WHAT'S ON WORLDWIDE

AUSTRIA

3 May-7 September. Schubert 200. To commemorate Franz Schubert's 200th anniversary the Lake Constance region is devoting its time to a whole host of exhibitions to illustrate Schubert's life, work and music. There will be a host of musical events and celebrations to underline his role as a trailblazer for contemporary music.

HOLLAND

The Queen's birthday is on April 30th. Everybody has permission to sell things on the street for the day. All streets of Amsterdam blocked with families selling bizarre items, busking and dancing.

ENGLAND

30 April. The Minehead Hobby Horse. Locals parade a six foot example of equine beauty made of canvas, with a long ribboned tail through the Somerset town.

ENGLAND

27 April. Stone-age man returns to Norfolk at 11am to demonstrate how he and his merry band of neanderthals made tools, axes and arrowheads from flint. Imagine B&Q crossed with A Million Years BC but without the giant geckos. Or Raquel Welch.

JAPAN

3-5 May. Kite Battles at Hamamatsu. Shizuoka's gigantic beautiful kites are flown by groups of citizens who endeavour to sever the strings of their opponents' kites by skillful manoeuvring. No scissors are allowed.

AMERICA

30 April-3 May. Selma Raisin Festival. Selma plays host to a pancake breakfast, raisin-baking contest, art, photography, floriculture competitions, entertainment, food and crafts. Such a small dried fruit. Such a large all-encompassing festival.

IRELAND

29-31 April. Ballyhoura 3-day Orienteering Festival. County Limerick is the destination of map-readers, compass bearers and people with backpacks who tuck their waterproof trousers inside their socks. It has the added attraction that with all that driving and navigation to Ballyhoura it's the only event where you can have almost as much fun on the way there as you do at the festival itself.

INDONESIA

3 May. Ketoprak, RRI Nusantara II, Yugyakarta. A traditional Javanese folk drama played by a cast accompanied by the sound of the gamelan Archestra and the voice of a female singer or "waranggono". The ketoprak explores episodes from Indonesia's long struggle for independence and from the lives and reigns of previous Indonesian rulers.

BARBADOS

27April-5 May. Congaline Street Festival. A nine-day carnival through the heart and soul of De Congaline village. There is a daily exhibition and market places as well as a smorgasbord of culture, free entertainment and local arts and crafts. It culminates in a one-day T-shirt band parade and is said by some to be the world's greatest street party.