CMA Fest 2023: A guide for first-time festival-goers and seasoned veterans

CMA Fest can be a lot. We're here to help.

From free music to parking, weather and wardrobes, read on for your one-stop guide to CMA Fest 2023.

What is CMA Fest?

Launched five decades ago as "Fan Fair," the annual nonprofit event CMA Fest brings mainstream country music fandom to downtown Nashville for four days of stadium performances, intimate showcases, meet-and-greet sessions and fan club parties each June. Proceeds benefit the CMA Foundation, a nonprofit wing of the organization that supports music education.

The festival runs Thursday-Sunday, with unofficial events beginning as early as Monday evening.

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Where is CMA Fest?

From honky tonk bars to pop-up shows and unofficial parties, music pours from virtually every corner of downtown during CMA Fest. Here's a look at this year's confirmed CMA Fest stages.

• Nissan Stadium: Luke Combs, Carly Pearce, Dan + Shay, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, Eric Church and more.*

• Ascend Amphitheater: Cadillac Three, Elvie Shane, Tenille Townes, Randy Rogers Band and Boy Named Banjo.*

• Riverfront Stage at Riverfront Park: Lainey Wilson, Lauren Alaina, Bailey Zimmerman, Hailey Whitters, Maddie & Tae, Ingrid Andress, Megan Moroney, Breland and more.**

• Amp Stage at Ascend Park: Caitlyn Smith, Rita Wilson, Blanco Brown, Pam Tillis, Chrissy Metz and more.**

• Vibes Stage at Walk of Fame Park: Tiera Kennedy, Catie Offerman, Tyler Booth, King Calaway, Home Free and More.**

• Reverb Stage at Bridgestone Plaza: Brit Taylor, Pillbox Patti, Andrew Jannakos, Willie Jones, Sam Williams and more.**

* Denotes a ticketed stage

** Denotes a free stage

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Fan Fair X

Inside Music City Center, passholders can visit "Fan Fair X" — a place for shopping, food, label freebies, panel discussions, book signings, intimate performances and meet-and-greet sessions. Fan Fair X hosts an "Artist of the Day" to kick off each morning. This year's "Artist of the Day" lineup includes Dierks Bentley, Reba McEntire, Brothers Osborne and Wynonna Judd. Additional Fan Fair X highlights include:

• Bussin' With The Boys: A live taping of the popular podcast hosted by former Tennessee Titans players Taylor Lewan and Will Compton. Guests include Locash and Dustin Lynch.

• A comedy show for local funnyman Dusty Slay.

• An in-the-round songwriting session hosted by in-demand artist-writer Ernest.

• Country Heat Weekly: A two-part live taping of the Amazon Music podcast with guests Tanya Tucker and Jelly Roll, respectively.

How much are CMA tickets for 2023?

The Country Music Association offers a handful of ticket packages and upgrades for fans flocking to downtown Nashville, including a four-day pass that gives attendees access to Fan Fair X and A-list performances at Nissan Stadium throughout the event. At publication time, a four-day pass started at $332.15 before fees via ticketmaster.com.

• Single-night options: Those wanting to catch a show but not commit to a full weekend can buy single-night tickets for shows at Nissan Stadium or Ascend Amphitheater. Prices vary.

• More to experience: Fans can also purchase standalone passes to Fan Fair X and a VIP upgrade to the free Riverfront Stage.

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Where to park for CMA Fest?

Parking in downtown Nashville — especially during major events — can cause a major headache (while being painful on one's wallet). A few options to help guide festival-goers:

• Nissan Stadium: CMA Fest offers a four-day parking pass at Nissan Stadium for $129.35 before fees. Gates to stadium parking open at 9 a.m. during the festival; passholders can exit and reenter once each day before 4 p.m. More information at cmafest.com.

• Metro courthouse garage: North of Lower Broadway and across the Cumberland River from Nissan Stadium, the Nashville Metro Courthouse provides $15-a-day parking for major events, according to nashvilledowntown.com.

• Music City Center: Located across the street from Bridgestone Arena and blocks from Lower Broadway, Music City Center offers 1,800 parking spots on a first-come, first-serve basis. Price varies for special events. More information at nashvillemusiccitycenter.com.

• Library garage: A block-and-a-half north of Lower Broadway, the Nashville Public Library parking garage charges $20 for a full day of parking, according to nashvilledowntown.com.

• More downtown options: A guide to additional parking — including the Nashville Public Library garage, Wells Fargo garage and Commerce Street garage — can be found for varying prices at nashvilledowntown.com/get-around/nashville-parking.

CMA Fest rideshare and shuttle

Rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft can be flagged at the following locations during CMA Fest:

• Downtown: Drop off and pick up on north side of Korean Veterans Bridge from First Avenue to Seventh Avenue or drop off and pick up on Seventh Ave N. from Broadway to Commerce.

• Nissan Stadium: Drop off and pick up on both sides of Woodland Street between S. First Street and S. Second Street or drop off and pick up on Sylvan Street between S. Second Street to Crutcher Street.

CMA Fest offers shuttles on festival grounds for four-day pass holders.

• Shuttle: Daytime stops include Music City Center, Walk of Fame Park, near Riverfront Park and Nissan Stadium, among others. Festival organizers run a nighttime shuttle between Riverfront Park and Nissan Stadium. More information at cmafest.com/transportation.

CMA Fest weather forecast

The National Weather Service was expecting sunny skies and warm temperatures for CMA Fest 2023. High temperatures could reach the mid-80s on Thursday and Friday, peaking at 89 degrees Saturday. The high temperature is expected to reach 90 degrees Sunday, with a 30% chance of a showers and thunderstorms on the festival's final day.

What to wear

Be smart. Fans at CMA Fest typically walk ... a lot. Boots may look great, but may not be the healthiest option for hiking up-and-down Lower Broadway on a sweaty June afternoon. Those preparing for a long weekend should pack sunscreen, a rain coat (in case of a pop-up thunderstorm) and a credit or debit card (official CMA Fest locations don't accept cash). Pack a refillable water bottle; stay up-to-date on water refill stations via cmafest.com and the CMA Fest moible app.

Prohibited items and bag policy

CMA Fest adopts a clear bag policy for attendees, per the event website. Security allows one clear bag no larger than 12-by-12-by-6 inches per festivalgoer. Event producers prohibit non-clear bags, mesh bags, coolers or seat cushions. Bags may be inspected upon admission into events.

Prohibited items at the 2023 festival include firearms and weapons, e-cigarettes, drugs, chairs, outside alcohol, signs on poles or sticks, and Confederate imagery, among others. See a full list at cmafest.com/faqs.

When is CMA Fest on TV?

ABC tapes performances at Nissan Stadium for a future network broadcast. This year, the CMA Fest special airs July 19 at 7 p.m. CST. Dierks Bentley co-hosts with Elle King and Lainey Wilson.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: CMA Fest 2023: Where to park? Who's performing? A Nashville guide