Country music fans can rejoice because CMA Fest is back y’all! After a two-year hiatus due to the global pandemic, CMA Fest returned better than ever. The weather was warm, but dry!

If you’ve attended CMA Fest before, then you know there isn’t a better weekend to be in Music City than when this country music festival is happening – there’s literally live country music everywhere you look for miles! The locals might disagree with you because of the hassle of traffic and road closures, but this city shines when there’s live music being played.

Couldn’t make CMA Fest this year? Don’t worry, you can catch all the action Wednesday, August 3rd on ABC at 8/7pm central. Be sure to follow CMA on social media to stay up to date on lineup and ticket announcements.

If you’re planning to attend for the first time, be sure to check out our other blog posts for travel tips and must-sees while you’re in town for the music festival.

Here’s our recap of the weekend!

TOP 5 | CMA Fest 2022

  1. Free Shows – This year, we didn’t attend the stadium shows at night and still saw plenty of music. The festival had eight official stages at seven venues all over downtown Nashville, so there was no shortage of music. The best part is most of the live music was free and didn’t require a ticket! This year, CMA even added a new stage near Ascend Amphitheater on the riverfront called the Dr. Pepper Amp Stage! You can also sign up to attend shows at Nissan Stadium for free with Audience 615.
  2. Get the App – It’s nearly impossible to see every show and artist playing around Nashville, but the CMA Fest app made it easy to stay organized. Before the festival begins, it’s best to dive into the lineup and select your favorite artists. This allows you to be notified when performances are happening and the app gives you plenty of time to get there before their set begins. You can also sign up for for meet and greets with your favorite artists.
  3. Fan Fair X – You don’t want to miss this. Located inside the Music City Center, Fan Fair X is the best place to cool off, shop for festival gear and get access to exclusive live performances.
  4. Fan Club Parties – the celebration really begins on Monday with exclusive fan club parties hosted by some of country music’s biggest stars. If you’re interested, be sure to join the fan club of your favorite artists and you just might get a special invite to their party during CMA Fest! Luke Combs held a parking lot party at BMI Wednesday night for only $30 and Brett Eldredge offered a free show at the Skydeck at Assembly Food Hall for his album release party.
  5. Spotify House – In the absence of the beloved HGTV Lodge, Spotify transformed Blake Shelton’s bar, Ole Red, into a branded one of a kind music oasis. Fans lucky enough to find a spot inside the packed Spotify House watched 4 days of live performances from Luke Bryan, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Cole Swindell, Tyler Hubbard, Riley Green, Nelly, BRELAND, Russell Dickerson, Jessie James Decker, Dylan Scott, Mickey Guyton, Lily Rose, Ingrid Andress, Mitchell Tenpenny and Brantley Gilbert just to name a few.

Despite not attending the night time concerts, we had a a blast and can’t wait to see what CMA Fest has in store for 2023!