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 @CS_Country.
Thursday, June 8th
Bright and early at 10:00 AM, Lainey Wilson will kick off all of CMA Fest over at the Chevy Riverfront Stage. Elvie Shane, Lauren Alaina, Ian Munsick, MacKenzie Porter, Chayce Beckham, Corey Kent, Warren Zeiders, Lily Rose and Travis Denning will have some big shoes to fill, as they are set to take the Chevy Riverfront Stage just moments after the bell bottom queen’s opening performance.
To follow Lainey Wilson’s one-of-a-kind set, four budding country stars will get the show started over at their respective stages, with John Morgan kicking off the Maui Jim Reverb Stage, Jerrod Niemann kicking off the Chevy Vibes Stage, RaeLynn kicking off the Dr. Pepper AMP Stage and Texas Hill kicking off the Hard Rock Stage all at 10:15 AM.
To follow up John Morgan’s raw, authentic set, Drew Green, Abbey Cone, Casey Barnes, Riley Roth, Bryan Martin, Thomas Mac, Pillbox Patti, Griffen Palmer and Lathan Warlick will tear up the Maui Jim Reverb Stage until 4:15 PM, with performances that are sure to start off CMA Fest with a bang.
After Jerrod Niemann’s performance, the vibes will continue to be ✨immaculate✨ over at the Chevy Vibes Stage, with Meghan Patrick, Shane Profitt, Tiera Kennedy, Canaan Smith, Ryan Griffin, Halle Kearns, Adam Doleac and Dillon Carmichael performing until 4:15 PM.
Be sure to crack open a ice cold can of Dr. Pepper to fuel up for all of the phenomenal sets the Dr. Pepper Amp Stage has in store as well, with performances from RaeLynn, Frankie Ballard, Alana Springsteen, Caitlyn Smith, The Red Clay Strays, David Nail, Seaforth and Shenandoah, ending with Kidd G‘s must-see set at 4:15 PM.
Regardless of whether or not you are hungry, be sure to get a table at the Hard Rock Cafe ASAP, because you seriously won’t want to miss any of day one’s stellar performers. Texas Hill, Emily Ann Roberts, Matt Roy, Fancy Hagood, Roman Alexander, Skyelor Anderson, Jordan Harvey, Shelby Darrall and Walker Montgomery will take over the Hard Rock Stage up until CJ Solar‘s closing performance at 4:15 PM.
Heading over to Fan Fair X at Music City Center, Dierks Bentley will be featured as the “Artist of the Day” at the CMA Close-Up Stage, while the CMA Spotlight Stage will feature performances from TONS of budding country stars — Julie Williams, Loren Ryan, Nate Barnes, Karley Scott Collins, Flat River Band, Grace Leer, Charly Reynolds, MaRynn Taylor, Pryor Baird, Sarah Allison Turner, CB30 and Alexandra Kay.
After such a fun-filled day, be sure to grab a bite to eat, freshen up and prepare to dance the night away at Nissan Stadium for an unforgettable night of country music!
From 8:30 PM and beyond, the Nissan Stadium Main Stage will consist of must-see performances from some of today’s biggest stars, and we seriously could not imagine a better lineup to kick off night one.
8:30 PM: Jordan Davis will start the evening off by performing hit songs from his most recent project, Bluebird Days, which includes chart-topping tracks like “Buy Dirt” featuring Luke Bryan, “Midnight Crisis” featuring Danielle Bradbery, “What My World Spins Around,” “Next Thing You Know” and more. With TONS of emotional ballads, the country crooner is sure to tug on your heartstrings just moments before Luke Combs‘ explosive performance.
9:05 PM: The back-to-back CMA Entertainer of the Year will definitely not disappoint! Like Jordan Davis, Luke Combs plans to continue the night with a bang by performing some tunes from his most recent project as well. Featuring smash hits like “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman, “Love You Anyway,” “Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old,” “5 Leaf Clover” and more, we can’t wait to see which songs from Gettin’ Old make it into Combs’ setlist.
9:55 PM: To follow Luke Combs’ phenomenal performance, the lineup will get some much needed #GirlPower from the one and only Carly Pearce. Just a few days ago, the queen of country music took to Instagram to share a photo of her in the recording studio, sending fans into an absolute frenzy. Will her CMA Fest performance feature some unreleased tracks? We will just have to wait and see!
10:40 PM: With his debut solo project, Tyler Hubbard, dropping earlier this year, the former Florida Georgia Linemember is ready to tear up the Nissan Stadium Main Stage with some tracks of his own. With hit songs like “5 Foot 9” and “Dancin’ In The Country” climbing the charts day by day, Tyler Hubbard‘s performance is sure to be nothing short of spectacular.
11:25 PM: Dan + Shay will end the night with a performance that is sure to get the whole crowd on their feet. Consisting of Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney, the country duo has been teasing a new era of music all over social media for months, and their CMA Fest performance might just be a glimpse into the new tunes that they have in store. Regardless of whatever tricks Dan + Shay may have up their sleeves, their set will truly be one-of-a-kind — We can’t wait to hear it for ourselves!
While everyone will be stomping their boots and dancing the night away inside of the iconic Nissan Stadium, Ashley Cooke and RVSHVD will take the Nissan Stadium Platform Stage outside at 8:55 PM and 9:45 PM.
Ashley Cooke and RVSHVD in combination with Jordan Davis, Luke Combs, Carly Pearce, Tyler Hubbard and Dan + Shay make for an A-list lineup to kick off the first night of CMA Fest, and we are beyond excited to see what day two has in store!
Friday, June 9th
Kicking off CMA Fest day two will be Priscilla Block, ready to jam out at the Chevy Riverfront Stage bright and early at 10AM. Her one-of-a-kind set will take place prior to performances from several other budding country stars — Dylan Scott, Parmalee, Ashley Cooke, Kylie Morgan, Hailey Whitters, Jameson Rodgers, Restless Road and Madeline Edwards.
Lucky for all attendees, Priscilla Block’s performance is just the beginning of even more greatness that the day has in store!
Set at Bridgestone Plaza, Brit Taylor will start off the day with 10:15 AM performance at the Maui Jim Reverb Stage, followed by must-see sets from Kyle Clark, Madeline Merlo, Trea Landon, Matt Schuster, Austin Snell, Roan Ash, Jonathan Hutcherson, Stephen Wilson Jr and Meg McRee.
Like Brit Taylor, Jake Worthington will put on the first performance of the day over at his respective stage, the Chevy Vibes Stage, and rising country artists Dylan Schneider, Josh Ross, Georgia Webster, Chapel Hart, Tyler Booth, Catie Offerman, Drew Parker and Mark Wills are sure to keep the good vibes going all day long.
Located at Ascend Park, Ty Herndon, Avery Anna, A Thousand Horses, Uncle Kracker, Frank Ray, Kassi Ashton, Tyler Farr, Love and Theft and Rita Wilson will take the Dr. Pepper Amp Stage from 10:15 AM to 4:15 PM — All nine sets will be nothing short of incredible!
Feeling hungry? Not a problem! At the Hard Rock Stage, Chris Housman, Shelly Fairchild, Adam Mac, Brooke Eden, Angie K, Graham Barham, Lanie Gardner, Southerland and Britnee Kellogg will put on phenomenal performances, concluding with Matt Koziol‘s must-see set at 4:15 PM.
While it is easy to get caught up in all of the fun, don’t forget that you need to check out “The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience” at Fan Fair X. At the CMA Close-Up Stage, Reba McEntire will be featured as the “Artist of the Day,” while Sophia Scott, Nikita Karmen, O.N.E. The Duo, EJ Vickers, Karissa Ella, Chloe Styler, On The Outside, SACHA, Jillian Cardarelli, Conor Clemmons, Dillon James and Ian Flanigan will take over the the CMA Spotlight Stage from 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
While all of the daytime performances are sure to be absolutely incredible, there is much more where that came from…
Once the sun sets in Nashville, the Nissan Stadium Main Stage is the place to be! With performances from some of country music’s biggest artists, you seriously won’t want to miss any of the spectacular sets night two of CMA Fest has to offer.
8:30 PM: After kicking off all of CMA Fest at the Chevy Riverfront Stage the day prior, Lainey Wilson will upgrade to the Nissan Stadium Main Stage for day two. Making her acting debut in Season 5 of Yellowstone, supporting Luke Combs throughout his world tour AND winning tons of awards in between, 2023 has truly been Lainey Wilson’s year. With the release of her most recent project, Bell Bottom Country, at the tail end of 2022, we may just hear smash hits like “Heart Like A Truck” and “Watermelon Moonshine” during her CMA Fest set — It is sure to be yet another incredible performance from the bell bottom queen!
9:05 PM: Members of “CoJo Nation” were thrilled to see the one and only Cody Johnson on this year’s CMA Fest setlist. The country crooner will continue the night strong, serving as the second performer to take the Nissan Stadium Main Stage, just moments after Lainey Wilson. With his smash hit “’Til You Can’t” ruling country radio at the moment, fans seriously can’t wait to hear it live, as well as any other songs CoJo plans to perform within his highly-anticipated set.
9:50 PM: To follow Cody Johnson’s stellar performance, Miranda Lambert will take over the Nissan Stadium Main Stage for a must-see set. After her one-of-a-kind rendition of “Carousel” at this year’s ACM Awards, we have been anxiously awaiting another live performance from the country legend, and we are thrilled that it will finally arrive on day two of CMA Fest.
10:30 PM: Keith Urban is no stranger to the CMA Fest stage, and he is sure to put on one heck of a show! His performance will come exactly one week prior to beginning his Las Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood, which will take place from June 16th to July 1st. With chart-topping tracks like “Blue Ain’t Your Color” and “The Fighter,” we can’t wait to see Keith Urban take over both the Nissan Stadium Main Stage AND Sin City.
11:20 PM: We seriously could not imagine a better artist to finish out the night two of CMA Fest than the one and only HARDY. With the release of the mockingbird & THE CROW earlier this year, the country superstar has TONS of new tracks that we might just hear live at the Nissan Stadium Main Stage, including “wait in the truck” featuring Lainey Wilson, “red” featuring Morgan Wallen, “SOLD OUT,” “TRUCK BED” and more. HARDY is known to be quite the performer, and we have no doubt that the crowd will be up on their feet by the end of his set.
While Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and HARDY will be tearing up the Nissan Stadium Main Stage all night long, Hailey Whitters and Dalton Dover will be putting on a show of their very own. The rising country stars are set to perform at 8:55 PM and 9:40 PM outside at the Nissan Stadium Platform Stage, ending the second day of CMA Fest with a bang.
Aside from the performances both inside AND outside of the iconic Nissan Stadium, the Ascend Amphitheater will return to CMA Fest for just one night only. At this additional stage, The Cadillac Three will put on a headlining performance, and Boy Named Banjo, Elvie Shane, Randy Rogers Band, and Tenille Townes will take the stage beforehand for their respective sets.
Closing out the night with performances that are nothing short of spectacular, day two of CMA Fest will be hard to beat! Day three will have some big shoes to fill, and with its legendary lineup, we already know it will live up to our high expectations.
Saturday, June 10th
Another day of CMA Fest means another day of extraordinary performances!
Beginning at 10 AM at the Chevy Riverfront Stage, Tyler Braden, Kameron Marlowe, Caylee Hammack, Matt Stell,Tenille Arts, Niko Moon, Jackson Dean, Maddie & Tae and Morgan Evans will take the stage for some must-see performances, ending with a stellar set from social media sensation Cooper Alan at 4:45 PM.
Afterwards, the Maui Jim Reverb Stage will run from 10:15 AM to 4:15 PM, beginning with a performance from Andrew Jannakos, ending with a performance from Willie Jones and featuring one-of-a-kind sets from Anna Vaus, Ben Chapman, Peytan Porter, Brandon Ratcliff, Justin Champagne, David J, Tigirlily Gold and Neon Union in between.
The Chevy Vibes Stage will also begin at 10:15 AM with a highly-anticipated performance from Noah Thompson, followed by budding country stars Carter Faith, Hannah Ellis, Kat & Alex, King Calaway, Dalton Dover, Home Free and Kasey Tyndall. Noah Hicks will then close out the day at Walk of Fame Park with a must-see set at 4:15 PM, but we guarantee that all nine performances are sure to knock your socks off!
The fun definitely does not stop there. The Dr. Pepper Amp Stage will feature performances from Puddin (K.Michelle), William Michael Morgan, Josh Gracin, Alexander Ludwig, Erin Kinsey, Blanco Brown, Dylan Marlowe, Craig Campbell and Pam Tillis from 10:15 AM to 4:15 PM, and we can guarantee that you will not want to miss any of these spectacular sets.
Mike Marks, Sean Stemaly, The Drums, BoomTown Saints, Zandi Holup, Tyler Dial, War Hippies, Jordan Fletcher, Troubadour Blue and Reid Haughton will take over the Hard Rock Stage, beginning at 10:15 AM and ending at 4:15 PM. If you’re looking for dinner and a show, the iconic Hard Rock Cafe in Nashville is the place to be.
With all of these incredible performances aside, we can’t forget about “The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience” over at Fan Fair X. Brothers Osborne will be featured as the “Artist of the Day” at the CMA Close-Up Stage, while Christiana Alaire, Track 45, James Johnston, Harper O’Neill, Jenna Paulette, Laci Kaye Booth, Roberta Lea, AJ Kross, Landon Parker, Brennley Brown, The Chattahoochies and Julia Cole will showcase their talent at the CMA Spotlight Stage.
While your day is sure to be filled with TONS of fun already, the nighttime performances are where the magic truly happens…
On night three of CMA Fest, you definitely will not want to miss the A-list lineup at the Nissan Stadium Main Stage, consisting of country legends Jason Aldean, Little Big Town, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi and Eric Church.
8:30 PM: Jason Aldean took over the Nissan Stadium Main Stage at CMA Fest last year, and he is ready to do it all over again, even bigger and better than before. With brand new singles “Try That In A Small Town” and “Tough Crowd,” fans speculate that Aldean may have a project in the works. In addition to classics like “You Make It Easy,” “Dirt Road Anthem,” “She’s Country,” “Big Green Tractor” and more, will attendees get to hear some unreleased tunes during his CMA Fest set? We will just have to wait and see!
9:10 PM: Consisting of Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook, Little Big Town will show all attendees that teamwork makes the dream work at the Nissan Stadium Main Stage. With smash hits like “Girl Crush,” “Day Drinking,” “Better Man,” “Little White Church” and more, their performance is sure to be nothing short of sensational.
9:55 PM: Following Little Big Town is yet another group, Old Dominion, ready to get the crowd at the Nissan Stadium Main Stage up on their feet. With their new EP, Memory Lane, hitting all music streaming platforms on June 23rd, attendees can expect to hear a glimpse into the upcoming project with some unreleased tracks, as well as recent singles like “Memory Lane,” “Ain’t Got A Worry,” “Freedom Like You,” “Easier Said With Rum” and more.
10:35 PM: Its going to be a party at the Nissan Stadium Main Stage with a stellar set from Jon Pardi! At the tail end of 2022, the country superstar released a 14-track project titled Mr. Saturday Night, featuring smash hits like “Last Night Lonely” and “Your Heart Or Mine,” which are sure to make it into his highly-anticipated CMA Fest set — We can’t wait to see what else his performance has in store!
11:20 PM: There is no doubt that Eric Church will finish out day three of CMA Fest with a bang, performing country classics like “Springsteen,” “Drink In My Hand,” “Heart On Fire,” “Smoke A Little Smoke” and more. If you are looking to see a true country crooner take the Nissan Stadium Main Stage, you will not want to miss Church’s soon-to-be legendary set.
To top it all off, Ian Munsick and Alana Springsteen will put on quite the show at the Nissan Stadium Platform Stage at 9:00 PM and 9:45 PM, performing just feet away from Jason Aldean, Little Big Town, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi and Eric Church as they take over the Nissan Stadium Main Stage.
With three days of CMA Fest in the books filled with phenomenal performances, day four is sure to end the weekend with a bang — We can’t wait to see what the final day will have in store!
Sunday, June 11th
At the Chevy Riverfront Stage, Chase Matthew will kick off the final day of CMA Fest with a must-see performance at 10 AM, performing songs from Come Get Your Memory, his 25-track project that is set to hit all music streaming platforms just a few days prior. To follow his stellar set, Danielle Bradbery, Nate Smith, Jon Langston, Megan Moroney, Drake Milligan, BRELAND, Ingrid Andress, Conner Smith and Runaway June will keep the energy up all day long.
Just 15 minutes later, four more stages will be getting the day started strong, with a performance from Bryce Leatherwood at the Maui Jim Reverb Stage, Blessing Offor at the Chevy Vibes Stage, Michelle Wright at the Dr. Pepper Amp Stage and Everette at the Hard Rock Stage.
After Bryce Leatherwood’s spectacular set, Logan Michael, Tanner Adell, Greylan James, David Morris, Lauren Watkins, Sam Williams, Taylor Edwards, Chase McDaniel and Patrick Murphy will take the Maui Jim Reverb Stage for a day full of performances that are sure to get the crowd up on their feet.
The good vibes of CMA Fest will continue over at the Chevy Vibes Stage! Blessing Offor, Christian Paul, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Thompson Square, Kimberly Perry, Tyler Rich, RVSHVD, Brett Kissel, Ella Langley, Anne Wilson and Spencer Crandall will perform from 10:15 AM to 4:15 PM, and all 11 sets are truly must-sees.
Right behind Ascend Amphitheater, budding country stars Michelle Wright, Callista Clark, Mackenzie Carpenter, Ashland Craft, Chancey Williams, Rodney Atkins, Jamie O’Neal, The Frontmen and Chrissy Metz will tear up the Dr. Pepper Amp Stage from 10:15 AM to 4:15 PM, ending the final day of CMA Fest with some one-of-a-kind performances.
From 10:15 AM to 4:15 PM, Everette, Harper Grace, Melanie Dyer, Jake Hoot, Reyna Roberts, Aidan Canfield, Alex Hall, Jordan Rowe and Alex Lambert will take the Hard Rock Stage over at the iconic Hard Rock Cafe. Logan Crosby from ABC‘s Claim To Fame will even be putting on a performance that you need to check out for yourself.
“The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience” over at Fan Fair X definitely will not disappoint for the final day! At the CMA Close-Up Stage, Wynonna Judd will be featured as the “Artist of the Day,” and at the CMA Spotlight Stage, Madison Kozak, HunterGirl, Fredy P, Keller Cox, CCMA Writers Round, Robby Johnson, Shaylen and Jarvis Redd will prove that they are forces to be reckoned with in the country music space.
As if CMA Fest could not get any better, there is just one night left of must-see performances that will absolutely blow you away.
With must-see sets from Ashley McBryde, Dierks Bentley, Tim McGraw and Luke Bryan over at the Nissan Stadium Main Stage, the final night of CMA Fest is sure to knock your socks off, with arguably some of the best performances in the history of the festival itself.
9:10 PM: The final night of CMA Fest will kick off with some #GirlPower from Ashley McBryde, and she recently took to social media to express her excitement. “Only 9 DAYS until #CMAFest 50th!! Throwback to 2019 at the Chevy Riverfront stage… we can’t wait to hit the stage at Nissan Stadium this year,” she wrote in an Instagram caption. With TONS of new music in the works, Ashley McBryde’s performance is sure to be filled with surprises that we can’t wait to see for ourselves.
9:50 PM: After being featured as the “Artist of the Day” on day one over at the CMA Close-Up Stage, Dierks Bentley will be putting on one heck of a performance for the final day of CMA Fest. With the release of his most recent album, Gravel & Gold, earlier this year, fans can expect to hear smash hits like “Gold,” “Same Ol’ Me,” “Cowboy Boots” featuring Ashley McBryde, “High Note” featuring Billy Strings and more during his must-see set.
10:35 PM: You want classic? CMA Fest has the perfect performance for you! Tim McGraw will take the Nissan Stadium Main Stage after Dierks Bentley, performing smash hits like “Don’t Take the Girl” from 1994, “Please Remember Me” from 1999, “Live Like You Were Dying” from 2004 and more. There is no doubt that attendees will be feeling ALL of the nostalgia throughout his 10:35 PM set.
11:25 PM: Closing out CMA Fest is none other than the king himself, Luke Bryan! After slaying the Nissan Stadium Main Stage on day three of CMA Fest last year, the country legend is back and better than ever, ready to put on arguably his most exciting performance to date. With TONS of country classics like “Country Girl (Shake It For Me),” “Play It Again,” “One Margarita,” “Knockin’ Boots” and more, we can’t wait to see what Luke Bryan has in store for all attendees.
To make the night even better, Megan Moroney and Nate Smith will take the Nissan Stadium Platform Stage at 9:00 PM and 9:40 PM for their second performances of the day, just hours after hitting the Chevy Riverfront Stage. Simultaneously, Ashley McBryde, Dierks Bentley, Tim McGraw and Luke Bryan will put on show-stopping performances at the Nissan Stadium Main Stage — We couldn’t imagine a better group to close out the 50th annual CMA Fest!
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