It may be hard to believe, but the 2018 summer festival season is already being planned. On Nov. 6, the lineup for Welcome to Rockville was announced.

Welcome to Rockville is considered by many to be the beginning of the summer festival circuit. It takes place in Jacksonville on the final weekend of April. In 2018, it is expanding from a two-day event to a three-day extravaganza.

Metropolitan Park will once again be the place to be in April to see hard rock and heavy metal bands for an entire weekend. As in the past, the lineup features a healthy mix of newcomers and crowd pleasers.

The three headliners will be Ozzy Osbourne (Friday), Avenged Sevenfold (Saturday) and Foo Fighters (Sunday). Osbourne recently said this is going to be his final “World Tour.” It will run until 2020. He is bringing back Zakk Wylde on guitar, which is exciting many fans. Avenged Sevenfold have been touring consistently since releasing “The Stage” in Oct. 2016. Foo Fighters just released “Concrete and Gold” in September. It went to Number 1 on all the Billboard charts. They will perform in Tampa at the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre days before Welcome to Rockville.

Some of the other bigger names that will grace the stages in Jacksonville include Billy Idol, Quicksand, Stone Sour, Bullet For My Valentine, Killswitch Engage, Halestorm, Black Veil Brides and Trivium.

Lesser-known and newer bands such as Them Evils, Bad Wolves, Palaye Royale and Black Foxxes will also perform. Fans arriving early are often treated by up-and-comers who put on great sets.

In addition to music, Welcome to Rockville boasts a Ferris wheel and a marketplace with a variety of goods and services. Many band members participate in meet-and-greets and signings for those in attendance.

Tickets are on sale and have been selling quickly. Welcome to Rockville prices tickets in levels. They have a set number of tickets at each price point, and when those sell, the price and level goes up. There is, however, no difference in the tickets other than the price. It is best to purchase tickets as soon as possible. There are also V.I.P tickets that give access to extra amenities. People can buy tickets for the entire weekend or for individual days.

Go to www.welcometorockvillefestival.com for further information and to purchase tickets. Make sure to note the rules and experiences listed to make the weekend the best it can be.