An Inside Look at CMAfest : Day 1

The CMA Country Music Festival, formally know as Fanfair, or more simply CMAfest. This Annual Nashville Event is sponsored each year by the Country Music Association. We found that this four day country music party unofficially runs close to a week long and so we began our coverage on the Monday before the official opening of the CMAfest and finished over a week later on the following Tuesday. The week's events will normally start out at a good slow pace and built into a frenzy as the week goes along and then slowed back down to a great closing for all.

Day 1-Monday
While the official opening of the Country Music festival is a few more days away, one can find an event or two going on today so we mark our calendars every year to reflect this Monday as the unofficial opening of CMAfest. One of the fans favorites is the Lonestar Bowling Party, so of course this was a must to.

There are two events that normally take place on the Monday night before the official opening of the CMA Country Music Festival tonight and they include:

• CMA Global Artist Party
  Normally this event is held at The Stage or a similar a honky tonk bar located in the Downtown Nashville. They feature some great artists performing from around the world such as Kylie Harris (New Zealand), Jason McCoy (Canada), Lisa Brokop (Canada), The Replete Brothers (Greece), Rodrigo Haddad (Brazil), Ruud Hermans (The Netherlands)
  Each of these artists do about a 30-minute performance and it's a delight to see that the Country Music spans the globe.This event is Free.
  
  
• Lonestar & Friends Strike Out for the Kids
  Lonestar & Friends Strike Out for the Kids, is a bowling party that raises money and awareness for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. This annual event is normally held at Hermitage Lanes in Nashville on the Monday night before CMAfest. This even normally sells out real early so make sure to get your tickets ASAP.
  Review Photos

CMAfest Highlights By Day

• CMAfest Day 1: Global Artist & Party Lonestar Bowling Party
• CMAfest Day 2: Reading, Writing & Rhythm & IFCO Funfest
• CMAfest Day 3: Kick-Off Parade, Celebrity Softball Game, Marty Stuart's Late Night Jam
• CMAfest Day 4: Official CMAfest Activities Begin, Opry & Steve Azar Benefit
• CMAfest Day 5: CMA Close-up, Andy Griggs Archery & Jason Aldean Benefits
• CMAfest Day 6: CMA Close-up, Martina McBride Celebrity Auction & Leadership Music Yard Sale
• CMAfest Day 7: Sunday Mornin' Country Show & Peterson's Celebrity Tractor Race