CMA Music Festival Celebrates 45th Year with Record Attendance

The 2016 CMA Music Festival set a daily attendance record of 88,500.

CMA Music Festival Celebrates 45th Year with Record Attendance
Photo by Donn Jones / CMA

The 2016 CMA Music Festival, which sold out months in advance, set a daily attendance record of 88,500, according to the Country Music Association.

“The advance sell out speaks to the strength of the event, but great weather, the addition of two new, free stages at Ascend Amphitheater, and record crowds at Fan Fair X at the Music City Center contributed to our attendance hike,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern. “We continue to see strong local and regional support for this event, which is a boon to the city of Nashville.”

Attendance figures were calculated by the CMA and include four-day ticket packages and promotional tickets, plus attendance in Fan Fair X and the free stages downtown. The festival, which wrapped its 45th year on Sunday, hosted more than 500 artists and celebrities and featured more than 250 hours of concerts on 11 stages.

The 2017 CMA Music Festival will be held Thursday, June 8 through Sunday, June 11, 2017. Tickets for next year’s festival are on sale to returning fans now through Thursday, June 16. Tickets will go on to the general public on Monday, July 11.