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Forecasters are predicting scorching hot weather as thousands of fans descend on the four-day Country Crossings Music Festival that begins Thursday on Jackson County's Expo grounds. But organizers say they've made plans in advance to account for Southern Oregon's typical July weather. The National Weather Service predicts highs in Central Point of 96 degrees on Thursday, 98 on Friday, 101 on Saturday and topping out at 102 on Sunday, the last day of the festival. At least 20,000 fans of Keith Urban, Jake Owen, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton and other country music superstars are expected at the festival, which outgrew its location at Cape Blanco on the Oregon Coast and moved to Jackson County for the first time this year. The number of attendees will rival the populations of towns the size of Central Point or Ashland. It's no surprise then that the festival has its own 24-hour on-site mobile hospital to treat anyone suffering from dehydration or other maladies and injuries. But organizers are hoping to keep fans happy and healthy with a variety of heat-battling measures. Canopy tents and misters have been set up throughout the grounds, said Don Leber, vice president of advertising and marketing for Bi-Mart, the title sponsor of the music extravaganza. Fans also can cool off inside The Expo's buildings or stand in tree-shaded spots and they can pick up bottled water to avoid dehydration, he said. "What we do at other festivals is encourage people to hydrate and drink lots of water. They should get out of the sun if they feel like the sun is getting to them. They can visit our on-site mobile hospital if they need to for dehydration," he said. Leber also encourages fans to wear hats and plenty of sunscreen. Many of the festival-goers will be camped out in recreational vehicles and tents. While many RVs are equipped with air conditioning, tent campers aren't so lucky. Leber noted the festival grounds are open each morning, so people can leave their RVs and tents to find cooler options. "They don't have to stay in the camping area," he said. The festival is making use of three stages. The Expo's Bi-Mart Amphitheater is an outdoor stage, as is the temporary Main Stage, which was constructed for the festival on a giant parking lot on the grounds. The Boxcar Stage is inside the Seven Feathers Event Center building. Although the festival includes late morning musical acts, most performers will take to the stages in the afternoon and evening, according to festival line-up information. — Reach staff reporter Vickie Aldous at 541-776-4486 or [email protected] . Follow her at www.twitter.com/VickieAldous .