SUNCREAM and wellies should be packed for the third open-air festival in Watford in as many weeks.

After Woodstock, Waynestock and chicken stock, it's now the turn of Parmstock 2000 - a day of bands, boogieing and barbecued food.

And it's all happening between 3pm and 11pm tomorrow (Saturday), at Parmiters School in High Elms Lane, Garston.

Local groups on the bill include Gimp, Sloth, Blaze and Captain Everything - a band taking a break from a national tour to play at the festival.

Youngsters from local schools, including Watford Grammar School for Boys, Queens' School and Kings Langley Senior School, will be showcasing their talents at the event.

Parmstock 2000 is the school's third open-air musical extravaganza raising money for local and national charities.

Oganisations which will benefit from the festivities include The Peace Hospice in Watford, Raleigh International Expedition and the National Animal Welfare Trust.

Sunday sees the festival fun move to Hemel Hempstead as part of the town's carnival.

Six bands will be appearing at the carnival concert in Gadebridge Park between 1.30pm and 6.30pm.

Slidehammer will be playing heavy rock originals, while the other five acts play a mix of their own tunes and a variety of covers.

The full line-up is Slidehammer, The Harper Brothers, Noble Ox, The Honeythieves, Asylum Seekers and Urban Cheek.

Should be fun.

Things seem to be a little quiet locally for some of the area's finest.

St Albans-based CAT is gearing up for a tour of Ireland later this month, with a gig at Whelans in Dublin on Friday, July 28, if you happen to be passing.

Rickmansworth band Luggage is still on the hunt for a new bass player, so isn't booked to play any gigs until Friday, September 1, when the group headlines The Sound in London's Leicester Square.

Despite interest from a number of bassists, the band has yet to find the ideal recruit.

More than just a pub band, the group is currently looking for a record deal.

Anyone interested in joining the group should contact Laura on 01923 721419, or visit its web site on www.luggage292.freeserve.co.uk.

Here are the gigs:

Tonight: The Slaves/Powder Monkeys/DJ Hansi The Horn, St Albans, £5, contact 01727 844627 for details. Nervous Wrecks Rose and Crown, Kings Langley, £3. Double Dose Railway Arms, Oxhey. Danceteria with Jo Mills/Chris Good/Stewart Bennett Room 1 and Boneyard with Fabio Paras Room 2, Area nightclub, The Parade, Watford, 9pm to 3am, £5 before 10.30pm, £8 after. Rock of Ages Gordon Arms, High Wycombe, contact 01923 237700 for details. The Grapevine Blues Band The Falcon, Wooburn Moor, Bucks. Duelling Pianos Jumpin' Jaks, Hemel Hempstead.

Saturday: The Police Fraud Squad The Horn, St Albans, £4. Metalworks Rose and Crown, Kings Langley, £1 before 9pm, £2 after. Parmstock 2000 Parmiters School, High Elms Lane, Garston, 3pm to 11pm, £3. Double Dose The Queen's Head, Colney Heath. The Harper Brothers The Southern Cross, Langley Road, Watford, free. Darren Stokes/Chris Good/Jon Nelson Room 1 and Plastic Fantastic Room 2, Area nightclub, The Parade, Watford, 9pm to 3am, £10, £8 members. Trooper The Firkin, Croydon. The Grapevine Blues Band The Cricketers Arms, Maidenhead, Berks. Duelling Pianos Jumpin' Jaks, Hemel Hempstead.

Sunday: The Blue Angel Acoustic Cafe The Horn, St Albans, 7.30pm to 10.30pm, free. The Grapevine Blues Band The Watts Arms, Hanslope, nr. Newport Pagnell. The Harper Brothers/Noble Ox/Slidehammer/The Honeythieves/Asylum Seekers/Urban Cheek Hemel Carnival, Gadebridge Park, Hemel Hempstead, 1.30pm to 6.30pm, free

Monday: Jammin Night The Horn, St Albans, 8pm, £2.

Tuesday: Bridge Field/Fog Donkey/Lull The Horn, St Albans, £3. Double Dose White Lion, St Albans Road, Watford. Unplugged session Rose and Crown, Kings Langley.

Wednesday: Lucky Dragon 5/Solvent 27 The Horn, St Albans, £3. Boogie nights, 1970's disco Area nightclub, The Parade, Watford, 9pm to 2am, free.

Thursday: Curvy Nature/Hollow Stone The Horn, St Albans, £4. Strange BrewThe Crown, Ley Hill, Chesham, contact 01494 783910 for details.