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CMA Music Fest

www.cmafest.com The Country Music Association Festival is a yearly festival where fans get to see dozens of country music stars (and rising stars) perform in one long weekend. The 2006 CMA Fest was our first and it was very nice. We had four day passes that got us into all the different fair areas (the outside daytime concert venue by the river, the convention center autograph booth/display area, the Colliseum for the nightly concert) which you wear around your neck so you don't have to worry about losing a ticket. You have the same seat in the stadium for the nightly concert every night. This year they addded "suprise special guests" each night and that went over very well each night. They plan on doing it again in the future since the crowds liked it so much.

You can buy individual night concert tickets but they only get you into that night's concert and not anywhere else in the Festival. I think this would work best for locals or people just in town for one night. Otherwise the four day pass is well worth the money for all that you get to attend. The four day pass also allows you go to in the front row pit area in front of the stage to take photos of your favorite performers while they are singing. You are literally 4 feet from Kenny Chesney or Martina McBride as they sing.

This is a very fan friendly and family friendly event. Alcohol is served at the concerts but no one was rowdy or out of control. We had our 2 year old with us and never felt uncomfortable at any of the events with her. She was free to all the events with us and sat on our laps at the concerts at night.

As for parking at this downtown event I suggest the four day $28 parking pass at the Collisium (plus $2 handling charge) because you park there in the morning, walk across the pedestrian bridge to the other side of the river where the rest of the Music Fest activities are and then at 6pm walk back over for the nightly concerts. Beats paying $7-$15 for a parking deck space daily. And you can come and go from the Collisium parking lot with your pass that you hang from your rearview mirror. There is a free shuttle system from all four main areas of the music fest that runs about every 5-10 minutes all day so you could take the shuttle from the Collisium and back anytime during the day to get to your car.

If you like country music and want to go to a fun event the CMA Fest is a one of a kind experience!