Forget mud and wellies, London is festival heaven

Over the last couple of years, London has become one of the coolest places to be seen if you're an artist.

Just look at the line-up of big names flocking to our capital for a chance to perform for us - Beyoncé, Britney Spears and Michael Jackson. And the same goes for the list of headliners coming to play in London festivals this summer - Kanye West, Basement Jaxx, Blur and The Killers are just a few of the highlights.

The London summer festival scene kicks off in style with Wireless 2009 on 4-5 July, and what a way to start! Aside from headliners Kanye and Basement Jaxx, there's more reason to celebrate music in our city with breakthrough artists Tinchy Sryider, Chipmunk, Noisettes and N-Dubz all performing along with Britain's Got Talent Winners Diversity. All Londoners.

It's a line-up to rival any big festival, and it all takes place in our very own back garden: Hyde Park.

There's such a variety of festivals, that every part of London can have a piece of the action. There's Madstock and Love Box in Victoria Park and The Clapham Weekender to name but a few.

For the more alternative music lover, there's Field Day, for fans of everything electronic, Tiesto in the Park; and for those who like their world and roots music - Womad at the Tower in the stunning surroundings of the Tower of London.

Every festival has a different appeal, with the August Bank Holiday weekend offering several options, with Orbital and Laurent Garnier headlining at Get Loaded In The Park and Sasha and Digweed at SW4.

And if neither of those take your fancy, there's always the biggest and best festival of all for you to attend - the Notting Hill Carnival. There really is a festival for every corner of the city.

It's the favourite topic of conversation around the Kiss 100 office - which festival are you going to? Who can't you wait to see?

Who can get tickets? What more could you want than being in the sunshine with your mates, listening to great music, and all within spitting distance of the West End?

And when you've danced your heart out, you can hop on the Tube and go home to a nice, clean bed. Or head for the nearest club and keep on going of course!

And let's not forget the importance of festival fashion - sticking to London festivals means you avoid the grubby stains on your T-shirt and mud on your favourite trainers.

London's still got a way to go to catch up with the brilliant urban festivals of Primavera and Sonar in Barcelona, or Bumbershoot in Seattle, but London festivals are becoming more established and reliable and are proof that you can enjoy the big outdoors and great music in a sophisticated way.

No extortionate travelling fees, no putting up with people playing bad music in the tent next to you at four in the morning, no seven-hour car park queues to get home.

Nope, do festivals the London way - catch an exhibition, do a bit of shopping, grab a bite in a top-class restaurant and then go to the festival.

That's the way to do things. Did I mention the hot shower the morning after? I don't think you'll catch me pitching a tent this summer - the nearest I'll get to Glastonbury is watching it on the telly.

Rickie Haywood-Williams is co-host of Kiss 100's weekday Breakfast Show.