CMA Fest 2026, presented by SoFi, runs June 4 through 7 in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, delivering four nights of headliner sets at Nissan Stadium and free daytime concerts across more than 20 stages. The annual festival draws more than 80,000 country music fans per day and features over 200 artists across its full schedule, from established headliners like Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, and Luke Bryan to rising stars Tucker Wetmore, Ella Langley, and The Red Clay Strays. CMA Fest is the biggest week in country music every year, and the 2026 edition is the most stacked it has been in years.
CMA Fest 2026 Nissan Stadium Headliners by Night
The Nissan Stadium stage is where CMA Fest’s biggest moments happen every year. The 2026 lineup delivers a different tone each night, from legacy acts to the genre’s newest stars. Billboard’s full coverage confirms the nightly breakdown. Thursday, June 4, opens with Jason Aldean, Deana Carter, Ella Langley, Gretchen Wilson, and Tucker Wetmore. Friday, June 5, brings Keith Urban, Cody Johnson, Blake Shelton, The Red Clay Strays, and Shaboozey, with The Band Perry performing on a satellite stage. Saturday, June 6, features Zach Top, Jordan Davis, Tim McGraw, and Carly Pearce. Sunday, June 7, closes the weekend with Bailey Zimmerman, Russell Dickerson, HARDY, and Luke Bryan, with Stephen Wilson Jr. on the satellite stage.
The range on the Thursday bill alone tells you where country music is in 2026. Jason Aldean representing two decades of arena dominance on the same night as Tucker Wetmore, who just scored his first No. 1 with “Brunette,” is the kind of lineup that only CMA Fest can assemble.
Free Daytime Stages and What to Expect Around Downtown Nashville
The best-kept secret of CMA Fest is that a significant portion of it is completely free. Daytime programming runs daily at Riverfront Park, Bridgestone Plaza, Walk of Fame Park, and Ascend Park, giving fans access to rising artists and fan-favorite acts without a ticket. The free stages are where artists like Tucker Wetmore, Stephen Wilson Jr., and many others have built their CMA Fest legacies before graduating to the stadium. For first-time festival attendees, the daytime program is the discovery zone: the set where you turn to a stranger and ask “Who is that?” is often at noon on a side stage, not at 9 p.m. in a stadium.
Road closures in downtown Nashville begin the week of June 1. The full stadium ticket packages, four-day passes, and single-night Nissan Stadium tickets are available through cmafest.com and Ticketmaster.
Rising Artists to Watch at CMA Fest 2026
Beyond the stadium headliners, CMA Fest 2026 is rich with artists building real momentum. Ella Langley, who had one of the breakout moments at Stagecoach 2026, returns to a major festival stage. The Red Clay Strays, who drew record crowds to a secondary stage in Indio in April, perform on the stadium stage Friday night. Shaboozey brings a genre-blending energy that has made him one of the most-streamed country artists of 2025 and 2026. Tucker Wetmore, fresh off his first No. 1, is the must-watch act on the Thursday night bill. Any fan who wants to say they saw these artists before they headlined their own festivals should be at Nissan Stadium on June 4.
Frequently Asked: What Dates Is CMA Fest 2026?
CMA Fest 2026 runs June 4 through 7, 2026, in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Nightly headliner concerts take place at Nissan Stadium, with free daytime stages at Riverfront Park, Bridgestone Plaza, Walk of Fame Park, and Ascend Park. The festival is presented by SoFi and features more than 200 artists across the four-day run.
CMA Fest is the annual reminder of why country music has the most loyal fanbase in American music. The energy in downtown Nashville that week is unlike anything else, and the 2026 lineup makes a strong case for buying a ticket before they sell out. For country fans in Florida, CMA Fest is the warm-up. Sunset Country Fest 2027 brings that same full-festival energy to Apopka, Florida in March 2027. Mark your calendar and keep following Sunset Country Fest for lineup announcements, ticket info, and all the country music coverage you love.
Be First to Know When the Lineup Drops
Join the Sunset Country Fest insider list. Lineup announcements, ticket pre-sales, and festival news straight to your inbox.
Sources & References
- CMA Fest 2026 Official Lineup Page
- Billboard — CMA Fest 2026 Nissan Stadium Lineup
- Entertainment Focus — CMA Fest 2026 Lineup Expands: New Artists, Schedule and Tickets
- Nashville Guru — CMA Fest 2026 Guide
Disclaimer — Important Notice
The information published in this article is based on publicly available data from official sources, press releases, and music industry publications available at the time of writing. Tour dates, ticket prices, venue details, setlists, album release schedules, award nominations, lineup announcements, and all other details referenced in this article are subject to change at any time without prior notice.
Sunset Country Fest makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information contained herein. All changes, cancellations, rescheduling, postponements, or modifications to any events, releases, tour dates, award results, or announcements referenced in this article are the sole responsibility of the artists, record labels, talent agencies, concert promoters, venues, and any other third parties involved.
Sunset Country Fest shall not be held liable for any decisions, travel arrangements, ticket purchases, or other actions taken by readers based on the information published here. We strongly encourage all readers to verify current details, including dates, venues, ticket availability, and event status, directly through official artist channels, venue box offices, and authorized ticketing platforms before making any plans or purchases.
Last updated: May 30, 2026 · Sunset Country Fest Editorial Team · Contact Us