Pack your tent and wellies, because Kent is set for a legendary music festival season. From Sir Bruce Forsyth to Emeli Sande, Mara Podaru guides you through the summer’s hottest events.

Maidstone Fringe Festival

Head to the county town to watch Kent’s best musicians, street performers and comedians exhibit their talent in the second annual Fringe Festival. Syd Arthur, The Soundcasters, Mama Roux, Burning Shapes, Pete Molinari, Virgin Soldiers and last year’s headliners David Migden & The Dirty Words are just some of over 100 performances scheduled over the May Bank Holiday weekend. Held in more than a dozen venues round Maidstone, the festival also showcases the town’s restaurants, shops and businesses.

Date: Thursday, May 3, to Monday, May 7

Cost: Most events are free.

Where: Maidstone, various locations

Contact: www.maidstonefringefestival.co.uk

Sounds New Contemporary Music Festival, Canterbury

Celebrate the Jubilee and all things British at this festival, which brings together classical contemporary music and films, installations, talks and visual events. Taking place over 11 days, there are plenty of events to choose from including Grammy Award winners The King’s Singers celebrating the Jubilee with a concert at the Marlowe Theatre, the Grimethorpe Colliery Band playing Gustav Holst’s spectacular The Planets, the BBC Big Band’s jazz concert, the Arditti Quartet, the London Sinfonietta, John Tavener’s Veil of the Temple and the world premiere of chamber opera, A Fury’s Curses.

Date: Friday, May 4, to Tuesday, May 15.

Cost: Festival ticket £150, includes entry to all events and reception with Sir John Tavener. Some events are free.

Where: Canterbury, various locations

Contact: 01227 787787 orwww.soundsnew.org.uk

Stour Music Festival, Ashford

It’s a milestone year for the festival, which celebrates its 50th anniversary and 100 years since the birth of its founder Alfred Deller. Featuring music from the fifth to the 17th centuries, it will also exhibit paintings by John Ward, whose art was displayed at the first festival in 1962. Deller’s legacy will be honoured with two concerts, with recitals from counter-tenors Andreas Scholl, Iestyn Davies, Michael Chance and Robin Blaze, ensemble group Brecon Baroque, and members of the Deller Consort. Other performances are also planned, and guests can listen to a recording of Deller’s singing.

Date: Thursday, May 31, to Friday, June 1; Friday, June 22, to Sunday, June 24; Friday, June 29, to Sunday, July 1.

Cost: £15 to £20 for reserved seating at concerts, concessions available.

Where: Boughton Aluph Church, near Ashford TN25 4EU

Contact: 056 0343 4123 orwww.stourmusic.org.uk

Forestry Commission Live Music, Bedgebury Pinetum

Plan B is heading into the Kent countryside as part of the Forestry Commission concerts. The Brit award-winner, whose directorial debut Ill Manors will be released next month, will perform with supporting act Ny on Friday, June 22. Pop Idol winner Will Young, who has just finished a sold-out tour and whose latest album, Echoes, reached No 1, will take to the stage the next night with special guest Jodie Marie. Income from the series of concerts, which take place around Britain, is used to improve forests.

Date: Plan B - Friday, June 22. Will Young - Saturday, June 23.

Cost: £32.

Where: Bedgebury Road, Goudhurst TN17 2SJ

Contact: 03000 680400 orwww.forestry.gov.uk/music

Hop Farm Music Festival, near Paddock Wood

Sir Bruce Forsyth is set to play his first-ever festival in Kent this summer. The Strictly Come Dancing host, who has been in show business for over 70 years, will be accompanied by his big band on Saturday, June 30. He is the latest addition to a line-up that includes rock legend Bob Dylan (Saturday headliner), Peter Gabriel & the New Blood Orchestra (Friday headliner) and Suede (Sunday headliner). Patti Smith returns to the Hop Farm for the second year in a row on Saturday, while Damien Rice and Primal Scream will also take to the stage that day. They will be joined by Kinks frontman Ray Davies (Friday), soul star Billy Ocean (Friday), Richard Ashcroft (Sunday) and many more. The festival also has a comedy stage and a buskers’ boulevard.

Date: Friday, June 29, to Sunday, July 1.

Cost: Weekend ticket £162, including free four-day camping and parking.

Where: The Hop Farm, near Paddock Wood TN12 6PY

Contact: 0844 8440444 orwww.hopfarmfestival.com

Lounge on the Farm, Canterbury

The Main Stage at Merton Farm is celebrating its first anniversary with a diverse mix of pop, folk, indie, soul and funk. Brits Critics’ Choice Award winner Emeli Sande will be headlining this year, along with The Wombats, The Charlatans, Dexys and special guests Chic and Nile Rogers. Joining them will be dubstep pioneer Caspa, BBC Radio 1 DJ Toddla T, and Fake Blood, who will headline the Friday night dance stage. The Dub Pistols are returning to Merton Farm for the fourth year running, and DJ Zinc is back for the second time.

Date: Friday, July 6, to Sunday, July 8.

Cost: Weekend ticket £115.

Where: Merton Farm, Merton Lane South, off Nackington Road, Canterbury CT4 7BA

Contact: 0844 8889991 orwww.loungeonthefarm.co.uk

Castle Concerts, Rochester

Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra kick off this year’s concert series in Rochester on Wednesday. On Thursday, Steps bring their reunion tour to the castle that overlooks the River Medway, while Friday sees soul legends Billy Ocean and Alexander O’Neal join forces for the Soul Party. As usual, the event will end with the Castle Proms, including a performance from the London Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and a fireworks show.

Date: Wednesday, July 18, to Saturday, July 21.

Cost: Jools Holland and Steps £35, Soul Party and Proms £30.

Where: Rochester Castle Gardens, Castle Hill, Rochester ME1 1SW

Contact: 01634 338338 orwww.whatsonmedway.co.uk

Sound Island Festival, Birchington

It’s all about Britain at this year’s festival, which kicks off on the eve of the Olympics with a host of British performers. Saturday’s headliner James will be joined by Echo & The Bunnymen, indie-rock band Space, Inspiral Carpets, The Farm, and the recently-reformed Cast. Olly Murs will headline the next day, supported by Rizzle Kicks, Cover Drive and A.M.E.

Date: Saturday, July 28, and Sunday, July 29.

Cost: £32.50

Where: Quex Park, Park Lane, Birchington CT7 0BH

Contact: 01843 848826 orwww.quexpark.co.uk

Hevy Music Festival, Port Lympne

The punk, hardcore and metal festival is back for its fourth year at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park. The four-day event will see over 80 bands take to the stage, including Cancer Bats, Protest the Hero, Devil Sold His Soul, The Chariot, H2O and metalcore veterans Converge. Many of the performances will be UK exclusives, including Sunday headliners Descendents . Hevy will be the Californian band’s only gig on these shores this year. A must for hardcore fans.

Date: Friday, August 3, to Monday, August 6.

Cost: Weekend camping ticket £96, includes entry to animal park.

Where: Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Lympne, near Hythe CT21 4PD

Contact: 0845 603 8576 orwww.hevy.co.uk

Broadstairs Folk Festival

Learn to play the mandolin, dance the tango, improve your singing or simply sit back and watch others perform – it’s all possible on the Kent coast this summer. Highlights include Breabach, Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick, Broadstairs native Tim Edey, Feast of Fiddles and Chris Wood, BBC Radio 2’s Folk Singer of the Year. Don’t miss the craft and music fair or the torchlight procession on the Saturday. Campers have a wide variety of late-night activities to keep them entertained.

Date: Friday, August 10, to Friday, August 17

Cost: Weekly season ticket £234, includes camping and access to all events and workshops.

Where: Broadstairs, various locations

Contact: 01843 604080 orwww.broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk

Zoo Project Festival, Port Lympne

Get set for a walk on the wild side at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park. An offshoot of Ibiza’s famous Zoo Project, revellers can enjoy some of the biggest names in electronic music while camping alongside the animals. Acts include Raresh, Chez Damier, Giles Smith, Wbeeza Live, Dinky, and Tobi Neumann. DJ Sasha’s Never Say Never show will take over one of the eight stages, while Ostgut Ton bring some of their top artists to another. Organisers are offering a host of camping extras, including pre-erected tents, hot showers and luxury accommodation within the safari park.

Date: Friday, September 14, to Sunday, September 16.

Cost: £89.99, includes free camping and entry to a secret animal kingdom

Where: Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Lympne,

near Hythe CT21 4PD

Contact:www.zooproject-festival.com

A Day at the Hop Farm

Legendary Canadian singer Leonard Cohen will be playing an exclusive UK show at the Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, on Saturday, September 8. The Hallelujah singer, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008 and awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010, will perform a three-hour open air concert that will include his greatest hits and songs from his latest album, Old Ideas. Part of his world tour, the concert will be his only UK performance in 2012.

Seated tickets £85, standing £65. Box office 0844 249 1000.