2009 Country Music Association Festival Guide
A Marathon of Performances Play on Stages in Downtown Nashville
Apr 5, 2009
Each June, the Country Music Association Festival (CMA) in Nashville showcases top stars during four days of almost non-stop performances. Dates for this year’s festival, which launches with a 2 p.m. parade and 3 p.m. block party downtown on June 10. are June 11-14,
Nashville Celebration’s Venues
The festival itself offers some 70 hours of musical performances, featuring more than 400 country musicians and celebrities. Primary venue for daytime concerts is at Riverfront Park on the banks of the Cumberland River (10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.). In 2009, for the first time, admission will not be charged for the concerts at the park. Fans who bring their cameras can head for the front of the stage’s Photo Line, where they can take pictures of their favorite performers.
During the morning and afternoon, groups also perform on The Chevy Music Stage at the Sommet Center Plaza (11 a.m. – 5 p.m.) and the Music City Zone Stage located on the public square in front of the Courthouse (noon-5 p.m.). In addition, groups play at the clubs along Broadway on an informal basis. Free shuttles will run between downtown and the various festival venues.
The evening productions are presented at LP Field. Home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. the field is converted to a giant performance venue during the festival. There’s a huge stage, with state-of-the-art lighting, sound and big video screens so that everyone can see and hear the action wherever they’re sitting.
To top off the days' activities, at 11 o'clock each night after-hours sessions begin at the clubs along Broadway, Nashville’s year-round country music epicenter.
CMA’s 2009 Festival Stars
Headliners at the evening concerts include four-time CMA Female Vocalists of the Year, Reba McEntire and Martina McBride as well as Trace Adkins, Miranda Lambert and “Dancing with the Stars” sensation, Julianne Hough. Other festival performers include Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Jamey Johnson, Montgomery Gentry, Jake Owen, Brad Paisley, John Rich and Taylor Swift.
CMA Meet and Greets for Fans
Originally called the Fun Fair, the festival began in 1972 and the opportunities for attendees to rub shoulders with their favorite stars remain an important part of the celebration. Each day, the Nashville Convention Center’s exhibit area becomes the Greased Lightning Fan Fair Hall, with country artists and vendors of country-related products in attendance.
A good number of the booths lining the hall’s aisles are those of the fan clubs of various stars such as LeeAnn Rimes and Wynona. These are the booths where long lines wait for the stars to sign autographs. Since personal interaction is a cornerstone of country music, the artists write their names, pose for photos and chat with their fans for hours.
Most of the other booths are manned by personnel of production/recording companies and those that make country-style clothes and accessories, such as jeans, hats, belt buckles. Also a part of Fan Fair is the Durango Boot Acoustic Corner Stage, a totally acoustic performance area which offers independent artists a place to showcase their talent.
CMA Ticket Information
Some categories of tickets to performances at LP Field, such as those on the floor and in the stands nearest to the stage, sell out quickly. It’s therefore a good idea for people planning to attend to buy their tickets well in advance. Four-day package prices for 2009 range from $78 to hundreds of dollars. Parking passes are also for sale.
The CMA Festival, which has donated more than $2 million to further music education in Nashville public Schools, was chosen as the winner of the Festival of the Year award by the International Entertainment Buyers Association in 2004, 2006 and 2008.
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