The Country Music Association is getting ready for one of its biggest events of the year. A parade and block party in downtown Nashville Wednesday will kick off the CMA Music Festival, which officially starts on Thursday.
Last year, more than 161,000 people attended the four day music festival that features concerts, and its trademark “meet and greet” with country music artists.
CMA has tried to reposition the musical festival, which was known as Fan Fair for nearly 30 years, as an event for Nashville residents and not just Country Music fans.
Tammy Genovese is CMA’s Chief Operating Officer. She credits a 20%increase in ticket sales this year to stronger outreach in the city.
“We have the charity component where we’re giving back to the city on behalf of our artists who play for free and you know we gave almost $400,000 dollars this year, and certainly, it will be more than that next year, for Music Education Program for Davidson County school kids. I think that has some made some pretty hefty inroads to our residents here that CMA is a part of the community, and we want that partnership going both ways. And that’s one of the things we’re really striving to get and to work on.”
Genovese estimates that the CMA Music Fest brings in $19 million in tourism revenue to Nashville.
Wednesday’s parade and block party also means major shutdowns for most of downtown.
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