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.
Day 4- Thursday
There are several annual events that normally take place on the Wednesday at the CMA Music Festival and they include:
- IFCO Funfest
The IFCO Show, which began a few years before Fanfair, is over 40 years old and never fails to provide one of the best intimate line-ups of Country Music Stars in town.
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- Hard Rock Cafe Songwriter Series
Hard Rock Cafe Songwriter Series is held every year at Nashville's Hard Rock Cafe during CMAfest. Nashville's top songwriters share their chart-topping songs and stories over several nights (usually Thursday-Saturday) at the Hard Rock Cafe. Proceeds from the songwriter series usually benefit Musicians On Call.
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- Fan Club Parties Galore
Many of the fan club parties go on for hours and are a great way to meet with the artist and other fan club members.
Example of a FCP: Chris Young perform several times so I had no doubt that he would mesmerize the crowd with his incredible baritone voice at his annual Fan Club Party.
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- Kicktone's Kickin Country Tailgate Party
Kicktone's Kickin Country Tailgate Party offered an awesome line-up of local artists and better yet it was "Free" for anyone who wanted to sit back and listen to good music. You can stumble into these types of events every year it you keep your eyes open.
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- Opry Trust Fund Benefitbr>Normally held at the Ryman Auditorium, this annual event, formally known as the Superstar Spectacular where proceeds go to help give financial assistance in time of need to people who were or are actively engaged in country music.
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- Steve Azar St. Cecelia Foundation Benefit & Jam
Steve Azar St. Cecelia Foundation Benefit & Jam is in it's early beginnings and the proceeds benefit the Steve Azar St. Cecilia Foundation that provides aid to disadvantaged, sick and abused children.
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- Thursday Daytime Riverfront Concerts
The Riverfront Concerts start on Thursday and go on thru Sunday afternoon and provide hours and hours of some of the best music around. The day-long concerts take place in Riverfront Park located on 1st Avenue and Broadway. As a reminder to those who do not have week long tickets (passes) to CMAfest, they do sell individual daily passes to this CMAfest event every day.
- Thursday Night's Coliseum Show
Our night had just begun so off to we went to catch the first of the Nightly Concerts at the Coliseum which opens up with the National Anthem and the crowd went wild with cheers, as they were also welcomed with a fly by formation of F/A Hornets. There are two stages set up every night and the artist performance would rotate from one stage to the other which shortens the wait time between artists tremendously. Everyone loves the Photo Line, which runs right in front of the stages. During the nightly show there are plenty of drink vendors walking around selling their goods, so no one would have to miss any part of the show.Every evening a grand display of fireworks closed the show and this indicated that it was time for the After Hours Parties to begin in the Downtown District. - Sports Zone
The Sports Zone offers, of course, everything related to sports within its boundaries that includes: NASCAR, BASS, Baseball, Football and more. It's located right across from the Hall of Fame Park.
- Family Zone
The Crisco Family Zone, located in the Hall of Fame Park, is just one of the areas that CMA Festival has set up so anyone can take their children and have a fun day out.
- Fun Zone
The Fun Zone at the CMA Festival is located at 1st Avenue and Broadway, right by the Riverfront Park entrance and features some of the CMAfest Sponsors.Sponsors here will change from year to year but you always will have fun in the Fun Zone.
- Acoustic Corner
The Acoustic Corner, located in Exhibit Hall (Convention Center) is a definite must see when attending the CMAfest and a great place to visit, see, and hear new up and coming country artists in a relaxing setting.
- Exhibit Hall
Over the years the Exhibit Hall has always been country music fans favorite activities during Fanfair week with every year hundreds of artists are seen and signing autographs.
CMAfest Highlights By Day
- CMAfest Day 1: Global Artist Party, Porter Wagoner Celebrity Fishing, & Darius Rucker & Friends Benefit
- CMAfest Day 2: Porter Wagoner Celebrity Fishing, 103 WKDF Beach Party, Country Weekly Fashion Show, Mow the Row, Grand Ole Opry, Opry Plaza Party & Nashville Navy
- CMAfest Day 3: Kick-Off Parade, Marty Stuart's Late Night Jam, GAC Breakfast, CMT Awards, Countriest of the Country Show & R.O.P.E.
- CMAfest Day 4: Official CMAfest Activities and Hard Rock Songwriter Series Begins
- CMAfest Day 5: CMA Close-up, Celebrity Total Outdoorsman Challenge, Johnny Cash Bash, Guitars of the Stars, Blake Shelton BSer's Party & Grand Ole Opry
- CMAfest Day 6: CMA Close-up, Leadership Music Yard Sale, Celebrity Softball Game, Summer Block Party, Honkytonk Hitman's Indie Outlaw Show, & Grand Ole Opry
- CMAfest Day 7: Sunday Mornin' Country Show, Martina McBride Celebrity Auction
