Since being declared the White City by UNESCO in July 2003, the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality has been marking the honor in an annual one-night fest offering a slew of special events for the benefit of the residents and visitors of Tel Aviv. This one-night festival is known to the world as White Night Tel Aviv (Layla Lavan Tel Aviv), and is taking place in 2012 on 28 June.

June in Israel is a great month to be in the country with great events and other things to do taking place throughout the month. Taking advantage of the great outdoor weather, many of these events take place outside – concerts, festivals, and much more. Here is our guide to the best things to do in Israel in June 2012. Scroll right down and you’ll find a full event calendar. This list is updated throughout the month, so if we have missed something let us know and we’ll add it.

The Festival of Light of Jerusalem is an annual festival in which the Old City of Jerusalem is brought to light. The 2011 Festival will take place between 15 June and 22 June and will see dramatic light-ups of the ancient architecture of the Old City as well as the installation of light statues, performances, and pieces of museum artwork. Attracting to Israel well-known light sculptors and light designers from around the world, the Jerusalem Festival of Light provides a unique backdrop for them to exhibit their creations.

Shavuot in Israel is a period with loads of amazing events. Music festivals, events for the kids, exhibitions, and much, much more, are part of what happens each year for Shavuot in Israel. Celebrated in Israel for one day, usually in late May or early June, Shavuot’s timing, when the weather is great but not too hot, has made it a favored time for outdoor events, and across the country. In 2012, Shavuot will fall from sundown on May 26 to sundown on May 27.

Twice every year, the village of Abu Gosh in the Jerusalem Hills a few kilometers west of Jerusalem, usually famed for its hummus restaurants, comes alive to the sound of music. The Abu Gosh Music Festival is one of Israel’s largest vocal music festivals taking place at the festivals of Sukkot (in Fall-time) and Shavuot (in Spring-time). The next Abu Gosh Vocal Music Festival takes place on May 25-27, 2012.

Canada’s national standup comedy club, Yuk Yuk’s, is heading to the Holy Land – and bringing with it a taste of unique Canadian humor. Mark Breslin, founder and CEO of the world’s largest chain of comedy clubs, will be bringing six of his top comedians to perform at selected venues in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, along with some surprise locations along the way. The tour takes place from May 30 to June 7, 2012.

Taking place throughout the summer, the one day Sunbeat Music Festival is Israel’s most innovative Global Beats Festival – one of the only music festivals in Israel to rival the big festivals of Europe. Unlike most festivals, Sunbeat is held in three parts, throughout the summer – in 2012 this will be in June, July, and September, at a beautiful location in the Galilee. Attracting passionate, groovy, and upbeat acts from within Israel as well as internationally, Sunbeat is set to be something to remember. The first Sunbeat Festival of 2012 will take place on June 16, with following festivals in July and September.

The annual Jerusalem Student Day and White Night Jerusalem is an extravaganza of music and cultural events which take place in May each year. The events are centered around the Sacher Park, and attract some of Israel’s leading artists who play in the event which begins after sundown and, as White Night suggests, continues through the night. Jerusalem Student Day and White Night will, in 2012, take place from the evening of May 20 until the morning of May 21. This coincides with Jerusalem Day which is celebrated throughout the city.

FREE TICKET GIVEAWAY – READ MORE FOR DETAILS: A bi-annual comedy tour of Israel, the Comedy for Koby series brings some of the best American comedians to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and many more cities across the country to to raise funds for The Koby Mandell Foundation who work on behalf of families of victims of terror. The June 2012 Comedy for Koby series will feature top quality US entertainers including Ron Pearson, Cory Kahaney, Kivi Rogers, and Avi Liberman. The comics will tour around the country performing in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Raanana, Beit Shemesh, Modiin and Gush Etzion between May 31-June 6, 2012.

Lenny Kravitz has announced that he will be giving a concert in Israel during October 2012. Kravitz, who has never given a concert in Israel before is one of the most noted musicians of recent decades winning the Grammy Award for “Best Male Rock Vocal Performance” four years in a row from 1999 to 2002. He will reach the shores of Tel Aviv as part of his “Black and White in America” tour, named after his latest album. Lenny Kravitz will give a concert in Tel Aviv, Israel on October 6, 2012 at the Yarkon Park. Tickets will go on sale at NIS 360.