From the moment Jimi Hendrix played to half a million mud-soaked hippies 40 years ago, Americans have been in love with big outdoor summer music festivals. While attempts to recreate the first Woodstock have ranged from mild- to abject failure, there is no shortage of fantastic live music events across the country, each of which celebrates the spirit of Woodstock in their own special way. Here are five of our favorite U.S. summer music festivals:

Bonnaroo: June 11-14; Manchester, Tennessee

Bonnaroo is a four-day, multi-stage camping festival held on 700 acres of lush farmland in Manchester, Tennessee. Bonnaroo brings together top-notch talent from all genres of music, but the line-up has a definite rock flavor. However, touches of rap, jazz and R&B ensure there’s something for everyone. Bonnaroo’s scheduled performances span the gamut from Nine Inch Nails to Phish, Bruce Springsteen to Neko Case, and Wilco to Snoop Dogg, with many, many more in between. Visit http://www.bonnaroo.com for the full line-up and more information.

Pitchfork Music Festival: July 17-19; Chicago, Illinois

Alt-rock — in all its many permutations — is the name of the game at the Pitchfork Music Festival. This three-day event is sponsored and operated by the popular music site Pitchfork.com and prides itself on being one of the last truly affordable summer music festivals (three day passes are a mere $75). More than 40 bands and artists are scheduled to perform, including Yo La Tengo, The National, The Flaming Lips and M83. Visit http://www.pitchforkmusicfestival.com for tickets, information, and a full schedule.

All Points West Music & Arts Festival: July 31-August 2; Liberty State Park, New Jersey

A veritable newbie on the summer music festival scene, All Points West Music & Arts Festival builds on its successful inaugural event, returning to Liberty State Park (a quick ferry-ride from Manhattan) for three days of aural fun. The headliners — Beastie Boys, Tool and Coldplay — give a good indication of the variety found at APW 2009. However, be warned, performances by more than 65 artists amid panoramic views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the Manhattan skyline come at a price — three-day passes start at $199 (130 GBP). Visit http://www.apwfestival.com for more info.

Lollapalooza: August 7-9; Chicago, Illinois

Depeche Mode, Kings of Leon, Silversun Pickups and a host of DJs are among the many artists performing at Lollapalooza this year. Originally conceived by Perry Farrell (of Jane’s Addiction), the festival has had a bit of a nip/tuck over the last few years: shedding much of its original innovative, eclectic vibe and firmly planting itself in Chicago’s Grant Park. After several trysts with cancellation, Lollapalooza seems to be staging a Neil Patrick Harris-sized comeback, drawing more than 650,000 fans in 2008. Go to http://2009.lollapalooza.com to find out more.

Bumbershoot: September 5-7; Seattle, Washington

Sprawled over 74 acres under Seattle’s iconic Space Needle, this three-day event boasts live music, comedy, theatre, dance, film and literary and visual arts. The early line-up for Bumbershoot 2009 promises performances from Sheryl Crow, Modest Mouse, Katy Perry and De La Soul, underscoring this festival’s fun, but steadfastly Top 40 vibe. For one of the longest-running music and arts festivals around (Bumbershoot began in 1971) ticket prices remain on this side of reasonable, starting at $80 (53 GBP) for a three-day pass. Visit http://www.bumbershoot.com/music-and-arts.htm for more information.