It's that time of year when top bands converge on parks, stately homes and disused airfields, and thousands of normally sane individuals abandon their home comforts for a long weekend of tent-living and hedonism. Here's a rundown of some of the major events:

Cambridge folk festival
Cherry Hinton Hall, Cambridge
This weekend Acts include: Levellers, Suzanne Vega, Richard Thompson Band
Sold out
www.cam-folkfest.co.uk

Womad
Rivermead, Reading, Berkshire
This weekend
Acts include: Asian Dub Foundation, Badmarsh & Shri Tickets: £77.50 for weekend, £36 per day
www.womad.co.uk

Guildford Live
Stoke Park, Guildford
August 3-5
Acts include: Pulp, James, Catatonia
Tickets: £64 (3 days), £27 Friday, £32 Saturday, £30 Sunday
www.guildford-live.co.uk

Knebworth '01
Knebworth House, Stevenage
August 11
Acts include: Jamiroquai, Bent, BT
Tickets cost: £45
www.ministryofsound.com

V2001
Hylands Park, Chelmsford and Weston Park, Staffordshire August 18-19 Acts include: Texas, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Coldplay
Tickets: £66 for weekend (£76 with camping), £38.50 per day
www.vfestival.com

Carling Festival
Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire and Temple Newsam, Leeds
August 24-26
Acts include: Travis, Eminem, Manic Street Preachers
Reading weekend tickets sold out. Leeds weekend tickets £80, day tickets for both, £35
www.meanfiddler.com

Gig on the Green
Glasgow Green, Glasgow
August 25-26
Acts include: Eminem, Travis, Marilyn Manson, Iggy Pop
Tickets: £65 for weekend, £35 per day
www.gigonthegreen.com

Creamfields
Old Liverpool Airfield, Speke Road, Liverpool
August 25 Acts/DJs include: Fatboy Slim, Orbital, Gorillaz, Stereo MC's
Tickets: £48.50
www.cream.co.uk