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Whether it's Amy Winehouse and the Kings of Leon at Glastonbury, or The Killers and The Wombats at Reading, it'll soon be time to dust off your back-pack and fill it with baby wipes, baked beans and booze...
Summer music festivals can be an unforgettable experience, but you should do what you can to ensure they're unforgettable for the right reasons, or you could be returning home with more than a pair or dirty wellies to deal with.
It's well worth taking out a travel insurance policy before you go, as there are plenty of potential mishaps waiting to happen. The cost of a travel insurance policy is minimal compared to the cost of your festival ticket and the bills you could face should disaster strike.
Theft
Unfortunately theft is one of the most prevalent crimes at music festivals, with thieves attending the festival specifically to steal cash, mobile phones, iPods and anything else valuable they can get their hands on.
In previous years thefts have occurred in people's tents while they are obliviously partying to their favourite band or DJ and even while festival goers have been in their tents sleeping! Pick pocketing of items like mobile phones and wallets is also rife.
Preventing theft
• Avoid taking anything valuable.
• There are normally always cash points at festivals. Double check before you go so you don't need to take a bundle of notes with you.
• Do you really need your mobile phone? If so, think about taking your remote control-size Nokia from 1999, not your brand new all singing and dancing 5 megapixel mini entertainment system - this will be much more attractive to thieves, and very painful for you if it gets lost or stolen.
• With round the clock music on tap, you don't need your iPod so leave it at home!
• It's always great to get lots of photos at a festival, but if your digital camera is worth a lot to you why not try taking a cheap and cheerful disposable camera. That way you don't risk getting your £200 camera or your treasured photos stolen.
• If you really need to bring valuables, use lockers and safes where provided and avoid leaving expensive items or cash in tents.
Accident, illness or injury
• Festivals can be the highlight of anyone's year, but they can also be surprisingly dangerous places!. Any amount of rain at a festival can cause very slippery grounds for dancing to your favourite band so take care - you don't want to be the 105th person in the queue to the first aid tent with a sprained ankle or worse.
• Whatever the weather, there will still be lots of uneven ground and stumbling around in darkness to find your tent, which could also result in injury.
• Be careful with alcohol - know your limits! You don't want to spend the weekend in hospital having your stomach pumped whilst your friends are still enjoying themselves in the fields.
