How To Meet Country Singers During CMA Fest
Your Guide To Meet and Greets, Fan Club Parties, and more!
Written by Amanda Tempel
Country music artists are always the best when it comes to meeting their fans. During CMA Fest, there are many opportunities to get up and close with your favorites! Keep reading for my tips on how to meet country singers during CMA Fest.
Fan Fair X Meet and Greet
All four-day passholders have access to Fan Fair X – it's included, so no need to purchase tickets. If you are not a passholder, no worries, you can purchase tickets online for each day you want to go to Fan Fair X.
Tip: Secure your daily passes in advance and don’t wait until the week of the fest. When mega-star Dolly Parton was scheduled to make an appearance at Fan Fair X in 2024, the daily tickets sold out quick. Don’t miss your chance to experience all the action!
Where is Fan Fair X at CMA Fest?
Fan Fair X is located inside of Music City Center, a spacious convention center located across from Bridgestone Arena and the Country Music Hall of Fame in downtown Nashville. It’s also the perfect reprieve from the summer heat (or rain!) or if you want to enjoy music indoors. Explore quick dining options, shopping vendors, games, and more. This is also where meet and greets take place at CMA Fest!
If a major act is scheduled to make an appearance early in the day, you’ll find some fans line up very early outside the building. Security ultimately decides if people can camp out overnight, or they may set a designated time when fans can line up.
Here are just a few places to check out at Fan Fair X:
CMA Close-Up Stage
This area hosts a stage and seating area where interviews and live performances take place throughout the day. Some podcasts and TV shows are even recorded live here – a cool thing to experience! The official schedule will be available through the CMA App and website. Seating is first come, first serve, and you cannot reserve seats. An usher will direct you to any available seats. If you don’t get a seat, you can opt to stay in line until one becomes available, or you can watch from outside the sanctioned seating area.
Spotlight Stage – Don't miss your chance to see the next generation of country music performers! Seating is available in this area. Be sure to check out the app to view the schedule.
Meet and Greets at CMA Fest
A meet and greet is your opportunity to take a photo and get an autograph from your favorite artist!
All artists confirmed to participate in meet and greets will be listed on the official CMA app. You’ll also find the time they are scheduled to appear and what booth they will be in. When planning your CMA Fest trip, be sure to look at the Fan Fair X map so you’ll know exactly where you need to be. Fan Fair X is quite large, so be prepared!
Meet and greets are scheduled for specific times, and there’s no way to guarantee that you’ll get to meet everyone you want to, but with a bit of planning, you can make the most of it.
How early you arrive to Fan Fair X is up to you! Many times, you can just hop into an artist’s line, but for bigger acts, you’ll want to arrive at least an hour (or earlier!) prior to the meet and greet to secure your spot. CMA Fest officials will designate when and where you can start lining up.
Once you get to the booth, a CMA Fest volunteer will be holding a sign. One sign will say the artist’s name and how long they are signing for. This indicates that you can join the line to meet the artist. If the volunteer is holding a sign that says “End of Line” or “Line Full” that indicates that they are no longer allowing any more fans to line up due to time constraints. In previous years, they have also had stand-by lines. If the main line moved quickly, fans would be moved from the stand-by line to the main line.
Make sure you have your camera ready. As you approach the front of the line, have your camera app open, or if you’re using an actual camera, have it turned on and ready to use.
A volunteer will take your bag or belongings before you get to the front of the line. They won’t leave your sight – just make sure you retrieve them after you’re done! You will also hand your camera to the volunteer to take your photo with the artist.
It's finally your moment – it will go by in a blur, so soak it all in! During your quick moment with the artist, you’ll be able to get something autographed and take a photo.
What should you take to have signed?
An artist may have 8x10 photos available for free or for purchase.
Have you previously met the artist? Maybe you have a fantastic concert shot? You can take a printed photo for them to sign.
I love to get vinyl record covers signed – I still get my CD covers signed, too!
You could get a CMA t-shirt or hat and have all the artists sign that.
I personally don’t like carrying around a bunch of stuff – so make sure you plan for the things you buy or want signed. If you are staying downtown (which I recommend!) make time in between shows and activities to drop off your signed items. Let me know if the comments what you like to have autographed!
Tip: I have plastic protectors to put the items in, so they don’t get damaged or bent.
We’ve talked about the stuff you could get signed...what about the stuff you can’t bring? You can’t take beach balls, flags, inflatables, signs on poles or sticks inside any of the venues.
Fan Club Parties at CMA Fest
While they are not officially CMA Fest activities, fan club parties are a long-time tradition that dates decades.
If you’re a member of an artist's fan club, they may opt to host a special event just for members. Those details are made known on their websites, newsletters, and social media. Some artists offer fan events even if they don’t have official fan clubs.
A typical fan event consists of a short performance at a venue in Nashville, maybe some light snacks, and a meet and greet. Those activities could range in prices anywhere from 25 dollars to over one hundred dollars. They are not included with your CMA pass.
Nashville will be bustling with people everywhere – it's not uncommon to see your favorite musicians around town during CMA Fest Week. The City of Nashville is known for treating these big stars just like any other neighbor and letting them have their privacy – that means if you see a celebrity at a restaurant or at the grocery store or gym or maybe they’re spending time with their family...it’s common courtesy to not ask for pics or autographs. Now, if you’re at a CMA Fest event, then it’s completely expected and the appropriate time to ask for that selfie!
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