‘CMA Fest’ Broadcast to Air in August, Undergoes Name Change

For all of those who can’t make their way to the streets of downtown Nashville throughout the fun-filled weekend, they’re in luck come August because CMA Fest will be coming to their small screens later this summer.

Hosted by country stars and former Home Team tour mates Kelsea Ballerini and Thomas Rhett, the special television broadcast will feature three hours of performances from some of country music’s hottest stars throughout the night shows at the festival. It’ll give an all-access look to the four-night weekend by sharing both live concert looks and behind-the-scenes views for all country music fans to connect to their favorite artists.

Just some of the artists announced to take the stage at Nissan Stadium in Nashville includes Brett Eldredge, Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, Cole Swindell, Rascal Flatts, Blake Shelton and many more anticipated appearances.

CMA announced alongside the broadcast that they’d be transitioning the name of the broadcast from CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock to simply that of CMA Fest, which is what fans casually call the shows. ABC will host the newly-branded television hit for the 12th time.

The 2017 CMA Music Festival will kick off with a bang over this upcoming weekend, where live music will flow through the blocks of Broadway from 11 stages. Everyone who is anyone in the genre comes out to give their time back to raise awareness for the CMA Foundation, which encourages music education in schools and donates instruments toward programs across the country.

Fans who come to town for the annual country music hot spot will also get to experience meet-and-greets with musicians at Fan Fair X, as well as loads of surprises that pop up here and there around town throughout the four-day event.

CMA Fest will air on Wednesday, August 16, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.