How Much Does CMA Fest Actually Cost for a Group in 2026

Country music fans usually decide to go to CMA Fest before looking at the actual cost. It seems manageable—the festival is a long weekend, flights from most of the country are reasonable, and you're splitting everything six ways. Then you realize the face-value ticket is just the start.

Full cost breakdown using official 2026 CMA Fest pricing, current hotel and Airbnb rates for Nashville during the festival, restaurant and bar pricing, and spending patterns from real group trips. The numbers below assume a group of 6 attending all four nights.

The full cost breakdown

The four-night stadium pass (which includes Nissan Stadium nightly shows plus Fan Fair X) ranges from $260-311 face value for upper-level seating. Single-night tickets start at $70 face value. Availability and pricing move frequently—check CMA Fest and Ticketmaster for current inventory. VIP Elevate packages start at $5,835+ per person and are not included in the tier estimates below.

Admission / tickets

The four-night pass is $260-311 face value for upper-level seating, includes reserved seats at Nissan Stadium for all four nightly concerts, and includes four-day admission to Fan Fair X (the indoor venue with acoustic performances, shopping, and meet & greets). Passes are available now—check CMA Fest for current pricing.

If you're flexible on which nights you attend, single-night tickets start at $70 face value for the cheapest seats. Availability and resale pricing move frequently, so check Ticketmaster for current inventory. The math usually favors the four-night pass if you're attending multiple nights.

Premium VIP options exist through Elevate Experiences (Gold Rope packages with all-inclusive food and bar, or Field Suite cabanas), starting at $5,835+ per person. Pricing varies by package. Most groups stick with general admission.

If your group just wants to hit the free daytime stages downtown (the Riverfront Stage and other outdoor performance areas), you can skip the ticket entirely. Fan Fair X is included with the paid four-night passes. Budget $0 if you're staying for the free outdoor performances and Broadway honky-tonks.

Accommodation

This is where group size makes the biggest difference.

Budget: ~$200/person for 4 nights ($50/night)

A basic hotel outside downtown (like a Hampton Inn & Suites or Courtyard by Marriott in the Green Hills area) runs $150-200/night before taxes. Split among 6 people, that's $25-33 per night per person. You're 20-30 minutes from the festival but saving hundreds.

Some groups book a budget Airbnb further out—say, $800/night for 4 nights in a suburban neighborhood—and accept the rideshare cost as the tradeoff. That works if the house is comfortable and has a kitchen for breakfast.

Balanced: ~$480/person for 4 nights ($120/night)

A 2-3 bedroom Airbnb downtown or in a neighborhood like The Gulch runs $500-700/night during festival week. For 6 people over 4 nights, that's $80-117 per person per night. This is where most groups end up. The kitchen is huge for breakfast and pre-gaming. You get common areas and walkability to Broadway honky-tonks.

Downtown hotels during CMA Fest run $200-350/night depending on the brand. For 6 people splitting 3 rooms (2 per room), that's roughly $100-175 per person per night. Hotels include amenities but don't have kitchen access, which adds food costs.

Book 4-6 weeks out. Prices jump 30-40% inside the final two weeks.

Premium: ~$1,200/person for 4 nights ($300/night)

An upscale Airbnb downtown or in West End (like the properties hotels offer bundled packages through) runs $1,200-1,800/night. For 6 people, that's $200-300 per person per night. A premium hotel (Omni Nashville Hotel, Drury Plaza, Hyatt Place) during CMA Fest runs $350-450/night for the room; split 3 ways per room, that's $175-225 per person per night for the hotel-only rate (the bundled packages inflate these with included ticket costs).

Food & drink

Festival food is expensive, and Broadway drinks add up faster than expected.

Budget: $140/person over 4 days ($35/day)

Cook breakfast or grab coffee and a pastry ($6-10). Lunch from a casual spot or food truck ($12-16). Dinner at an inexpensive restaurant or street food ($15-20). Drinks limited to 1-2 per day, shopping at a liquor store and pre-gaming at the Airbnb before heading out.

The concession stands at Nissan Stadium run typical festival pricing: $12-20 for burgers and hot dogs, $8-15 for drinks. If you're eating there, budget $25-30 for a meal during the stadium shows. Grocery store runs for snacks and breakfast items cost $30-40 for the group to split.

Balanced: $280/person over 4 days ($70/day)

Breakfast from your Airbnb or a casual cafe ($8-12). Lunch at a mid-range restaurant or food cart ($15-20). Dinner at a good sit-down place ($25-35). Drinks: 2-3 per day, mix of Broadway honky-tonks and nicer bars.

Broadway honky-tonks have no cover charge. Beer runs $6-12 depending on the bar; cocktails are $10-14 at standard places, $12-16 at rooftops. Two drinks per night on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday is about $60-80 just on alcohol before food.

One meal everyone gets: hot chicken. Hattie B's is the tourist-friendly option (expect a 30-60 minute line, budget $15-18 per person). Prince's is the original (casual counter-service, worth the wait). Bolton's in East Nashville is the local move (shorter line than Hattie B's). Budget $15-18 per person with sides and a drink. It's one of the cheapest and most memorable meals of the trip.

Premium: $460/person over 4 days ($115/day)

Breakfast at a nice cafe or upscale brunch ($12-18). Lunch at a mid-range restaurant ($15-25). Dinner at a better place ($40-60). Drinks: whatever you want, no math. Count on 3-4 drinks per day when you factor in morning coffee, afternoon beverages, and a night on Broadway.

Nashville has strong restaurants. If you're doing sit-down dinners, expect $40-75 per person including drinks and tip.

Transportation

From the airport to downtown

Shared shuttle services run $18-20 per person one-way. Public bus (WeGo Route 18) costs $2 one-way. Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) runs $20-35 before surcharges; there's $7 extra on rideshare pickups from BNA (a $5 airport surcharge plus a $2 city fee) and $5 on dropoffs to BNA (airport surcharge only), so add $12 round-trip to your estimate. Taxi flat rate to downtown is approximately $30.

Getting around the city

Broadway is mostly walkable from downtown Airbnbs. If you're staying further out, budget $18-25 per typical Uber trip. You might need 4-5 rides total over the weekend if you're strategic.

WeGo public transit: $2 per ride, or $4 for a day pass. Most groups don't end up using it much—Ubers from the Airbnb to Nissan Stadium or Broadway are the norm.

Parking

If you're driving: Metro Courthouse Garage is $5 evenings/weekends and $15 on event days. SpotHero (advance parking reservation) typically runs $15-35/day downtown. Nissan Stadium on-site parking hasn't announced final 2026 pricing yet.

Flights

Round-trip flights from most of the US to Nashville average $280-350 for June 2026. Regional ranges:

• West Coast (LAX, San Francisco): $275-350 round-trip
• East Coast (NYC, Boston): $280-360 round-trip
• Central/South (Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta): $250-330 round-trip

Book 55+ days out for best rates. Booking within 2 weeks adds $75-150+ per ticket.

Total transportation budget per person: Flight + airport transfer + 4-5 local Ubers + transit. Budget $180 (if flying cheap and using public transit), balanced $280 (flight + reasonable rideshare), premium $350 (early-booked flight + no surge concerns).

Fees & extras

Tips & gratuities

Restaurant/server: 18-20% customary. Bartenders at honky-tonks: cash tips appreciated (especially if musicians are playing for tips). Rideshare: 15-20%.

Festival merch

T-shirts, hats, and band merchandise run $25-60 per item. Someone in your group will buy a hoodie ($90-120) or two. Most groups budget $50-150 per person for merch.

Parking (if driving)

If you're self-driving instead of flying: $5-15/day for 4 days is $20-60 total. Per-person share among 6: roughly $3-10 per person. If you're taking rideshare, this cost is built into the Uber line.

Supplies & gear

Sunscreen, bug spray, rain gear, comfortable shoes, a reusable water bottle. Most groups do a pre-trip Target run and end up with this stuff plus snacks and drinks: $40-60 per person.

Estimated fees & extras per person (varies widely by tier and choices):

• Budget tier: ~$100 (modest tips ~$15, basic supplies ~$40, misc ~$45)
• Balanced tier: ~$200 (reasonable tips ~$50, $75 merch, supplies ~$50, misc ~$25)
• Premium tier: ~$350 (generous tips ~$90, $150 merch, supplies ~$60, misc ~$50)

What nobody tells you about CMA Fest costs

Surge pricing after the stadium shows let out. When thousands of people leave Nissan Stadium, rideshare demand spikes. Budget an extra $30-50 per group over the weekend for late-night Ubers instead of waiting for normal pricing or taking a shuttle.

The longer the trip, the more you spend on extras. Four nights away means four chances to buy a round at Broadway, four dinners, four days of tips. It's not a long weekend—it's a full trip. Plan accordingly.

Fan Fair X is worth going to even if you skip the stadium pass. Standalone admission is typically around $28 per person (check CMA Fest for current pricing). If you have the four-night pass, it's included. The acoustic performances and shopping are legitimate draws, especially on slower daytime hours.

Merch prices vary wildly by artist. Generic festival hoodies are $90-120. A specific artist's band tee might be $40-60, but limited edition stuff or high-profile artists push $60-80. Expect someone to spend more than planned.

Honky-tonk atmosphere changes by day and time. Friday and Saturday nights on Broadway draw cover bands and paying crowds. Weekday (Thursday, Sunday) mornings have free performances and cheaper vibe. Time your visits strategically if budget is tight.

The person fronting the Airbnb carries a balance. Someone books the place and carries $1,200-2,400 on their card before everyone pays back. Either collect shares upfront or log shared expenses so everyone can see what they owe and settle when the trip wraps. The longer it takes to settle up, the weirder it gets.

Frequently asked questions

Q: How much does CMA Fest cost per person for a group?

A: A group of 6 can expect to spend roughly $950 to $2,700 per person for a four-day weekend. Budget groups land around $950, most groups end up near $1,550 in the balanced range, and premium groups spend around $2,700. The range depends mostly on where you sleep and how many nights you're on Broadway.

Q: Is it cheaper to buy a four-night pass or single-night tickets?

A: The four-night pass is cheaper at face value ($260-311) versus single nights at $70 each. Availability moves frequently—check CMA Fest and Ticketmaster for current inventory. The math usually favors the four-night pass if you're attending multiple nights.

Q: How much does accommodation cost for a group of 6?

A: Budget hotels outside downtown run about $150-200/night, or roughly $200 per person for four nights. Balanced Airbnbs downtown run $500-700/night (roughly $350-480 per person for four nights split six ways). Premium downtown hotels run $350-450/night per room, or roughly $700-900 per person for four nights (3 rooms split 6 ways). Book 4-6 weeks ahead—prices jump 30-40% inside the final two weeks.

Q: What's the actual cost of food and drinks over four days?

A: Budget groups spend roughly $140 total ($35/day) by cooking breakfast and eating casual lunches. Balanced groups spend about $280 ($70/day) mixing casual meals with one good dinner and 2-3 drinks daily. Premium groups spend around $460 ($115/day) eating sit-down dinners most nights. One hot chicken meal from Hattie B's, Prince's, or Bolton's costs $15-18 per person with sides.

Q: What hidden costs should I budget for?

A: Surge pricing after stadium shows costs an extra $30-50 for the group's late-night Ubers. Merch spending varies widely—someone will likely buy a hoodie for $90-120. Tips, supplies, and misc costs add up: budget $100 for a budget tier, $200 for mid-range, and $350 for premium. The person fronting the Airbnb carries $1,200-2,400 on their card before everyone pays back.

About this data

Cost estimates are based on 2026 CMA Fest pricing and Nashville hotel and Airbnb market data for June 4-7, 2026, published restaurant and bar pricing from Nashville venues, Broadway honky-tonk data, and US domestic flight averages from major booking sites. Per-person figures assume a group of 6 attending all four nights with general admission passes. Prices are in USD and were last reviewed in March 2026. Your actual costs will vary based on group size, exact accommodation choice, and current ticket availability. Availability and prices change frequently.

Last updated: March 2026. Have updated data? Let us know at [email protected].

How the three tiers actually feel

Most country music fan groups end up in the balanced range. You get a bed, a kitchen for breakfast, enough spending money to buy drinks without doing math, and reasonable transportation without penny-pinching. The budget option works if your group commits to grocery shopping and pre-gaming. The premium option is for groups where money isn't a factor and you want the full hotel experience.

How groups keep it together

Book the Airbnb under one person but collect payment before you arrive. One person shouldn't carry $2,400 on their card while waiting for five others to reimburse. Venmo or PayPal everyone's share the week before the trip.

Designate one person for group expenses. If someone's buying rounds of drinks at the honky-tonk or fronting the parking fee, use YAAT to track shared expenses so you're not chasing people for money on the drive home. Log expenses as they happen, not after.

Set a group kitty for small shared costs. Everyone puts in $30-40 at the start for shared Ubers, group dinners, and the inevitable Target run. Way easier than splitting every $8 coffee or $15 parking fee.

Don't split bar tabs evenly. This is the most common fight on group trips. You had three cocktails, someone else had two beers. Just pay for what you ordered. Most groups now use Venmo to split individual rounds right after.

The bottom line

The festival weekend (June 4-7) is peak season. Hotels are 30-40% more expensive inside of 2 weeks, and ticket prices can shift quickly. If your group is going, booking the Airbnb now and locking in flights before April saves you $200-300 per person compared to last-minute.

Looking at Nashville trips? Check out our Nashville bachelorette party cost guide and Lollapalooza 2026 cost guide.