Country Music’s Annual ‘CMA Fest’ Set For June Has Been Canceled

Officials have announced the four-day festival that brings country music’s biggest artists and acts together for concerts, meet-and-greets, and ultimate fan events in downtown Nashville will not take place in 2020. It was scheduled for June 4th – 7th. In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Country Music Association has issued a statement saying the decision follows the latest guidance from national, state, and local authorities. The CMA statement says while many will be disappointed, with the world still greatly affected by the spread of COVID-19, it “cannot in good conscience risk the health and well-being of our fans, artists, staff, and Country Music community.

The event has been held for the past 48 years and brings country music fans from all over the world to downtown Nashville for a one-of-a-kind event. It started off as “Fan Fair” in 1972 and was initially held at Nashville’s Municipal auditorium, drawing some 5000 people. It was later moved to the Fairgrounds, and in recent years has grown so big, it’s now covers a major portion of the downtown area with close to a dozen stages featuring live bands performing day and night over the four day period.

With regard to refunds, the CMA says:

We will honor four-day passes purchased for this year’s event for CMA Fest 2021. However, if you prefer a full refund, we will provide one upon request if your passes were purchased through Ticketmaster or the CMA Fest Box Office. Those who purchased passes through non-official channels should contact the seller directly. Within the next 24-48 hours, all four-day passes will receive an email with further instructions.

For the past 16 years, the CMA Fest has been filmed to air later as a primetime special on ABC. It’s unlike any other festival in music. Many of the artists donate their time during the festival so ticket proceeds can direct music programs throughout the country through the CMA Foundation.

Next year’s CMA Fest is scheduled for June 10^th through the 13^th.