ONE minute it is sunny and the next rain is pouring, which can only mean one thing — festival season is almost upon us.

Here is a round-up of events in Bolton and beyond to get you rocking, raving or grooving in your wellies this summer.

BOLTFEST, QUEENS PARK, MAY 23 AND 24

MORE than 10,000 revellers will descend on Queens Park for Bolton's first tribute bands festival.

Some of the country's top rock, indie and metal tribute acts, including Doors Alive (pictured) will perform, as well as homegrown talent on a second stage.

The tickets are free, subject to a small booking fee, and organisers expect them to be fully booked by next week.

Jools Taylor, who has held a similar event in Prestwich for the past three years, said: "The response has been incredible for our first one and there's huge excitement for it."

Visit boltfest.com.

The Bolton News:

PARKLIFE 2015, HEATON PARK, JUNE 6 AND 7

STAR names from the world of dance, hip hop, indie and electronic music will descend on a festival just down the road — in Prestwich.

Headliners include Disclosure, Rudimental, Skrillex, Ben Howard, Nas, George Ezra, Fatboy Slim, Grace Jones, Wu-Tang Clan, Caribou, Metronomy, Mark Ronson (pictured) and Jessie Ware, who will play to more than 140,000 music fans across the two days.

Standard weekend tickets and standard Saturday day tickets are now sold out, with a limited amount of Sunday tickets and VIP packages available. Visit parklife.uk.com.

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THE BEAT-HERDER FESTIVAL, RIBBLE VALLEY, JULY 17 TO 19

NORTHERN England’s brilliantly barmy festival, Beat-Herder in Lancashire, will celebrate its 10th birthday — a landmark anniversary that marks a journey from humble free party origins to an annual three-day 12,000 capacity bonanza with a legion of devout fans.

Acts on the line-up include Basement Jaxx (pictured), Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Sugarhill Gang & The Furious Five ft Melle Mel and Scorpio, Dub Pistols, K-Klass, Parov Stelar Band and MistaJam. For tickets, visit beatherder.co.uk.

The Bolton News: GOING DOWN: Basement Jaxx

LYTHAM FESTIVAL, LYTHAM GREEN AND LOWTHER PAVILION, AUGUST 2 TO 9

Pop supergroup McBusted (pictured) are the Saturday night headliners for the new Lytham Festival. Also on the line-up across the week are Faithless, Rae Morris, Rebecca Ferguson, Scouting For Girls, Chicane and Tenors Of Rock.

There will be an '80s vs '90s themed evening of nostalgia on Friday, August 7, starring Billy Ocean, Vengaboyz, Sinitta, East 17, Chesney Hawkes, Jimmy Sommerville and 5ive.

Visit lythamfestival.com.

The Bolton News: McBusted, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, June 27

CREAMFIELDS UK 2015, DARESBURY, AUGUST 28, 29 AND 30

THE UK’s number one dance festival Creamfields is back this August Bank Holiday weekend, taking over the Cheshire countryside for three days of music.

Attracting a record-breaking crowd of 70,000 people and selling out in record time in 2014, this year’s festival looks set to eclipse it.

Acts including Chase & Status (pictured), Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, Avicii, Armin van Buuren, Martin Garrix, The Chemical Brothers, Above & Beyond, Annie Mac, Tiësto, Eric Prydz and Fatboy Slim will appear across 22 arenas.

Visit creamfields.com for tickets.

The Bolton News: Chase And Status

RAMSBOTTOM FESTIVAL, RAMSBOTTOM CRICKET CLUB, SEPTEMBER 18, 19 AND 20

RAMSBOTTOM Festival will be celebrating its fifth birthday with a line-up full of Northern clout and headline acts including Idlewild and The Proclaimers (pictured).

The three-day festival will also include performances by Ciaran Lavery, Tom Robinson Band and Mark Radcliffe’s Galleon Blast, with many more acts to be announced over the coming months.

A host of family arts and activities will be on offer — from stone balancing to free running — and there is sure to be something that grabs the attention of both little ones and young at heart. Visit ramsbottomfestival.com for tickets.

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