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air-conditioned home in 2001, attendance numbers soared, with the 2002 festival drawing 126,000 fans. Attendance slipped slightly the following year, partially because many of the more-renowned country music stars declined to appear at the festival. However, in 2003, attendance was down only 1.7% over the year before, compared to a 25% decline in overall U.S. tourist travel for the same period. The attendance slippage was not permanent; in 2007, a record-breaking crowd of 191,000 people attended the festival.
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212:. The inaugural four-day event was attended by 5,000 fans and featured 20 hours of live entertainment and 100 exhibit booths, including autograph booths. The following year, Fan Fair was moved to June in the hope of finding better weather conditions and attracting more visitors—attendance doubled to 10,000 fans. In the third year,
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In 2010 and 2011, a record 65,000 people a day were estimated to have attended ticketed and free events. In 2011, total combined attendance for the four-day event was estimated to have exceeded 250,000 people at ticketed events and in free areas. Visitors came from 41 nations, and all 50 US states.
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Through 2000, the CMA Music
Festival was considered a sell-out if 25,000 people attended. Attendees span all ages, from infants to the elderly and come from 41 countries, including Canada, France, Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Japan, and Russia. After moving to its new, larger and
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In 2015 tickets sold out seven months in advance and had a record-setting attendance of 87,680 fans attending the event besting 2014 by 9.6%. In 2022, the festival returned for the first time (1099 days) since closing during the COVID-19 pandemic and sold out with fans from across the US and 39
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A new attendance record was set in 2007 with 191,154 fans attending. Those in attendance participated in more than 100 hours of concerts, 30 hours of organized autograph signings, family activities, celebrity sports competitions, interactive exhibits, giveaways, games and other
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Fan Fair underwent major changes in 2001. For the first time, the event was held over a long weekend (Thursday, June 14 to Sunday, June 17) instead of during the work week. At the same time, the festival moved from its long-time home at the fairgrounds to several sites clustered in downtown
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266:, with each label choosing which of its artists would be able to perform, and the length of the appearance. Beginning with Fan Fair 2001, these main concerts were grouped instead by record distribution group. This allowed for four main concerts, for
309:. The first special, which aired on July 14, 2004, ranked number 16 in viewers, with an estimated 9 million people tuning in. The annual special, re-edited from the three days of events, continues to air on ABC as of the present.
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attended Fan Fair despite being under doctor's orders not to speak or sing, so that her injured vocal cords could heal. She used a computer to type messages for her fans to read as she held "conversations" with them.
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decided at the last minute to attend the 25th anniversary of the festival in 1996. He was swarmed with fans, and stayed in his booth signing autographs for 23 hours and 10 minutes without a single break.
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In 2004, the CMA renamed the event to the CMA Music
Festival in order to change negative perceptions, embrace the CMA brand, and expand its appeal. Also in 2004, the
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174:, the event now draws approximately 350 artists and celebrities who hold autograph sessions and perform in concerts offered throughout the festival.
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Proceeds from the festival benefit music education programs in public schools through the charitable arm of CMA, the CMA Foundation.
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and other radio dignitaries that the CMA hosted in the fall. The inaugural Fan Fair was held from April 12–15, 1972, at
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743:"CMA World | 2015 CMA Music Festival Sets Attendance Record with 87,680 Fans - CMA World"
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activities. Over 400 celebrities made appearances at the 2007 CMA Music
Festival.
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282:. The artists are not paid to attend the festival or for their performances during it.
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197:(CMA), created Fan Fair in 1972 so that fans would refrain from attending the annual
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371:"Final Fan Fair at Fairgrounds: Annual Country Fest in for a Change, Benson Says"
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performed a duet for the last time before dissolving their partnership.
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581:"ABC to Air CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock in July"
435:"Nashville Sound: Democracy in action at Country Music Fan Fair"
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network televised the event as a two-hour special known as
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235:, was canceled in 1989 to add more shows. In 1991, singer
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The festival went on hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to the
696:"CMA Fest: It's a Wrap | Music City Music Council"
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signing autographs at the CMA Music
Festival in 2006
262:Until 2001, the evening concerts were organized by
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Country music festival in
Nashville, Tennessee, USA
639:"Nashville Skyline: Fan Fair: Show Up or Get Lost"
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556:"Fan Fair changes leave faithful feeling blue"
500:"Fan Fair 2001 Proclaims Itself 'The Biggest'"
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138:Ira Dean, Heidi Newfield, and Keith Burns of
802:Country music festivals in the United States
812:Tourist attractions in Nashville, Tennessee
307:CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock
721:"Festival Attendance Booms, Up 16 Percent"
685:
668:"CMA Festival Has Record Breaking Numbers"
411:. CMA Music Festival. 2007. Archived from
316:The name was changed to CMA Fest in 2018.
780:CMA Music Festival/Fan Fair Photo Gallery
670:. WSMV News. June 6, 2007. Archived from
613:"CMA Fest return marks 80K in attendance"
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297:performing at CMA Music Festival in 2008
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797:Music festivals in Nashville, Tennessee
227:By 1982, the festival was moved to the
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822:Music festivals established in 1972
807:Folk festivals in the United States
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170:. Beginning in 1972 under the name
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498:Brooks, Kix (November 28, 2000).
827:1972 establishments in Tennessee
433:Patterson, Jim (June 30, 1999).
201:-only convention meant more for
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617:News Channel 5 Nashville (WTVF)
528:Cooper, Peter (June 12, 2006).
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350:List of country music festivals
286:CMA Music Festival (since 2004)
637:Flippo, Chet (June 12, 2003).
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530:"A little rock, a lot country"
463:Bream, Jon (October 5, 1998).
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587:. May 3, 2007. Archived from
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193:radio, coordinating with the
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465:"Q&A with Garth Brooks"
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817:Annual events in Tennessee
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162:, hosted each June by the
154:until 2018, is a four-day
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164:Country Music Association
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469:Minneapolis Star Tribune
323:, but returned in 2022.
96:1972–2019, 2022–present
37:Infobox recurring event
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42:considered for merging
649:on September 30, 2007
510:on September 30, 2007
381:on September 30, 2007
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251:Nashville, including
229:Nashville Fairgrounds
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210:Municipal Auditorium
186:Fan Fair (1972–2003)
168:Nashville, Tennessee
87:Nashville, Tennessee
475:on October 11, 2007
445:on January 30, 2013
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166:(CMA) in downtown
152:CMA Music Festival
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18:CMA Music Festival
583:(Press release).
321:COVID-19 pandemic
257:Bridgestone Arena
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16:(Redirected from
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504:MTV Networks
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244:Garth Brooks
242:
237:Kathy Mattea
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218:Dolly Parton
203:disk jockeys
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171:
158:centered on
151:
147:
145:
111:Organised by
93:Years active
35:
727:16 December
340:countries.
207:Nashville's
83:Location(s)
31:‹ The
791:Categories
753:2016-06-15
706:2011-06-27
678:2007-07-09
653:2007-07-07
623:2023-02-17
595:2007-07-09
566:2023-03-15
541:2007-07-07
514:2007-07-09
479:2007-07-09
449:2007-07-09
419:2007-07-09
385:2007-07-09
369:Orr, jay.
356:References
327:Attendance
140:Trick Pony
535:USA Today
409:"History"
295:Sugarland
148:CMA Fest,
40:is being
344:See also
172:Fan Fair
101:Founders
51:CMA Fest
44:. ›
33:template
272:WEA/EMI
181:History
124:cmafest
119:Website
278:, and
75:Dates
65:Genre
729:2021
268:Sony
220:and
146:The
126:.com
78:June
643:CMT
585:ABC
375:CMT
303:ABC
280:BMG
276:UNI
191:WSM
793::
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