CMA FEST CHAMPIONS MUSIC EDUCATION THROUGH THE CMA FOUNDATION
Country Music’s biggest weekend is just around the corner! The genre’s hottest names, and fans from around the globe, will gather in Nashville June 6-9 for the 51st CMA Fest. Unique to CMA Fest, artists performing at the festival donate their time and talent so a portion of proceeds can help fund the CMA Foundation’s mission of providing students with access to a high-quality music education and educators the resources they need to create and sustain thriving programs. CMA Fest will also feature special events and activations to further raise awareness and help fund the CMA Foundation’s social impact and unique model of giving.
Thursday, June 6
Antioch High School will be the first of four high school marching bands to appear at CMA Fest this year, led by band director and former CMA Music Teacher of Excellence Frank Zimmerer. They will be performing outside Music City Center between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue from 8:45-9:15 AM.
Friday, June 7
Band Director Caleb Latham will lead Stratford STEM Magnet High School’s marching band in a performance inside of Fan Fair X at 10:00 AM.
Fitness at Fest will return this year with another slate of events taking place Friday through Sunday. All proceeds from each fitness event will go to the CMA Foundation. Friday’s lineup of fitness experts, presented by CELSIUS®, includes TRUMAV Fitness trainer Wirth Campbell with influencer and former Bachelor contestant Tia Booth Mock and Country artist MacKenzie Porter.
Saturday, June 8
The Cane Ridge High School marching band led by 2024 CMA Music Teacher of Excellence Johnny Croft will be performing inside of Fan Fair X at 10:00 AM.
The second day of Fitness at Fest event, presented by CELSIUS®, will feature celebrity trainer Erin Oprea, returning for a fourth year, with TV personality Tyler Cameron and Country artist Alana Springsteen.
Sunday, June 9
Nonprofit music education organization BandWith Chicago students will be performing inside of Fan Fair X at 10:00 AM.
Carly Pearce will host the 3rd annual Carly’s Closet, selling items from her wardrobe and donating the proceeds to the CMA Foundation. She will also be giving a special acoustic performance and signing her new album, hummingbird. The event will take place inside Music City Center at 2:00 PM.
On the final day of Fitness at Fest, Barry’s will help festivalgoers feel the burn with founding instructor Tommy Stracke and Country artists Spencer Crandall and Harper Grace.
All Days
This year’s festivities will kick off with Dolly Parton’s ALL ACCESS! Pop Up Experience, donating a percentage of sales from her Fan Fair X activation to the CMA Foundation.
Altar’d State will also be taking to the CMA Fest footprint to support music education. Fans can check out their “Boots and Bows” activation on the first block of Broadway in support of the CMA Foundation.
Attendees can take advantage of the CMA Foundation’s live photo mosaic on the 3rd floor of Music City Center just outside of Fan Fair X. The mosaic, made possible by the Louisiana Office of Tourism, allows visitors the opportunity to take a photo at the official photo station and add it to the mosaic with the photos of other CMA Fest attendees. Participants get to feel a sense of pride knowing that they had a hand in supporting music education.
Over 60 digital DipJar one-tap donation machines will be scattered throughout Nissan Stadium each day at CMA Fest. Up to 13 more will be located around the festival footprint (mosaic activation, charging stations, etc.) accepting donations to support the CMA Foundation.
Custom CMA Fest posters created by Friendly Arctic will be for sale online, at Fan Fair X and at Nissan Stadium throughout all four days of the festival. Two custom bracelets by Strung will also be available for purchase online and inside Fan Fair X. A percentage of proceeds from both products will go towards supporting the CMA Foundation.
Fans will have the chance to shop their favorite artists’ closets with The Archives inside Fan Fair X. Also, inside Fan Fair X, festivalgoers can support SOLID (Society of Leaders In Development) and the CMA Foundation with The Backstage Auction of artist merchandise and memorabilia. A portion of proceeds from both activations will be donated to the CMA Foundation.
About CMA Fest
The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience™ began in 1972 as Fan Fair®, which drew 5,000 fans to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. The legendary festival has become the city’s signature Country Music event that hosts tens of thousands of fans from all 50 states and 51 international countries. CMA Fest is a one-of-a-kind festival with hundreds of artists donating their time to perform so a portion of ticket proceeds can directly benefit high-quality music programs across the country through the CMA Foundation. This is the 21st consecutive year CMA has produced a summer music program to be broadcast as a network television special on ABC.
About the CMA Foundation
The Country Music Association established the CMA Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3), in 2011 to leverage strategic partnerships, professional development for qualified music teachers, and grant distribution to improve and withstand equitable music education programs for all students nationwide. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, the CMA Foundation focuses on providing sustainability, advocacy, and accountability within music education by investing in various resources for students, schools, and communities.
