This Year's Festivals Are Already Dropping Teasers

It's still winter outside, but news about summer festivals is already starting to land. The lineups aren't out yet — just a hint of a date here, the first act's name slipping out there. Still, a little prep now makes summer so much easier. Because the groundwork for those blazing stages is already underway, right here in the cool of winter.

Getting Ready for Summer, Starting in Winter

The big spring and summer festivals have started letting slip their dates and early lineups, bit by bit. It's not the full picture yet. A hint of a date, one first act that arrived early. Just about that much. But it'd be a shame to let these early signals drift past. The popular festivals release their 'early bird' tickets before the full lineup is out. Before it's even settled who's playing, you lock in your spot at the lowest price. You grab it first without knowing the artists, and check the lineup later.

Of course, early bird is a bit of a gamble. The lineup might land right in your taste, or it might miss. But if it's a festival that runs every year, last year's mood gives you a rough feel for it. And some people go for the grass and the air of the day more than the lineup anyway. This one comes down to taste, so there's no right answer. Even if you don't know all the names, the stage always brings new faces — and there's a fun in that too.

Here's your prep checklist.

• What: The big spring and summer festivals are revealing their dates and early lineups, bit by bit
• Why now: Popular festivals release 'early bird' tickets before the lineup drops. It's a cheap way to lock in even without knowing the artists
• How: Follow each festival's official social accounts and you'll get the news first
• Tip: If there's one you want to go to, check last year's dates and block out a rough window on your calendar first
• One more: Set an alarm for the ticket-open time and you'll be half a step ahead in the click race

Time to Draw a Star on Your Calendar

The first step of getting ready is surprisingly simple. Follow the official accounts of the place you want to go, check when it ran last year, and clear one little spot on your calendar. Once the date is confirmed, it's so much easier to line up your time off and plans around it. Better to sketch the outline now, in winter, than to scramble in the middle of summer. Now's also the perfect time to loosely match schedules with whoever you're going with. Tickets vanish in an instant.

The waiting is part of the festival too. Those few months when the lineup gets revealed one act at a time, when you feel that flutter — honestly, the festival has already begun there. So don't rush. Just make a little room for the news to land.

My bag's already packed. Festivals are a summer thing, but the prep starts in winter. Put a star on your calendar now and turn on notifications for the official accounts, and this summer gets so much fuller. Not missing the moment that first bit of news lands — that's how you catch a good spot and a good price at the same time.