CMA Fest is back and better than ever, gearing up to celebrate its 50th anniversary this summer.
Serving as the longest-running country music festival in the world, CMA Fest is arguably the biggest and best country music festival there is, hosting tens of thousands of fans from all 50 states and over 40 international countries every year.
Taking place at the iconic Nissan Stadium, as well as various locations throughout downtown Nashville, the 2023 CMA Fest will hit Music City from June 8th to June 11th this year, featuring must-see performances from some country legends.
We have our tickets ready to go! The real question is, do you?
With ten different stages, the larger-than-life music festival has countless opportunities to see today’s biggest stars perform, and you may even find a budding artist that catches your eye.
Located on the third floor of Music City Center, one of CMA Fest‘s most notable experiences for attendees is Fan Fair X, which includes acoustic performances, meet and greets, games, merch and (most importantly) air conditioning.
Considered “The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience,” Fan Fair X includes two indoor stages where you can get up close and personal with your favorite country stars. The CMA Spotlight Stage will showcase TONS of rising country stars with one-of-a-kind acoustic performances, while the CMA Close-Up Stage will feature artist interviews, Q&A sessions, interactive experiences and even more acoustic performances. Both are equally as exciting!
Each day at 10:45 AM, the CMA Close-Up Stage will highlight an “Artist of the Day” as well, where fans can get all of the inside scoop surrounding four of the biggest legends in country music. Dierks Bentley will be showcased on day one, Reba McEntire will be showcased on day two, Brothers Osborne will be showcased on day three and Wynonna Judd will be showcased on day four.
When the day starts to come to a close, the party does NOT stop there! The Nissan Stadium Platform Stage and the Nissan Stadium Main Stage will feature some of CMA Fest‘s top performers, with show-stopping sets that you need to check out for yourself.
Select performances from the Nissan Stadium Main Stage will even be featured in the three-hour CMA Fest television special, which is set to air on ABC later this summer.
If you don’t have the funds to attend, have no fear! For those who want to experience CMA Fest without breaking the bank, the festival has a wide range of stages throughout downtown Nashville that you can attend at no cost.
The Maui Jim Reverb Stage will be set at Bridgestone Plaza, the Chevy Vibes Stage will be set at Walk of Fame Park and the Dr. Pepper Amp Stage will be set at Ascend Park behind Ascend Amphitheater. Regardless of where you decide to set up camp for the day, all three stages will have performances Thursday through Sunday that are sure to knock your socks off.
In addition to this, the Hard Rock Stage at Hard Rock Cafe is making its CMA Fest return this year, with live performances from 10:15 AM to 4:40 PM every day. What could be better than grabbing some grub AND experiencing live country music all at once?
To top everything off, the Chevy Riverfront Stage serves as the largest daytime stage at CMA Fest, with free admission for all attendees. Located at Riverfront Park on the bank of the Cumberland River, this stage will feature must-see performances from some of today’s biggest stars, and you won’t even need a ticket to attend.
With countless opportunities to see some live country music, this year’s CMA Fest is sure to be unforgettable for all attendees!
Click through the gallery for a day-by-day guide to making your CMA Fest experience the absolute best, and let us know how excited you are by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.