Having spent the winter shivering in front of the fire, it’s time to cast off the yoke of icy oppression and start to enjoy once again all that the great Irish outdoors has to offer. Summer is coming – and with it a fantastic line-up of events all over the country to take you right through the sunny season. That’s right, we’re optimists at heart!

Fact: whether you want intimate boutique affairs or multi-staged extravaganzas the size of a small (in Oxegen’s case, make that a large!) city, there are festivals this summer to suit all tastes, budgets and geographical preferences. Over the next *** pages, Hot Press gives you the Insider’s Guide to dozens of the summer’s most exciting festival events, starting right here and right now with the established biggies...

Oxegen 2011, Punchestown, Co. Kildare
Without a doubt, the summer’s biggest multi-day bash is Oxegen, an expansive affair which returns to Punchestown from July 8 to 10. Even by their own high standards, the organisers have assembled a stunning bill that includes a plethora of major heavy-hitters, including The Black Eyed Peas, The Script, Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, The Strokes, Paolo Nutini, Brandon Flowers, My Chemical Romance, Deadmau5, Plan B, The National, Beady Eye, Weezer, Imelda May and Bruno Mars. And that really is just for starters. With loads of different stages and music from early to late over three days and nights, Oxegen is about as big and impressive as they come, with literally hundreds of bands, musicians and artists getting the opportunity to strut their stuff, lots of leading Irish lights as well as bright young hopefuls among them. Plus, of course, there’s the Hot Press Signing Tent to look forward to – so start getting your act together now! Tickets from €99.50 a day or €199.50 (3 day no camping) at ticketmaster.ie. www.oxegen.ie

Slane Castle, Slane, Co. Meath
The grandpappy of them all, of course, is Slane, which celebrates its 30th birthday on May 28 with a sell-out show by Kings Of Leon. Being huge fans of the hard rock legends Thin Lizzy – the Kings’ ‘Molly’s Chamber’ was inspired by Lizzy’s version of ‘Whiskey In The Jar’ – KOL have invited the new fangled Ricky Warwick-fronted band onto the bill, where they’ll slot in as third from the top. Other acts announced include recent Hot Press cover stars Elbow, White Lies, Mona and The Whigs. With 80,000 people journeying there for the day, it’s a year that could return Slane its iconic status as one of the prestige rock festival gigs. www.mcd.ie

Electric Picnic, Stradbally, Co. Laois
There’s a huge buzz again about the 2011 Electric Picnic, which has Arcade Fire, Pulp, Chemical Brothers, Interpol and PJ Harvey – who’s just released her finest album yet in Let England Shake – among its impressive array of headliners. Strength in depth is provided by Beirut, Jimmy Cliff, DJ Shadow, Flying Lotus, The Charlatans, Mogwai, Sinéad O’Connor, White Lies, OMD, Toots & The Maytals, Lykke Li, The Go! Team and Big Audio Dynamite, among many more. Plus there will be the familiar EP offering of other attractions in the Comedy Tent, MindField (hosting the legendary Hot Press Chat Room), Body and Soul, Arts Trail and other diverse areas and disciplines. That’s in Stradbally Hall Estate between September 2 and 4. Tickets from €240 at ticketmaster.ie. www.electricpicnic.ie