SUMMER FESTIVALS LISA ROBINSON

Carnival, mud puddle, or drunken spree, the rock festival is a quaint summer ritual that has stubbornly endured for 37 years. Here, from Memorial Day through Labor Day, some of the best:

Fresh air guitar: This generation's tie-dye, patchouli set will flock to the fourth annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival to see the Dave Matthews Band, Widespread Panic, the Black Crowes, Alison Krauss, Modest Mouse, Joss Stone, the Mars Volta, My Morning Jacket, Rilo Kiley, the Allman Brothers, De La Soul, and lots more, including, in a special late-night show. Trey Anastasio. On a 700-acre farm in the middle of nowhere, in Manchester, Tennessee (60 miles from Nashville), Bonnaroo—a Creole term meaning "really good stuff''—is the closest in spirit to the 90s jam-band H.O.R.D.E. Festival. In addition to the six stages, all-night music, and campsites, there will be hippie merchants, e-mail tents, and an expected attendance of up to 90,000 jokers, smokers, and midnight tokers. Tickets for the three-day event range from $146.50 (sold out) to S 1,077.50 for a pair of V. I. P. passes that get you into the V.I.P. entrance, special shower facilities (why bother?), a V.I.P. pre-event party, the V.I.P. tent, and a special viewing deck. For more info: bonnaroo.com.

Hello, Cleveland: Hard to believe, but it's the 10th anniversary of Ozzfest—the brainchild of Sharon Osbourne, who named it after her husband six years before she and Ozzy invited people in to observe their private life on MTV. Now, after we've watched their family drama—a life-threatening illness, a near-fatal accident, the kids' drug problems, as well as the dubious distinction of being acknowledged by the president of the United States—they're back with this year's lineup: Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Rob Zombie, and others of the heavy-metal persuasion. It travels to 26 cities from July 15 to September 4. For more info: ozzfest.com.

White riot: For those inclined toward crunchy Southern California punk, the Vans Warped Tour, with headliner Offspring and others, including My Chemical Romance, the Explosion, Transplants (with Rancid's Tim Armstrong and Blink 182's Travis Barker), and Fivespeed, travels around the country from June 18 to August 15. For more info: warpedtour.com.

The stately hands of England: In the U.K., multi-day rockfests are ever popular, so for those planning to travel, Roxy Music will re-form for the Isle of Wight festival, June 10 to 12. Others on the bill include Morrissey, Snow Patrol, and R.E.M. That same weekend, at Donington Park, in Derby, Garbage headlines the Download Festival, along with System of a Down, Velvet Revolver, Black Sabbath, and more. Coldplay and the White Stripes head up the Glastonbury Festival June 24 to 26, and the Pixies, the Killers, Queens of the Stone Age, Kasabian, Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire, Iggy and the Stooges, and many more will perform at both the Reading and Leeds festivals August 26 to 28.

It's not a festival, but those who want hip-hop can catch Eminem and 50 Cent—with Lil Jon, DI2, G Unit, and Obie Trice on tour in the U.S. Also, rumor has it that the gold standard of garage bands will be back on the boards this summer—watch for news soon about the Rolling Stones.

Le bon temps roule.