From Telluride Balloon (June 5-7) to Baroque Music Festival (June 25-28), Andrew Harper shares a curated list of notable events set to occur in June 2015.

June 2015 Events

Through August 2: Midsummer, when the skies of St. Petersburg never darken beyond twilight, is one of the most popular times to visit Russia’s former imperial capital. This city of opulent palaces and elegant canals celebrates the light with the Stars of the White Nights Festival, centered around the storied Mariinsky Theater. Highlights include Mahler’s 9th Symphony conducted by Christoph Eschenbach, three Mozart piano concerti performed by Rudolph Buchbinder, and the opera “Boris Godunov,” which had its world premiere at the Mariinsky Theater in 1874.

June 2-3: Discover the Japan of the past during Takigi-Noh, when professional actors perform traditional Noh dramas by torchlight outside Kyoto’s elegant Heian Shrine. Because these performances involve elaborate costumes, dance and music as well as the spoken word, non-Japanese speakers can easily enjoy them.

June 5-7: On the morning of June 5, the skies of southwest Colorado fill with hot air balloons for the Telluride Balloon Festival. That evening, the festivities move downtown, where tethered balloons are lit from within, bathing the historic center in colorful light. Saturday, June 6, brings more balloon flights over the town.

June 5-8: Hundreds of Australian wineries and specialty food producers gather for the Good Food & Wine Show, held in June in Melbourne, and in Perth, Sydney and Brisbane later this year. Participants can sample the best of Australia’s artisanal products and attend cooking demonstrations and master classes.

June 13-14: Rather than braving the insanity of Oktoberfest, help Munich celebrate its 857th birthday by attending the colorful Stadtgründungsfest. In front of major landmarks such as the neo-Gothic city hall and late-Gothic Church of Our Lady, musicians and folk dancers entertain the spectators who aren’t perusing the numerous food and handicraft stalls. Beer is also reportedly available.

June 25-28: One of North America’s most charming big cities, Montréal sparkles with music during the 10th annual Baroque Music Festival. This year’s theme is transformation: “Earth to ether, alcohol to flames, tobacco to smoke and terrestrial to celestial.”