If you’ve been planning this summer’s festival itinerary from the moment you threw out your Christmas tree, you’ll know that this is the time of year when things get interesting, line-ups are revealed, and tickets are released.

And unless you’re one of those who goes back to the same patch of grass in the same field at the same event every year, you’ll be wondering which fest will throw up that unexpected something, or someone, that’ll be the highlight of your summer.

So, just to be helpful, here are 2009’s dozen hottest tickets ­— to the festivals that put people before profit, deliver “did you see that?” line-ups, or have sensational settings. Some even have all three.

But, because they’re hot, they won’t hang around: these are the ones we’re predicting will sell out quickly — so pick up the phone sharpish, and then you can concentrate on matching your wellies to your flip-flops.

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Europe's 20 best music festivals

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• Why we go abroad for rock festivals

Ten winter world music escapes

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• Sahara blues in Mali with Robert Plant

• The 10 best winter sun music festivals 2008

Related Links

• This year’s festivals: the lineups, and how to get tickets now

BEACH BREAK LIVE
Polzeath, Cornwall, June 16-19

As a concept this is like freshers’ week, but with better entertainment and (if it’s possible) fewer clothes. Uniting 10,000 undergraduates from all over the country, the idea is that guests chill, surf or take part in silly games on the beach to reggae selections.

At dusk, they head to the festival arena, where breakthrough artists cover a spectrum of electro, dubstep, breaks, blues, soul and indie rock on a dozen music stages. There is a 6,000-capacity club tent, an Ibizan sunset bar with views of the sea, and Dizzee Rascal headlining.

TIP: The address of this year’s site will be announced in three weeks, but the full line-up is already up on the website.

£84 (Ucas card required), tickets from beachbreaklive.com

SONAR
Barcelona, June 18-20

The festival of choice for musos everywhere, Sonar 2009 has done it again, with Orbital and Grace Jones the big names, and bands such as Deadmau5 and Crystal Castles for the insiders. Live performances take place all over the city, but there’s always something happening at the beach that is worth checking out. This year there’s a SonarKids entertainment area on the Sunday, complete with a child-friendly sound system.

TIP: If you like the Spanish festival feel, go back out for the Monegros Desert Festival in mid-July, when the Spanish come to party.

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