With summer almost upon us, it's the time of year where the wellies once again see the light of day to squelch their way through inches of mud at music festivals across the country. We list our own favourite festivals, from the popular to the lesser-known.
By Amanda Arnold, BritEvents.com contributor.
The summer is nearly upon us, which means we are counting down to some of the best festivals in the UK.
Britain has some of the finest festivals in Europe, and we highlight ten of our own favourite music festivals:
Hailed as the highlight of the summer festival season, Glastonbury is one of the biggest and oldest festivals in the UK. Last year's 40th Anniversary of Glastonbury was their best ever year, even though the headlining supergroup U2 cancelled last minute due to Bono injuring his back.
The Festival has an eclectic mix of music, with bands including Coldplay, Beyonce, Plan B, Pendulum, Biffy Clyro amongst others appearing on the main Pyramid Stage. U2 is expected to return this year.
This year, V Festival are offering V-style camping, new for 2011. If you are lucky enough to have an unlimited budget, then why not camp in style in a pod pad, Hotel Bell Tent, Pop up Hotel or a Cloud yurt, all of which are available to hire for the weekend, costing between £1,150.00 - £2,900.00 for the weekend!
Now in its sixth year, this festival is the choice for more discerning families. Attention is provide visitors with a range of entertainment to accompany the music, including comedy, cabaret, theatre and literature.
This year sees comedy greats including Alan Carr and Omid Djalili perform live on stage. Sadler's Wells and the English National Ballet will be performing.
Jon Dunn, Music Booker commented on the festival, saying "Acts are coming to them and asking to be on the festival". With the line-up as massive as Latitude, no wonder artists want to return each year!
Another double-headed festival, Reading and Leeds festival organisers must be the luckiest this year, as they have managed to secure one of the best UK bands of the moment - Muse. This band will never let you down, their stage performance is immense, and with their previous concert support band My Chemical Romance, the fantastic Thirty Seconds To Mars, Pulp and Elbow this year festival will be the talk of the town.
After AC/DC made a return to the Download Festival for their 30th anniversary in 2010 (their first in 19 years), this Rock festival has got to pull out all the stops to make this year just as memorable.
But, there are no worries there as the deafening festival have booked some of the best Rock bands of the moment, including Linkin Park, Bullet For My Valentine, Skunk Anansie, Rob Zombie, Pendulum and Def Leppard. With this lineup, this year's Download is set to be a corker.
This year Beyonce was a late addition to the T in the Park Festival, where she will join fellow headlining bands Foo Fighters, Coldplay, My Chemical Romance, Pulp and the Arctic Monkeys. This festival is aimed at the younger generation of festival goers, having the reputation for heavy drinking and boisterous behaviour.
Camp Bestival were winners of the Best Family Festival 2008-2010, meaning that this is a very family-friendly festival. This year Camp Bestival are putting on a fantastic line-up of artists including ABC, Blondie, Eliza Doolittle, Mark Ronson and Primal Scream.
Children are well looked after with performances from Shrek the Musical, Mr Tumble and the CBeebies rock band the Zingzillas. Best of all children under the age of 11 go free!
A relatively new festival, Sonisphere has an impressive lineup in 2011. With Headliners such as Metallica, Slipknot, Slayer, Limpbizkit and Motorhead you would be forgiven in thinking that this festival is rivalling the Download festival. But there's more - throw in comedy genius Bill Bailey, who is set to have the biggest comedy performance at a UK music festival, and this a no brainer!
Nibley Festival is a non-profit festival run entirely by volunteers. The event is the friendliest festival around and is ideal for first time family festival goers.
Set in the stunning Cotswolds, Nibley Festival also provides entertainment for kids, stalls, world-foods and locally sourced beers. There are well-known bands playing this year such as The Beat, N.U.M.B., Rob Cowen and The Dissidents, and Kill It Kid, along with Nibley's choice of lesser-known bands.
Heralded as one of the best Folk Festivals in the UK, this festival is only in its sixth year, and has already built up a reputation as being the country's leading folk event, bringing in artists and bands from all over the world.
This event is great for getting historic Shrewsbury on the music map and highlights this beautiful town which is full of culture and history. The event is more than a music festival - it's packed full of dance workshops, a children's festival and a youth programme. With an enviable range of catering stalls and bars, it's no wonder this festival sells out every time!
What do you think? Do you agree with our list of music festivals, or do you have your own personal favourite? Let us know by posting your choice of music festival below. 
By Amanda ArnoldKate Middleton has revealed the name of her new puppy during a visit to a school in Oxford yesterday.
By Amanda ArnoldAdele puts her finger up to 'the Suits' when her acceptance speech was cut short.
By Lucy MiddletonA musical version of the 1992 film The Bodyguard, starring Whitney Houston, is set to open at London…
By Lucy MiddletonOne of four versions of Edvard Munch's The Scream is to be sold at auction with a guide price of $80m.
By Lucy MiddletonAfter 150 years, the first ever detective novel, The Notting Hill Mystery by Charles Felix, is back in print.
By Lucy MiddletonThe British ghost story starring Daniel Radcliffe spends another week at the top due to school half term.
By Lucy MiddletonSpanish actor Antonio Banderas is to star in the upcoming art film 33 Days as Pablo Picasso. The fil…
By Lucy MiddletonHollywood actor Will Smith is confirmed to be overseeing the development of a follow-up to the 2007 …
By Lucy MiddletonThe famous Twickenham Film Studios has gone into administration after having a tough three years, de…
By Lucy MiddletonThe Roald Dahl adaptation of Matilda was a big winner at the Whatsonstage.com awards, with four priz…
Top British Sports EventsBritain has a host of world-class sporting events tucked under it's belt. If you're a motorsport freak or a watersport addict, some of the finest sports can be found in Britain. We take a look at some of the top British sporting events that take place each year.
London's Secret SpotsIconic, historical and grand, the city of London shocks, awes and inspires. But there is another side of London that visitors do not get to see. We unearth some of this great city's hidden gems.
Pancake CustomsPancakes have a long tradition in England with the celebration of Shrovetide. This particular fried cake was made in this country as early as the 13th century. We take a look at some of the rural traditions of Shrove Tuesday, also known famously as Pancake Day.
Katie Fforde - Summer of LoveBritEvents' Amanda Arnold catches up with Katie Fforde, author of Summer of Love, and President of the Romantic Novelists Association to ask about her ideas, work and inspiration.
