Ask the Intern
Hello there fellow Country Music fanatic! My name is Tommie and I’m currently a CMA intern. I must say, it’s pretty cool being on the inside of the organization that puts on this awesome event each year, CMA Music Festival. I imagine you may have questions about the Festival and that’s what I’m here for – to help you anyway I can. Just “ask the intern” by emailing your question to this address: fancomments(at)cmaworld(dot)com
Past Questions:
Question: Hi Tommie- Does the CMA offer photos or autograph book for purchase on-site or should we bring our own? Also, are cameras allowed into the Exhibit Hall and other events? Are there any size restrictions on cameras? Is bottled water allowed? - “Nashville Here we Come”
Answer: Hi There- “Nashville Here We Come”! - If you have tickets to the truTV™ Fan Fair® Hall and are planning to get your autographs there, then typically artists will give out photographs and other merchandise items for free or purchase which you can use to record you signatures. However, we do not sell official autograph books or photos. I would recommend bringing a binder, notebook, or scrapbook of some sort. I would also recommend bringing it EVERYWHERE, along with your camera. Here at the CMA Music Festival, the Country Artists come to Nashville to see you, their fans. You can expect that if you are downtown or at a CMA Music Festival event, somebody exciting might show up for a surprise performance or a handshake. If this happens, you will probably want a pen and paperJ. Inside the truTV™ Fan Fair® Hall and other CMA Music Festival events, there are no restrictions on types of cameras. However, large bags are not allowed. Therefore, if you have a large camera, which comes with a large bag, I would recommend you shrink your documentation process. Bottled water will be available for purchase but outside food and drink are not permitted.
Question: Could you please tell me what time the kickoff parade/ block party is on Wednesday June 4th? I've searched all over the CMA Music Festival website and can't seem to find out what time it starts/ ends. Any info on this subject would be great! Thankx, Michelle, from Vermont
Answer: Hi Michelle from Vermont! The Wednesday Experience is something everybody is really looking forward too, so we are getting this question from a lot of fans. And believe me- we hear you! The CMA is putting together a really fantastic FREE Parade and Concert Block Party for Wednesday, so I encourage you to plan on attending. Trust me- you don’t want to miss this! We have yet to confirm and announce the starting time. Just keep checking in to the schedule page on www.cmafest.com, because as soon as we know- you will too! Thanks so much for your enthusiasm Michelle! Hope to see you in June!
Question: I was reading in the Country Music Magazine that many artists give "more intimate" concerts to members of their fan clubs at smaller venues around town. I am not currently a member of any of the fan clubs, but I was interested in maybe joining one simply to go to one of these concerts. Where and when can I find out who will have these? Also, would my girlfriend and I both have to join to attend? Any help would be greatly appreciated and thank you in advance for any information you can provide! Thank you, Todd from Ohio
Answer: Hi Todd! This is a great question. The concerts that you are referring to are called CMA Music Festival After Hours™. They typically occur after the LP Field concerts anywhere downtown; but artists also might organize events during the day as well. If you are interested in seeing specific artists perform in this type of setting, I would recommend visiting their websites to become a member of their individual fan clubs. While artists definitely reach out with news and information through their websites, they also use social networking sites such as MySpace. Maybe you could join a few of the fan clubs through this site in order to be in the loop? Additionally, artists will give more intimate performances at the exhibit hall in the Acoustic Corner. The schedule for these events will be released shortly; just keep checking us out www.cmafest.com! After Hours and Acoustic Corner aside, I guarantee that if you are in downtown Nashville anytime June 5th-8th, day or night, you will be hearing the country music you love.
Question: I need some advice! Is it better to take your own car or get a shuttle to and from? – Jendell from Maryland.
Answer: Jendell, all CMA Music Festival activities are conveniently located in Downtown Nashville within walking distance of each other. It really depends where you are staying in relation to downtown. Using your own vehicle, you can keep things in it like rain jackets, water, etc., but consider that even though there are ample parking spots downtown, you will have additional daily parking cost.
The free shuttle is a great four-day ticket holder’s benefit that stops at major CMA Music Festival event sites downtown. The shuttles have A/C which is a nice break from the heat when traveling from location to location. Visit the Planning & Transportation section of this website to get additional maps and information. Keep in mind there will be plenty of walking even if you do use your own vehicle or the festival shuttle, so make sure you have comfy shoes.
