Winter: the big houses open their seasons
January is when Salzburg sells its summer, and the best nights are gone by March. Glastonbury registration closes in the autumn before the November on-sale, and without registration you cannot buy at all.
Spring: festivals confirm and the fairs open
The Edinburgh International Festival announces its programme in the spring and sells immediately; the Fringe needs no plan except a bed, booked six months out. Proms seats go on sale in May, though promming needs nothing.
All year: the timed-entry sites
The Last Supper releases in blocks two to three months ahead and sells out within hours. The Van Gogh Museum, teamLab and the Frida Kahlo house all sell timed tickets that go days in advance in high season.
The same-week mechanisms
The opposite category needs no calendar at all: standing places, day seats, rush tickets and returns are all decided on the day, which is covered in the guide to sold-out shows.
Build your own
The Festival Planner shows the booking lead time for every festival in this guide alongside its usual dates, which is the fastest way to turn a vague year into a calendar with four entries in it.
