Düsseldorf is home to more Japanese expatriates than any other city in Germany, so it is befitting that it hosts Japan Day, a city-wide celebration of Japanese culture, gastronomy and music. The Japanese Chamber of Commerce, the Japanese Club of Düsseldorf and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia sponsor the one-day event, which usually takes place in late May and early June. In past years, the turnout has far exceeded one million people. The cultural program is wide-ranging: Samurai warriors showcase their weaponry and armor, origami demonstrations captivate their viewers (visitors also have a chance to try their hand at the delicate art), and mangaka present their latest scribbled achievements. The celebration ends with a Japanese firework display over the Rhine River.
Tel: 0211-1 64 82 37 (Japanese Consulate)
www.japantag-duesseldorf-nrw.de

Vive la France! Since 2000, the city of Düsseldorf, along with a range of French organizations and institutions, organizes the annual three-day French Festival. Petit Paris attracts about 30,000 German Francophiles and French visitors in what amounts to an exaltation of the French savoir vivre. Music, poetry, theater, film and dancing all find their raison d'etre in la grande fête française. The Tour de Düsseldorf, a vintage rally featuring pre-1978 French cars that has been a permanent fixture of the French Festival since 2002, has developed into Germany's biggest meeting of classic French cars. The event coincides with France's Bastille Day celebrations, taking place July 13 through July 15. Check the website for exact times and dates for 2008. In previous years the event was held at the Burgplatz.
Tel: 0211-45 60 539
www.duesseldorfer-frankreich-fest.de

Fans of the Elizabethan bard will enjoy discovering a reconstructed Globe theatre in the city of Neuss. It is here that every year from June to July the timeless works of the world's most famous playwright are given new life. Indeed, the Shakespeare Festival includes productions by theater companies from all around the globe ("Over the Edge", "Compagnie Casalibus" or "The Watermill Theatre"), with pieces presented in several different languages, including of course, English. The 2007 program featured a varied mix of tragedies, comedies and tragicomedies from both Shakespeare's well-known and lesser-known works. Also highly successful was a running of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged). The venue, which opened in 1991, is located at the city's racetrack and seats about 500 people.
Info/Tickets: 0180-500 18 12
www.shakespeare-festival.de

The techno-thumping street party which once belonged to Berlin now belongs to the Ruhr region. The Love Parade got off to a good start in Essen in 2007 by attracting 1.2 million visitors, and the party moves to Dortmund in 2008, Bochum in 2009, Duisburg in 2010 and Gelsenkirchen in 2011. If you are a raver, the Love Parade is something you will want to experience – at least once. It is a party known for superlatives, bizarre attire and rampant public displays of affection. The music played is predominantly electronic dance music, and the parade consists of open trucks mounted with massive speakers featuring DJs, dancers and much more.
www.loveparade.de