CMA Music Festival brings free music and fun for fans

Big and Rich with Cowboy Troy (center) kick things off for CMA Fest on Thursday.
Big and Rich with Cowboy Troy (center) kick things off for CMA Fest on Thursday.

If you don’t have tickets to the huge nightly concerts at LP Field during the upcoming CMA Music Festival, there is still plenty of free music for you to enjoy, along with other fan-tastic fun for the whole family.

Enjoy free nightly concerts at the Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage in downtown Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater Thursday, June 8 through Saturday, June 10, beginning at 7:00 PM each evening. Big and Rich “Bring the Party” kicks off the festivities Thursday with DJ Sinister & the Country Fried Mix and Cowboy Troy, along with Deana Carter, Billy Ray Cyrus, and The Oak Ridge Boys. Sara Evans headlines Ladies of Country Friday, with Kelleigh Bannen, Ruthie Collins, and Natalie Stovall; Danielle Bradbery; Kellie Pickler; and Aubrie Sellers. Saturday Dan + Shay, Hunter Hayes, High Valley and RaeLynn join Cale Dodds, Ryan Kinder and Bailey Bryan.

The Chevrolet Riverfront Stage rocks from 10:00 AM-5:15 PM daily. Old Dominion kicks off Thursday, June 8 at 10:00 AM/CT, followed over the weekend by A Thousand Horses, Lauren Alaina, Bobby Bones & The Raging Idiots, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Chase Bryant, Cam, Brandy Clark, Luke Combs, Easton Corbin, Russell Dickerson, Drake White and the Big Fire, Eli Young Band, Tyler Farr, High Valley, Home Free, Chris Janson, Jana Kramer, Chris Lane, LOCASH, Maddie & Tae, Neal McCoy, Scotty McCreery, William Michael Morgan, Joe Nichols, Jon Pardi, Parmalee, Eric Paslay, Kellie Pickler, RaeLynn, Michael Ray, Chase Rice, Canaan Smith, Corey Smith, Granger Smith, Josh Turner, Aaron Watson, and Brett Young.

The Chevrolet Park Stage in Walk of Fame Park entertains from 10:30 AM-4:55 PM daily with Drew Baldridge, Ryan Beaver, Big Smo, Bailey Bryan, Kristian Bush, Ruthie Collins, Travis Collins, Adam Craig, Jacob Davis, Cale Dodds, Casey Donahew, Clare Dunn, Brooke Eden, Lindsay Ell, Morgan Evans, Ryan Follese, Ryan Griffin, Trent Harmon, Walker Hayes, Sundance Head, LANCO, Jon Langston, Jackie Lee, Love and Theft, Steve Moakler, Muscadine Bloodline, Kyle Park, Carly Pearce, Luke Pell, Mo Pitney, Maggie Rose, Runaway June, Adam Sanders, Jamie Lynn Spears, The Railers, The Swon Brothers, Michael Tyler, Walker McGuire, Morgan Wallen, and Waterloo Revival.

The Gildan Broadway Stage at Hard Rock Cafe (10:45 AM-4:30 PM daily) features Abby Anderson, Chris Bandi, Risa Binder, Craig Wayne Boyd, Ashley Campbell, Colin Elmore & The Danville Train, Davisson Brothers Band, Fairground Saints, Filmore, Ben Gallaher, Haley Georgia, Jillian Jacqueline, Ryan Kinder, Trea Landon, Olivia Lane, Brandon Lay, Levon, Lillie Mae, Sean McConnell, Alyssa Micaela, Meghan Patrick, Jordan Rager, Brandon Ray, Restless Road, Tyler Rich, Dylan Schneider, Scooter Brown Band, Kalie Shorr, Jo Smith, Smithfield, Natalie Stovall, Tara Thompson, Walker County, Hailey Whitters, Alex Williams, and Carter Winter.

CMA Music Festival benefits music education. Since 2006, CMA and the CMA Foundation have donated more than $17.5 million to support quality, sustainable music education initiatives across the country on behalf of the artists who participate in the event for free, impacting the lives of one million children through the power of music.

Come to the City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game at First Tennessee Park

Each year during CMA Fest, artists and celebrities participate in a fun charity benefit to raise money to support vital health research that saves many lives. City of Hope is a leading research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases, where they combine science with soul to make medical miracles every day. 100% of your ticket goes to the valuable research programs at City of Hope.

Join me at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 10 at First Tennessee Park for the 27th annual City of Hope celebrity softball game and help us save lives. For more information, visit the website at cityofhope.org/softball

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