On Tuesday morning (March 7), the Country Music Association (CMA) announced details about the 50th anniversary of CMA Fest, including the superstars slated for the nightly shows at Nissan Stadium. The annual event will take over downtown Nashville on June 8-11 with outdoor stages on and near Lower Broadway plus Fan Fair X, which takes places inside the Music City Center.
Videos by Wide Open Country
"We are so excited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of CMA Fest this year," shared Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer, in a press release. "A lot has changed since our early days of Fan Fair, but all these years later, the heart of the festival remains that special connection between the fans and the artists. We are truly grateful to everyone who has supported us throughout the years, and we look forward to celebrating this milestone with all of our attendees in June. Stay tuned for much more!"
A who's-who of current country superstars will take the main stage at the home of the NFL's Tennessee Titans: Jason Aldean, Jimmie Allen, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Jordan Davis, Hardy, Tyler Hubbard, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, Tim McGraw, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, Keith Urban and Lainey Wilson. A smaller platform stage will spotlight rising artists: Ashley Cooke, Dalton Dover, Megan Moroney, Ian Munsick, RVSHVD, Nate Smith, Alana Springsteen and Hailey Whitters.
The list of performers on other stages across downtown Nashville is no less impressive and includes Breland, Ingrid Andress, Drake Milligan, Conner Smith, Nate Smith, Lily Rose, Shenandoah, Pam Tillis and Sam Chapman. These outdoor stage shows will be free and open to the public.
CMA Fest began in 1972 as Fan Fair. Since 2006, a portion of proceeds from CMA Fest has gone to music education initiatives that benefit K-12 students across the nation. For over a decade, highlights from the four-day event have been packaged as a primetime ABC television special.
