What's On Worldwide

Austria

June 13-July 6. The Lower n Danube Festival is taking place near the source of central Europe's great river at the towns of Krems and St. Polten. The various branches of the wide-ranging festival include classical music, literature and circus art.

Barbados

June 15-30. Aqua Splash. This is a water festival designed to highlight the island's assets of sea and sand as well as fishing villages and markets.

London

June 14. Trooping the Colour. This traditional ceremony with music and pageantry takes place in Whitehall, with Queen Elizabeth trotting about inspecting cavalry regiments on her horse. Tickets can be obtained by calling the Chelsea Barracks on 0171-414 2357.

Wales

June 14. While the English are Trooping the Colour, the Welsh are engaging in a man vs horse versus bicycle race at Llanwrytd Wells, Powys. This pub competition usually goes the horses' way to judge from pictures of the event.

Israel

June 14. Shavu'ot (Pentecost). This ancient Jewish holiday is sometimes known as the Festival of the Weeks, namely the seven weeks it took the Israelites to reach Mt Sinai after their escape from Egypt. It is also, these days, a celebration of land and agriculture. The kibbutzim all hold big carnivals and celebrations.

Finland

June 11-15. In the town of Sodankyla, in Finnish Lapland, where the snows have barely melted, the most northerly film festival in the world is taking place, the so-called Midnight Sun Film Festival. Films of great masters are featured alongside contemporary work.

Indonesia

June 16 - 20. This festival at Palembang in southern Sumatra coincides with the anniversary of the ancient kingdom of Sriwijaya. Activities revolve around boat exhibitions, boat racing and boat decorating.

Japan

June 14. Rice-Planting Festival at Sumiyosi Shrine, Osaka. Twelve selected beauties ceremoniously transplant rice-seedlings in the shrine's paddyfield, to the accompaniment of music and folk-songs.