THE ground may be soggy the skies should be dry.

The forecast for this week’s Head for the Hills festival is cloudy but dry for the most part with a bit of rain expected tomorrow evening.

Headline acts for the weekend are Maximo Park, The Stranglers and Beth Orton with others like Larkins and Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip also due to entertain the crowds.

The event formerly known as Ramsbottom Festival kicks off tomorrow with gates opening at 5pm. Tickets are still available online and can also be bought at the gate.

Around 10,000 people are expected at Ramsbottom Cricket Club for the event. Tickets are £30 for the day or £80 for the weekend with discounts available for children and families. Those under six go free.

If you are planning on staying, tent and camper van pitches can be booked online but space is limited.

If you are coming by car, the M66 is close by but there is no onsite parking.

Regular buses are running to Ramsbottom on the day and additional buses from Chorlton and Manchester to the site are being put on, return tickets cost £10 per day.

Those coming by train could take advantage of the East Lancashire Railway which runs to Ramsbottom from Bury and Rawtenstall.

If you do come by train, the cricket club in Acre Bottom off Bridge Street, where the festival is being held, is only a four minute walk from the station.

The non-profit festival is run with the support of local businesses. Sponsors this year are: Contained Air Solutions; Liberty SIPP; Pennine, which is providing free WiFi at the festival; Pearson Ferrier; Recruitment Solutions; Dorset Cereals; Rosso Buses; ISM. The festival is jointly organised by The Met theatre and Bridgewater Hall in partnership with Arts Council and Northern Festivals Network.

Friday:

Hills Stage: Indigo Velvet, Cassia, Larkins, Maximo Park

Smaller Rooms Stage: Fossette, Dear Caroline, The Opera Comic, Clay

T'Other Stage: False Advertising, NYT, Saytr Play, Stillia, No Hot Ashes, Kashmere

By The River Stage: James Holt, Mock Deer, 3hattrio, Baghdaddies

Chameleon Stage: Jim Pape (90's Club Classics) v Liam (MJ Disco Set), DJ Babs (Cheesy Bangers) v Dean Topham (Old School House), Martin Loftus (James Brown) v DJ Lowrider (Hacienda Classics)

Saturday:

Hills Stage: Baghdaddies, Dantevilles, Mat Skinner & band, Glass Caves, Neville Staple Band, Dutch Uncles, Beth Orton

Smaller Rooms Stage: Young Monarch, Ayakara, Corella, Skies, Beans on Toast, Giant Rooks, Ist Ist

T'Other Stage: Becky Langan, Mano McLaughlin, Yarbo, Heavy on the Magic

By The River Stage: The Greyhounds, Both Sides Now, Seamus Fogarty, Ailbhe Reddy

Chameleon Stage: Toria Wooff, Joan and the Wad, Secret Lemonade Factory, Monde Green, Paul Jenkins, Liam Mclair, Chris Holt (Saturday Night Fever) v Poppy Tomkinson (Millenium Electronica), Will Marley (Urban Rap & Hip Hop) v Chris Smith (Electronic Pioneers)

Sunday:

Hills Stage: Ailbhe Reddy, Bury Community Choir, The Exacters, Mike McGoldrick, Eskies, Tom Hickox, Tony Walsh, The Stranglers

Smaller Rooms Stage: BERRIES, Harp & a Monkey, Tankus the Henge, Will Varley, Astrobeat Orchestra, Skinny Lister

T'Other Stage: Cotton Famine Road, Giant Rooks, Paul Jenkins, Bury Community Choir, Adventures of Salvador, Molly Bloom, Bug, UkePunk

By The River Stage: Fell, Hawk, Martin Harley, Black Lodge, Alexis Taylor

Chameleon Stage: Thursday's Child, Paul Jenkins, Queen Grace (Jennifer Hardy), Canter Semper, Joseph Lofthouse + Guest, Stained Glass Ceiling, DJ Bucko (90s Film) v Rob Lorton (Deep and Soulful House Music)