CMA Fest 2026 is officially here - and Night One at Nissan Stadium in Nashville is already packed with names worth staying up for.
The evening gets underway at 7:45 p.m. CT with Caylee Hammack opening with the national anthem, setting the tone before a full run of performances from Rhett Akins, Tucker Wetmore, Ella Langley, Deana Carter, and Gretchen Wilson. Jason Aldean closes the night as headliner, taking the stage at 11:30 p.m. CT behind his latest album, Songs About Us - over 20 years in, and he's still the one closing the show.
The four-day festival runs June 4-7 across Nissan Stadium and downtown Nashville, with Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Shaboozey, Luke Bryan, Tim McGraw, and Bailey Zimmerman still ahead on Nights Two through Four.
Every artist at CMA Fest performs without pay - all proceeds go toward music education through the CMA Foundation. That kind of giving is a reminder that the best stages are built on more than talent.
Single-night tickets are available now on Ticketmaster. The full weekend will be taped for a special airing later this summer on ABC and Hulu.
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