NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Whether you're a local trying to navigate downtown roads or a fan trying to get the best seat at a concert, we've got you covered.
Day two of CMA Fest got off to a soggy start after inclement weather delayed the opening of the outdoor stages. They were reopened that afternoon, but were closed for a second and final time due to lightning in the area.
Due to inclement weather in the area, performances at all outdoor daytime stages will not resume for the remainder of the day. Download the app & stay tuned to notifications for updates throughout the festival. pic.twitter.com/0mcPacw9aY
— CMA Country Music (@CountryMusic) June 7, 2019
The rain cleared, for the most part, by Friday evening, allowing the night shows at Nissan Stadium and Ascend Amphitheater to go on as planned.
How much of the festival is free?
Much of CMA Fest is free and can be enjoyed simply by walking around downtown Nashville. In fact, all daytime, outdoor stages and activities are open to the public.
All concerts at the following stages:
- Chevy Riverfront Stage
- Budweiser Forever country Stage
- Chevy Breakout Stage
- Maui Jim Broadway Stage at Bridgestone Plaza
- Nashville Acoustic Corner Stage
- Nissan Stadium and the Firestone Country Roads Stage (Ascend Amphitheater) will house some of this year's biggest shows and of course, require tickets. The other stages that require tickets are:
- CMA Close Up Stage
- CMA Spotlight Stage
- Radio Disney Country Stage a
- HGTV Lodge (Admission is open only to winners of the Ultimate Fan Experiences Drawing. Admission to this daytime stage cannot be purchased.)
When is everything happening?
The festival officially began Thursday and ends Sunday:
Thursday: Festival begins - see the schedule here
Recap: Thousands packed Nissan to see Tanya Tucker, Kane Brown and surprise guest Brandi Carlisle. Listeners even stuck around for the headliner of the night: Florida Georgia Line, who didn't go on until around 1 a.m.
Friday:
It's a rain jacket and boots day but umbrellas are not allowed at any official CMA Fest location because they can block the view for other audience members. (Click here to view interactive radar)
More major acts scheduled to play tonight and stages throughout the downtown core will be jammed, too. In the event of bad weather, daytime shelters are available: including Bridgestone Arena, the Hilton Hotel Underground Parking Garage and Music City Center.
At Music City Center, there will also be shopping, three indoor stages and meet and greet opportunities starting at 9:30 a.m. inside the convention center. Admission is $10.
What roads will be open/closed?
Several roads will be closed in the downtown area, but the closures don't go far beyond downtown.
Who's playing the festival?
The great thing about the CMA Fest is that talent ranges from emerging artists to major headliners. Taking the nightly Nissan Stadium stage this year are Country Music superstars Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw, Maren Morris, Old Dominion, Pistol Annies, Rascal Flatts, Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban.
Here's a look at the complete lineup.
How to get around:
If you need to catch a ride downtown, Lyft is the official rideshare partner of CMA Fest. If you use the code CMACOMMUTE, you'll get 10% off two rides to and from the downtown core from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Friday. The rideshare pickup areas are all around the CMA footprint.
If you're using scooters downtown, you'll need to know about the city's scooter corrals. That's where you'll need to park and pickup a scooter, unless it's within the CMA fest map. Click here for more details.
