other reasons. Summer residents of the Hamptons, the Berkshires, and the Catskills (to name just a few of New Yorkers’ preferred retreats) also participate in the civic life of their adopted communities. Their presence generally triples the local population, making summer prime time for fund-raising events on behalf of the region’s public and cultural institutions.

Southampton Hospital christens the season with a fund-raising event for its Westhampton Primary Care Center. The hospital’s 26th Annual Memorial Day Weekend Party features tastings from local restaurants and wineries (Sunday, May 29, $100, 631-726-8700). The hospital also receives proceeds from the gala preview of the Hampton Designer Showhouse, which features rooms decorated by Charlotte Moss, Jackson Siegel Aaron, and Bunny Williams (Saturday, June 25, $200, 631-283-7140). The highest-grossing hospital event is the 47th Annual Summer Party, drawing more than 1,000 guests. Vera Wang is an honorary chairwoman and the theme is “summer safari” (Saturday, August 6, $150, 631-726-8700).

On the cultural axis: The Parrish Art Museum brings together the art set at its Midsummer Gala (Saturday, July 9, $500, 631-283-2118 ext. 41), while the Watermill Center’s Brazil-themed benefit will help raise $4 million for building construction. The center brings together emerging and established artists to collaborate on projects (Saturday, July 30, $1,000, 212-253-7484 ext. 10).

Probably the most formal summer gala is the dinner and dance organized by the Preservation Society of Newport County. This year’s “Dynasties and Dragons Ball” re-creates Alva Vanderbilt Belmont’s Chinese-themed bash for her daughter Conseulo in 1914, which introduced the Chinese Teahouse on the Newport estate Marble House. Architect Richard Morris Hunt designed Marble House after the Petit Trianon at Versailles (Saturday, August 13, $500, 401-847-1000 ext. 120).

The needs of New York City charities don’t go away. City-based nonprofits tend to follow their patrons to the sand and surf, partly to keep them engaged, partly to raise more private money as foundation and public support dwindle. God’s Love We Deliver hosts its fifth annual cocktail party at the Southampton home of Don Burns and Greg Connors (Saturday, June 11, $200, 212-294-8143).

And just because most people have left town doesn’t mean the city itself goes quiet. A few occasions, such as the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park benefit, even bring people back from their beach houses. This year’s marks Shakespeare in the Park’s 50th anniversary season and honors board chairman Kenneth Lerer and outgoing producer George C. Wolfe. The gala includes supper, a performance of “As You Like It,” and a cast party at Belvedere Castle (Tuesday, July 12, $1,500, 212-249-6188).

Green thumbs get a glimpse of exquisitely designed private gardens during Guild Hall’s Weekend Garden Tour, which includes the estates of Jamie Drake, Alan and Susan Patricof, and Tony Ingrao. The event starts with a cocktail party and includes lectures by horticultural celebrities Jack Lenor Larsen and Edwina von Gal (Friday, August 26 and Saturday, August 27, $60-$500, 631-324-0806).

Finally, the horse set gathers at the racetracks of Saratoga all summer long, but goes all out for Marylou Whitney’s party of the season at the Canfield Casino (Saturday, August 1, by private invitation). And after some very proper bashes at Wimbledon, tennis fans party Forest Hills-style at the U.S. Open. Warm up the first night of the tournament at the annual benefit for the United States Tennis Association Tennis and Education Foundation (Monday, August 29, $1,500, 914-696-7223).