Germany's Top Five

Berlin's Kreuzberg district is multicultural, and so is its most popular street celebration. Since 1996 the city's ethnic minorities have come together to celebrate the Carnival of Cultures over the Pentecost weekend, infusing a riot of colors into Berlin's often grey facades. From May 13-16, carnival groups from more than 70 countries will dance in the streets. Visitors can enjoy an array of performances, music, and exotic food and drink.

Outsider Art is "in." In Düsseldorf through May 29, visitors can see the works of Jean Dubuffet, one of the most important modern French painters, as well as creations by the artistic autodidacts he prized and emulated. Their works -- mostly created independently of the art establishment -- are known by the French term "Art Brut;" in the US it's called "Outsider Art." By any name, the show provides a fascinating survey of their works, juxtaposed with the paintings of Dubuffet -- a rebel who opposed traditional art and searched for new forms of expression.

Now's your chance to stop and smell the roses. Through Oct. 9, the German National Garden show in Munich is letting Germany's gardening culture shine, under the motto "A Change in Perspective." Some one million visitors are expected to attend, from professionals through hobbyists and flower buffs. The theme will allow for an "unusual perspective and new visions" -- for instance, imagining what the world looks like to a fledgeling bird in a nest.

Wim Wenders is apparently a lifelong fan of the International Short Film Festival in Oberhausen, western Germany, running through May 10. "For years, I saw every single film at the Short Film Festival, looking forward to those days in Oberhausen every year," Wenders told festival organizers. Now in its 51st year, the festival has set the standard for quality and program selection. The films shown here may be short in length, but they are definite heavyweights when it comes to content.

The world's best male tennis players head for the clay courts of Hamburg's Rothenbaum for the latest round of the Tennis Masters Series from May 7 through 15. Aside from the Grand Slam, the ATP Masters Series is the highest-ranking tennis competition in the world. Its tournaments attract the cream of men's tennis elite as they vie for the coveted title of World No. 1. The series includes four tournaments in North America and five in Europe, culminating in the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup, which rotates through major world capitals and showcases the year's top eight players.