CMA Fest for free: Your guide to unofficial concerts and free stages in Nashville

Matthew Leimkuehler, Nashville Tennessean
Updated ·5 min read
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CMA Fest isn't just a lineup of country music heavy-hitters at Nissan Stadium.

Downtown Nashville transforms into a carnival of country attractions this week, with free parties and unofficial showcases filling honky-tonk bars and street-side stages.

From block parties to international takeovers, read on for where to see some of today's top country talent for free in Nashville this week.

Whiskey Jam (Monday-Sunday)

Whiskey Jam — a tastemaking year-round showcase for rising country singers and songwriters — goes all-in on CMA Fest 2023 with a run of shows highlighting the next class of country talent. Let's break it down:

  • Monday-Wednesday: Talent agent WME hosts a Whiskey Jam "takeover" with Nate Smith, Danielle Bradbury, Dylan Scott, Dierks Bentley's band Hot Country Knights and more. Music takes place in the parking lot of Midtown bar Losers.

  • Thursday-Sunday: Whiskey Jam migrates to Whiskey Row on Lower Broadway for daytime "Future of the Fest" series. The lineup includes Frank Ray, Tigerlily Gold, Carter Faith, Kassi Ashton and more.

More information at whiskeyjam.com.

A large line surrounds Spotify House during the CMA Fest in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, June 12, 2022.
A large line surrounds Spotify House during the CMA Fest in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, June 12, 2022.

Spotify House (Thursday-Sunday)

Streaming platform Spotify takes hold of Ole Red — a multi-story venue-bar in the heart of Lower Broadway — for four days of free performances from some of the biggest names in country hitmaking. With up to 15 hours of music on a given day, the Spotify House 2023 lineup includes Sam Hunt, Riley Green, Old Dominion, Mickey Guyton and many more. Entry is free on a first-come, first-serve basis. All ages allowed until 9 p.m. After 9 p.m., showgoers must be age 21 or older to enter.

More information at olered.com.

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Music Is Universal (Thursday-Sunday)

Universal Music Group Nashville hosts a four-day showcase at Skydeck, the music venue atop Assembly Food Hall at expansive downtown complex 5th + Broadway. Free and open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis, the lineup includes Brothers Osborne, Jordan Davis, Maddie + Tae, Priscilla Block and more.

More information at assemblyfoodhall.com.

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Inside the soon-to-be-open Gibson Garage on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. The guitar brand's new presence in downtown is part showroom, part event space and it marks the first public footprint in Nashville for Gibson since the company relocated from Michigan four decades ago.
Inside the soon-to-be-open Gibson Garage on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. The guitar brand's new presence in downtown is part showroom, part event space and it marks the first public footprint in Nashville for Gibson since the company relocated from Michigan four decades ago.

Gibson Garage Fest (Wednesday-Saturday)

Guitar nerds, unite. Nashville-based six-string brand Gibson celebrates CMA Fest week with a four-day hang at Gibson Garage, a showroom and event space in Cummins Station. Coined Garage Fest, the lineup includes Kat & Alex, Adeem The Artist, Mya Byrne, Ashley Cooke and Charlie Worsham. Festivities kick off Wednesday with Megadeth guitarist Dave Mustaine, who stops by the shop for an in-store signing. Free and open to the public.

More information at gibson.com.

Ryman Block Party (Thursday-Saturday)

The PNC Plaza at the Ryman Auditorium (on 4th Avenue, a block north of Lower Broadway) houses a three-day outdoor block party with performance rights group BMI. Free and open to the public, the event includes rising talents Chapel Hart, Neon Union, Jillian Steele, The Woods and more.

More information at ryman.com.

Country Goes Global (Friday-Sunday)

Country music globetrotters unite for a three-day showcase highlighting international talent at downtown venue Wildhorse Saloon. The lineup includes Essex County, Callum Kerr, Sasha McVeigh and Queeva, among others. Free and open to the public.

More information at wildhorsesaloon.com.

Blanco Brown performs at Riverfront Stage, day four of the CMT fest in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, June 12, 2022.
Blanco Brown performs at Riverfront Stage, day four of the CMT fest in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, June 12, 2022.

CMA Fest free stages

In addition to unofficial parties and concerts, CMA Fest hosts dozens of artists throughout downtown Nashville — for free. Let's breakdown this year's free stages and some of the artists performing:

  • 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.

Day-by-day breakdown: Who's playing CMA Fest 2023? Here's the full Nashville lineup and schedule

Ticketed shows from Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, Marty Stuart and more

Festivities continue throughout the week with ticketed events inside Nashville's music clubs and concert halls. A few of the star-studded country shows taking place include:

  • Monday: Darius Rucker returns to the Ryman for his annual St. Jude's fundraiser. The lineup remains to-be-announced, but past guests include Brooks & Dunn, Sheryl Crow, Luke Combs and Brad Paisley. More information at ryman.com.

  • Tuesday: Songwriter Craig Wiseman hosts a fundraising concert for Second Harvest. Set for the Ryman Auditorium, guests include Ernest, Jake Worthington and more. More information at ryman.com.

  • Tuesday: Radio stations 103.3 Country and Nash Icon 95.5 host "Country Kickoff" at the Skydeck. Lineup includes Brett Young, Scotty McCreery, Russell Dickerson and more. More information at assemblyfoodhall.com.

  • Tuesday: Ace singer-songwriter Kendall Marvel reprises his "Honky-Tonk Experience" at Basement East. More information at thebasementnashville.com.

  • Wednesday: In celebration of LGBTQ Pride, the annual Concert for Love and Acceptance takes place at Wildhorse Saloon. This year's lineup includes Maddie & Tae, Terri Clark, Pam Tillis and Wendy Moten, among others. More information at nashvillepride.org.

  • Wednesday: Marty Stuart reprises his annual Late Night Jam at the Ryman Auditorium. Lineup includes Joe Walsh, John Oates and Sierra Ferrell. More information at ryman.com.

  • All week: The Grand Ole Opry celebrates 50 years of CMA Fest with lineups including some of country music's top talent. The Opry takes place Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday night this week; artists set to perform include Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Lainey Wilson and Trace Adkins, among others. More information at opry.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: CMA Fest 2023: Where to see music for free in Nashville