June 9, 2025 | Advertising Disclosure | Our Partners may be mentioned in this article.
CMA Fest is Thursday through Sunday, June 5-8, 2025, in Downtown Nashville, and attracts more than 80,000 locals and tourists every year. Attendees can expect free concerts and activities each day at Riverfront Park, Bridgestone Plaza, Walk of Fame Park, Ascend Park, and Hard Rock Cafe. Admission to Fan Fair X, Ascend Amphitheater, and the shows at Nissan Stadium each night are ticketed. Here is Nashville Guru’s list of ticketed concerts, FREE SHOWS, and helpful guides for this year’s CMA Fest.
Nissan Stadium
Thursday through Sunday, June 5-8, 2025
- Thursday, June 5, 2025 (get tickets)
8:30pm – Ella Langley
9:10pm – Riley Green
9:50pm – Darius Rucker
10:45pm – Brooks & Dunn
11:30pm – Jason Aldean - Friday, June 6, 2025 (get tickets)
8:30pm – Shaboozey
9:10pm – Parker McCollum
9:50pm – Cody Johnson
10:35pm – Kelsea Ballerini
11:20pm – Keith Urban - Saturday, June 7, 2025 (get tickets)
8:30pm – The Red Clay Strays
9:10pm – Blake Shelton
9:55pm – Megan Moroney
10:35pm – Jordan Davis
11:15pm – Rascal Flatts - Sunday, June 8, 2025 (get tickets)
8:30pm – Zach Top
9:10pm – Bailey Zimmerman
9:50pm – Ashley McBryde
10:40pm – Dierks Bentley
11:25pm – Luke Bryan
Ascend Amphitheater
Thursday through Saturday, June 5-7, 2025
- Thursday, June 5, 2025 (get tickets)
Whiskey Jam – lineup announcement coming soon - Friday, June 6, 2025 (get tickets)
Jake Owen
Carter Faith
Max McNown
Lukas Nelson
Wynn Williams - Saturday, June 7, 2025 (get tickets)
Wynonna Judd
Madeline Edwards
Sara Evans
Noah Cyrus
The War and Treaty
Fan Fair X
The Fan Fair X event at Music City Center (level 3) includes indoor stages with acoustic performances and interviews, games, shopping, and more. Country music fans can purchase 4-day passes to Fan Fair X for $28. Admission is included for guests who have purchased the CMA Fest Four-Night Stadium Pass. Children under the age of 2 get free admission.
Free Shows
Chevy Riverfront Stage at Riverfront Park
- Times: shows begin at 10:50am on Thursday and 11:00am Friday through Sunday
- Line-Up: Chris Lane, The War and Treaty, Midland, and more
- See more of the line-up
Dr. Pepper Amp Stage at Ascend Park
- Times: shows begin each day at 11:15am
- Line-Up: Kylie Morgan, Billy Dean, John Morgan, and more
- See more of the line-up
Chevy Vibes Stage at Walk of Fame Park
- Times: shows begin each day at 11:30am
- Line-Up: Rita Wilson, Mickey Guyton, Vincent Mason, and more
- See more of the line-up
Good Molecules Reverb Stage at Bridgestone Plaza
- Times: shows begin each day at 11:00am
- Line-Up: Matt Lang, Carter Faith, Kolby Cooper, and more
- See more of the line-up
Hard Rock Stage at Hard Rock Cafe
- Times: shows begin at 11:20am on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday and 12:05pm on Saturday
- Line-Up: O.N.E The Duo, Leah Turner, BODHI, and more
- See more of the line-up
CMA Fest Events
CMA Fest Spring Market at Commons Club
- When: Thursday, June 5, 2025
- Where: Commons Club at Virgin Hotels Nashville
- What: Stock up on all your festival must-haves with a curated selection of pop-up shops featuring local favorites and festival-ready finds
- Price: Free admission
CMA Fest Riverfront Rooftop Viewing at Play Playground
- When: Thursday through Sunday, June 5-8, 2025
- Where: Play Playground
- What: Secure a spot on Play Playground’s Rooftop Lounge for one of the best places to watch and listen to the CMA Fest 2025 Riverfront Stage performances. Get premier access to festival vibes without the crowds, along with craft cocktails, playful bites, and unbeatable views
- Price: Starting at $40
Live Music at The Lawn
- When: Thursday through Sunday, June 5-8, 2025
- Where: The Lawn at The Pinnacle
- What: Enjoy live music performances at The Lawn outside of The Pinnacle along with tasty food, drink trucks, and fun vibes
- Price: Free admission
Country Now x PBR Nashville Party
- When: Thursday through Saturday, June 5-7, 2025
- Where: PBR Cowboy Bar at Nashville Live!
- What: Live music performances from 18 artists over three days, including Grace Leer, Angel White, Demps, Adam Doleac, and more
- Price: Free admission
Ole Red on the Rise
- When: Wednesday, June 4, 2025
- Where: Ole Red
- What: Free “Festival Edition” show with performances by William Beckmann, Lanie Gardner, Bryce Leatherwood, Kat Luna, and Austin Snell
- Price: Free admission
Cocktails & Country at Liquor Lab
- When: Thursday through Saturday, June 5-7, 2025
- Where: Liquor Lab
- What: Smooth sounds, killer cocktails, and tasty bites in a cozy setting
- Price: $50
CMA Fest Bar Crawl
- When: Thursday through Sunday, June 5-8, 2025
- Where: Begins at Jelly Roll’s Goodnight Nashville
- What: Explore Nashville’s hottest bars and enjoy exclusive drink specials
- Price: $50
CMA Fest Market
- When: Thursday, June 5, 2025
- Where: 1 Hotel Nashville (lobby)
- What: Expect curated pieces of handmade, sustainable festival fashion for everybody
- Price: Free admission
Urban Cowboy Line Dancing Party
- When: Thursday, June 5, 2025
- Where: Acme Feed & Seed (3rd floor)
- What: Kick up your boots and show off your best line dancing moves
- Price: $15
CMA Fest Weekend at Acme
- When: Wednesday through Sunday, June 4-8, 2025
- Where: Acme Feed & Seed
- What: Live music, meet and greets, giveaways, and more
- Price: Free admission
The Emo Cowgirl Pop-Up
- When: Kicks off on Friday, June 6, 2025 (continues daily through August)
- Where: L27 Rooftop Lounge at The Westin Nashville
- What: Immersive rooftop experience, curated by country music star Megan Moroney, featuring exclusive merchandise, larger-than-life decor, and signature cocktails
- Price: Free admission
- See our reel to get a sneak peek!
ASCAP Music Takeover
- When: Friday, June 6, 2025
- Where: 6th & Peabody
- What: Full day of free, live music performances featuring ASCAP’s rising singer-songwriter stars
- Price: Free admission
CMA Fest with Charlie Daniels Band
- When: Friday to Sunday, June 6-8, 2025
- Where: Margaritaville
- What: Live performances from emerging artists and the Charlie Daniels Band
- Price: Free admission
Kelsey Hart Fan Party
- When: Thursday, June 5, 2025
- Where: One Fourteen (3rd floor)
- What: Exclusive fan party with Kelsey Hart
- Price: $25+
Carly Pearce’s Wine & Sign with Conundrum Wines
- When: Friday, June 6, 2025
- Where: Acme Feed & Seed
- What: Fun-filled event with Carly Pearce and Conundrum Wines
- Price: Free admission
When Country Wasn’t Cool at White Limozeen
- When: Saturday, June 7, 2025
- Where: White Limozeen
- What: Live show featuring Cody Belew and his 6-shooter band, drink specials from Tito’s and Casamigos, a special DJ set, and more
- Price: Free admission (21+ only)
Curb Happy Hour with Harper Grace and Hannah Ellis
- When: Friday, June 6, 2025
- Where: One Fourteen (3rd floor)
- What: Live performances from Harper Grace, Hannah Ellis, and more
- Price: $10-$30
Food & Drinks Specials
- The Union Station Nashville Yards (Downtown)
Dates: Thursday to Sunday, June 5-8, 2025
Drinks: Build-you-own Bloody Mary bar
Food: Featured brunch dishes like the Benedict Burger
- V Modern Italian (The Gulch)
Dates: Monday to Sunday, June 2-8, 2025
Drinks: CMA Sour – 10% of all CMA Sours will be donated to the CMA Foundation
- Lona (Downtown)
Dates: Thursday to Sunday, June 5-8, 2025 (extended happy hours for CMA Fest)
Hours: 4:00pm to 6:00pm on Friday and Saturday | 5:00pm to 6:00pm & 9:00pm to 10:00pm on Thursday and Sunday
Drinks: $5-$7 select drink specials
Food: $6-$8 select bites
- Show Pony (Downtown)
Dates: Thursday to Sunday, June 5-8, 2025
Drinks: Champagne Cowgirl and The Rough Rider
- Nudie’s Honky Tonk (Downtown)
Dates: Thursday to Sunday, June 5-8, 2025
Drinks: Silver Dollar Punch, $6 beer buckets, and $5 shooters
- Villa Castrioti (Downtown)
Dates: Thursday to Sunday, June 5-8, 2025
Drinks: CMA Fest-themed cocktails
- STK Nashville (Gulch)
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, June 7-8, 2025 | 2:30pm to 5:30pm
Drinks: $3, $6, and $9 drink specials
Activities
Looking for something else to do while you’re in Nashville? Here are five ideas to get you started!
- Pontoon Saloon – cruise on the Cumberland River for a party on the water or a family-friendly outing on the Nashville Water Taxi.
- Nashville Adventures – go on a walking tour of Downtown Nashville with Nashville Adventures to get insight into a little history, insider information, and more.
- Happy Camper Pop-Up Bar – Stop by this fun pop-up bar at Pancake Pantry in Downtown Nashville starting Thursday, June 5, 2025. It’s open evenings starting at 5:00pm, featuring campfire bites, elevated sips, and campsite vibes.
- 12 South – explore one of Nashville’s most popular walking neighborhoods, 12 South. Get there early for breakfast bites at popular spots like Frothy Monkey, Five Daughters Bakery, and The Butter Milk Ranch, then browse all of the shops and take pics in front of popular murals. Stay a little longer with lunch and cocktails on a patio. We recommend starting your walk at the corner of 12th Avenue South and Ashwood Avenue (map), then walking down 12th Avenue South, and finishing with a stroll through Sevier Park.
- Cheekwood’s Love Grows Here Community Celebration – The first-ever Community Celebration at Cheekwood is June 5-7, 2025, featuring food trucks, kids’ activities, and special performances. Not-yet members receive half-price daytime admission. This is a great opportunity to experience the Enchanted Castles!
- Movies in the Park, NightLight 615, and other fun events – attend one of the many other fun events taking place during the weekend, like Movies in the Park, a Nashville Sounds baseball game, Shiners Nashville, or play pickleball on a rooftop. See our calendar for more events and things to do.
Helpful Guides
Whether you’re a local or a visitor, Downtown Nashville during CMA Fest can be overwhelming. To help navigate where to stay, what to do, and where to eat, here are a handful of helpful guides.
- A list of celebrity bars, shops, and museums
- Where to Stay in Nashville
- All Ages and 18+ Guide
- Fun Things to Do: Celebrity Bar Crawl
- Must-Visit Honky-Tonks in Nashville
- The Best Rooftop Bars in Nashville
- Best Brunch Restaurants in Nashville
- Best Lunch Restaurants in Nashville
- Best Dinner Restaurants in Nashville
Why are they now charging for the concerts at the Ascend? I thought these were supposed to be free?
Hi Darla, the shows behind Ascend are still free. The shows at Ascend start at $10 and benefit the CMA Foundation.