What Is CMA Fest?

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CMA Fest is a four-day country music festival hosted each June by the Country Music Association in downtown Nashville. It draws approximately 350 artists and celebrities, who hold autograph sessions and perform concerts throughout the festival (Wikipedia). It began in 1972 as Fan Fair, became the CMA Music Festival in 2004, and took the name CMA Fest in 2018. Proceeds benefit music education programs in public schools through the CMA Foundation. The next edition, presented by SoFi, runs June 10 to 13, 2027. The 2026 festival ran June 4 to 7 and was filmed for a three-hour primetime TV special (CMA Fest).

CMA Fest at a Glance

What the sources say
Next dates June 10 to 13, 2027 (CMA Fest site)
Length four days, each June
Host the Country Music Association
Origins Fan Fair, first held April 12 to 15, 1972, at Municipal Auditorium, with 5,000 fans
Names Fan Fair (1972 to 2003), CMA Music Festival (2004 to 2018), CMA Fest (since 2018)
Attendance record 191,154 fans in 2007
Charity proceeds go to music education through the CMA Foundation
Planning tools the CMA Connect app has lineups, schedules, tickets, and fan access

Sources: Wikipedia; CMA Fest site, read October 24, 2026.

Planning for CMA Fest

  1. Book a room early for festival week; hotel options are in the best hotel in downtown Nashville.
  2. Download the CMA Connect app for lineups and schedules once they are posted.
  3. Plan for heat and crowds: June weather is in what Nashville is like in summer.

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