The annual Handel Festival is a firm fixture in Halle's cultural calendar and a popular event with music lovers from all over the world. But the event from 31 May to 10 June 2012 also brings musicologists to this town in Saxony-Anhalt where Handel was born – and which is now a centre for research into Handel. The festival programme features numerous concerts and an opera by the composer.

Young herring are the star attraction at the 23rd Matjes Festival from 1 to 3 June 2012 in the sea port of Emden, the largest town in East Friesland. The festival is founded on the 450-year history of Emden's herring fisheries and serves as a reminder of their economic importance. Historical boats and shanty choirs conjure up all the romance of seafaring, and on Saturday there will be a 10km 'herring run' through the town centre.

The international Bodenseewoche regatta brings plenty of hustle and bustle to the historical harbour in the old quarter of Constance. Between 31 May and 3 June 2012, this town in southern Germany is offering a wide-ranging programme of cultural and sporting events such as sailing regattas, harbour concerts and exhibitions of boats and classic cars. The event is free and offers something for everyone.

The town hall in Bremen with its exquisite Weser Renaissance facade dominates the market square and, together with the Roland statue, holds UNESCO World Heritage status. It is also home to one of Germany's most famous wine cellars, where you can sample over 600 wines from every wine-growing region in Germany. Another great opportunity for wine tasting is the wine festival on Bremen market square from 30 May to 3 June 2012.

The Dinosaur Park in Münchehagen near Hannover is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year with a new exhibition, 'The Future is Wild'. Open until November 2012, the show looks at the future of our planet and how the animals roaming the Earth might look in 5, 100 or 500 million years.

A special concert is taking place on 30 May 2012 as part of the Middle Rhine Music Festival. The UNESCO World Heritage Concert is celebrating the anniversary of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley gaining UNESCO World Heritage status and is being held at the Church of Our Lady in Oberwesel – where the certificate was originally presented to Minister President Kurt Beck.

Albrecht Dürer was the first German painter to enjoy wide recognition all over Europe during his lifetime. He is now the subject of a major exhibition at the Germanic National Museum in Nuremberg. Running until 2 September 2012, 'Albrecht Dürer – The Sources of his Art' gives an insight into Dürer's early work and his life as a young painter.

On 30 May 2012, Hamburg is being transformed into one big dance floor for the tenth anniversary of TuSch Hamburg, an initiative that brings together schools and theatres. Each of the TuSch partner schools and participating theatres will be taking part in a parade, which will culminate in a spectacular dance performance by the National Youth Ballet and 500 students on Rathausmarkt square.

Over 300 short films from more than 40 countries will be evaluated for artistic merit at the International Short Film Festival in Hamburg from 29 May to 4 June 2012. The art of short filmmaking is not restricted to any one genre, tends towards experimentation and is uncompromising in its approach. A wide-ranging programme and the involvement of international names make this event in the north of Germany one not to be missed!

Man has been fascinated by the dream of flying for centuries – and for the participants of the Red Bull Flugtag at the Zollhafen in Mainz, this dream will become a reality for a few seconds at least. Every year, homemade flying machines present a motley mix of the bizarre and the downright ridiculous. Thousands of spectators cheer on the wannabe pilots as they attempt to fly as far as possible in contraptions they have designed themselves.