This weekend, an estimated 95,000 fans traveled from across all 50 states and 33 countries to experience the 52nd year of the longest-running Country Music festival in the world, CMA Fest. The highly anticipated event, presented by SoFi took, over Nashville with four days of non-stop live music and unforgettable moments between music lovers.
From June 5-8, attendees had the chance to witness over 300 performances on multiple stages set up throughout the downtown area. The weekend also brought surprise appearances in local bars, 475 meet & greets at Fan Fair X inside Music City Center, immersive activations, and plenty of opportunities to support the CMA Foundation.
“What an incredible four days and nights. Even with a few weather interruptions, the energy and spirit of our fans never faded,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “From legendary acts to artists playing CMA Fest for the very first time, this year was a celebration of discovery, connection and community. And the fact that it all helps fund the CMA Foundation’s work in music education makes it even more impactful.”
Star-Studded Lineups Take Over Nissan Stadium
The event kicked off on Thursday, June 5 with Megan Moroney drawing a capacity crowd to the Chevy Riverfront Stage. Following the abundance of free performances during each day of the festival, the nights welcomed star-studded lineups from Nissan Stadium. For the first evening inside the home of the Tennessee Titans, artists like Ella Langley, Riley Green, Darius Rucker, Scotty McCreery, Brooks & Dunn, Lainey Wilson and more lit up the main stage while emerging acts such as Tigirlily Gold and Max McNown put their talents on display from the Platform Stage.
Friday night erupted in a genre-blending celebration with surprise collaborations from Shaboozey and Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson and Carín León, Jelly Roll and Brandon Lake, as well as Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan. Rita Wilson, Parker McCollum and Keith Urban also brought the star power to the main stage while Kameron Marlowe and Sam Barber delivered standout deliveries on the Platform Stage.
The excitement continued into Saturday night, when Deana Carter opened the show, setting the tone for breakout band The Red Clay Strays. Next up was Blake Shelton, who welcomed Trace Adkins to the stage to sing “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” “Hell Right” and “Hillbilly Bone.” Megan Moroney followed with one of the night’s most anticipated sets while Jordan Davis delivered a sing-along worthy set list of hits and rising singles.
Rascal Flatts closed the night with chart-topping favorites as well as a surprise appearance from Carly Pearce, who joined in on a heartfelt new rendition of “My Wish.” Meanwhile, Tiera Kennedy and Carter Faith resonated with fans during their powerful Platform Stage appearances.
Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Bailey Zimmerman & More Close Out Day Four
The final evening of the festival did not disappoint. Sunday night at Nissan Stadium brought CMA Fest 2025 to a close, with a lineup that kicked off with Rodney Atkins who welcome his son Elijah for a song. The show continued with Zach Top, Avery Anna, Kashus Culpepper, Tucker Wetmore, and Ashley McBryde. In the midst of Bailey Zimmerman’s high energy set, he surprised fans by inviting BigXthaPlug for an unforgettable version of “All The Way,” and also brought out Josh Ross to join him on “Backup Plan.”
Dylan Scott connected with fans from the center stage on the field, while Dierks Bentley brought his hits and humor before wrapping up his set by teaming up with Zach Top for “Free And Easy (Down The Road I Go)” and “Mountain Music.” Luke Bryan brought the weekend to a close with a hit-filled performance worthy of the festival’s biggest stage.
As the presenting partner of CMA Fest, SoFi hosted fans at the SoFi Plus Lounge throughout the weekend. This acitvation included an exclusive SoFi Plus Experience with a surprise appearance by Kelsea Ballerini at Nissan Stadium ahead of her headlining performance.
Just across the bridge from Nissan Stadium, fans sat under the stars and enjoyed a slew of talented acts at Ascend Amphitheater. The venue welcomed three nights of programming, from Thursday through Saturday, including the Whiskey Jam showcase, Jake Owen & Friends and Wynonna Judd’s Girls Night Out.
Giving Back To CMA Foundation
When they weren’t experiencing the plethora of live music throughout CMA Fest 2025, fans had several opportunities to support the CMA Foundation. On Saturday, Carly’s Closet returned with Carly Pearce offering items from her personal wardrobe and an acoustic performance, all to benefit music education. Throughout all four days, fans could shop exclusive CMA Fest merchandise that gives back, all available at Fan Fair X, online, and at Nissan Stadium, with a portion of proceeds supporting the CMA Foundation’s mission. Inside Fan Fair X, fans could also browse artists’ wardrobes at The Archives and bid on exclusive items through The Backstage Auction, in partnership with SOLID, with proceeds from both benefiting the CMA Foundation. And Fitness at Fest, presented by CELSIUS®, brought high-energy, donation-based workouts to the Good Molecules Reverb Stage on Friday and Saturday mornings.
How To Watch “CMA Fest presented by SoFi”
Those who are hoping to relive CMA Fest or experience it for the first time can do so by tuning into “CMA Fest presented by SoFi,” the three-hour primetime television special. Hosted by Cody Johnson and Ashley McBryde, the special is set to air Thursday, June 26 at 8/7c on ABC and will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.
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