Your Ultimate Guide to CMA Fest 2026 in Nashville
Check out trip tips and more!
Written by Amanda Tempel
CMA Fest is a country music lover’s dream! From meeting your favorite artist to watching superstars take the stage, it’s nonstop fun. Check out this guide to CMA Fest 2026 in Nashville to plan your trip!
What is CMA Fest
CMA Fest is a four-day event that brings country music fans together from all over the world with their favorite artists. The best part of CMA Fest is that artists all donate their time. Portions of the proceeds from this event are used towards the CMA Foundation’s programs to keep music education in schools.
When is CMA Fest
Mark your calendars for Thursday, June 4, through Sunday, June 7, 2026, for next year’s CMA Fest. Tickets are available to the public on Friday, June 26, 2025. Plan and get your tickets before they sell out!
Where is CMA Fest
The fun all happens in the heart of downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The festival spans multiple stages throughout the area, so there’s quite literally country music every turn you take! Keep reading to check out the breakdown of official CMA stages.
What’s Included with a CMA Fest Pass?
A four-day pass to CMA Fest includes a seat for the nightly show at Nissan Stadium. You’ll also receive access to Fan Fair X, as well as the Chevy Riverfront, Dr. Pepper Amp, Chevy Vibes, Good Molecules Reverb, and Hard Rock stages.
Nissan Stadium – Home of the Tennessee Titans, this NFL stadium is turned into a honky tonk each night during CMA Fest. Shows start in the evening and are jam-packed with a lineup featuring the best of today’s superstars and legends on the Main Stage, as well as emerging acts on the Platform Stage.
Fan Fair X – This is located inside Music City Center, a spacious convention center. From artist meet and greets to watching interviews with top stars at the Close-Up Stage, there’s always something fun happening here. The Spotlight Stage is your chance to see up-and-coming acts – that's here, too. You’ll also find food and merchandise vendors at Fan Fair X.
Chevy Riverfront Stage – Situated next to the Cumberland River, this daytime stage is one of the most popular spots to visit during the festival.
Dr. Pepper Amp – Head to this stage near Ascend Amphitheater to catch legendary favorites and today’s radio stars.
Chevy Vibes – Located in the Music City Park, near the Music City Center, Bridgestone Arena, and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Catch a performance from one of your favorites!
Good Molecules Reverb – Don't miss your chance to see the next big act in country music! You’ll find this stage right in front of Bridgestone Arena.
Hard Rock – Fans will gather on Broadway in front of the Hard Rock restaurant to watch an impressive lineup of artists take the stage.
How To Get Tickets for CMA Fest
4-Day passes are on sale now for CMA Fest. If available, single night ticket sales will be announced at a later date. All tickets and passes are mobile. Only buy from Ticketmaster, the CMA’s official and trusted partner for ticket sales.
Who is Performing at CMA Fest
The official CMA Fest lineup is typically announced during the springtime. The easiest way to plan your schedule is by downloading the CMA Fest app – you can access stage lineups, set times, and more. And of course, check back here; I’ll have all the details when they are available!
Planning Your CMA Fest Trip
Once you have your tickets, that’s where the fun begins! There’s so much to do, here are some tips for making the most out of your CMA Fest trip.
Want to upgrade your experience at the Chevy Riverfront Stage? Check out the Riverside Retreat which includes perks like up-close views, guaranteed access, shaded areas misting stations, charging for mobile stations, air-conditioned restrooms, yard games, and beverage discounts.
Keep in mind that all daytime stages are open to the public. If the area reaches capacity, no more people will be allowed to enter until the crowd dwindles. Capacity announcements will be made on social media and in the app. Nissan Stadium is the only place that requires a ticket and has assigned seating.
During recent years, the lines for stages before gates open have been snaking around the city sidewalks and the wait time is long. If there’s someone you want to see first thing in the morning, plan to be there early so you don’t miss them!
If there’s an artist you really want to see, consider planning to be there at least an hour or earlier before their set. Hardcore fans will wait all day for their favorite because they don’t want to risk missing out on a spot.
If you don’t get into one of the stages, head over to another stage. There’s always someone you haven’t discovered yet, or a pop-up appearance by one of your favorites. My advice is to have a plan but keep it a loose plan. You won’t be able to do everything you want to do, so make the most of it.
If there’s an act you want to see, plan for it, but keep a few other ideas in mind in case something doesn’t work out. Schedules can change. Sets can be on time, or they could be running behind. That’s when the app really comes in handy; you can simply pull up who else is playing at that same time.
You can walk from Chevy Riverfront to the other downtown stages in about 15 minutes, depending on the influx of people going from place to place. Nissan is a trek over the pedestrian bridge, or you can hop on a shuttle if you are a four-day pass holder. Look for the shuttle stops around the downtown area.
Remember, you’ll have to go through security at all of these stages, and this takes time. Patience is key. Skipping the line or saving spots for friends is definitely frowned upon and people will call you out.
Don’t keep your schedule so jam packed that you are spending most of your time trying to get fro mone place to another. Pick a stage, watch a few sets, and go to another stage.
The nighttime concerts at Nissan Stadium can run long into the night. One of the cool things about CMA is that the nightly shows are filmed for an ABC special that airs later in the summer. If you aren’t afan of getting up early in the morning after a long night, I’d recommend keeping your morning schedule pretty light.
Most of all, make sure you enjoy it! This is the ultimate week for country music fans. Take the selfies, get the autographs, and sing along to every song!
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