What And When Is CMA Fest?
The Country Music Association’s annual summer concert festival, known as CMA Fest, is unlike any other. Hosted in the country music capital, Nashville, Tennessee, the event is the longest-running country music festival in the world.
Beginning in 1972, it was called “Fan Fair” and was created as a way for country music fans to meet their favorite artists. Only 5,000 fans attended the inaugural event, held at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium.
However, the festival quickly gained momentum, with attendance more than doubling the following year. Now, nearly 100,000 fans attend each year.
Staying true to the founding principle of fan connection, all daytime performances during CMA Fest, across multiple stages in Downtown Nashville, are free to attend. Upgraded experiences are available for purchase. Each evening, the event moves to Nissan Stadium for a ticketed event with the biggest names in country music.
This year, the four-day festival, featuring performances by more than 100 artists, will take place from June 4-7, 2026. Tickets are already on sale and can be purchased on CMA Fest’s official website.
CMA Fest Lineup Revealed
On Wednesday, February 25th, the stadium lineup for the 2026 festival was revealed. Over the four nights, the following artists will take the main stage:
- Bailey Zimmerman
- Blake Shelton
- Carly Pearce
- Cody Johnson
- Deana Carter
- Ella Langley
- Gretchen Wilson
- Hardy
- Jason Aldean
- Jordan Davis
- Keith Urban
- Luke Bryan
- The Red Clay Strays
- Riley Green
- Russell Dickerson
- Shaboozey
- Tim McGraw
- Tucker Wetmore
- Zach Top
The Band Perry and Stephen Wilson Jr. will make special appearances. More artists will be announced soon – stay tuned for updates. See the newly-released lineup below!
=Memorable Moments From The 2025 Festival
CMA Fest 2025 was full of memorable performances and surprise collaborations. One of the most noteworthy was when crossover artist Brandon Lake led the crowd in an a cappella sing-along of his faith-filled song “Gratitude.” See the beautiful moment in the video below when thousands gathered to sing praise.
Another exciting collaboration came when Jason Aldean surprised the stadium audience by bringing out his good friend, Travis Tritt, to perform Tritt’s hit, “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive.” Relive the performance below!
