Nashville Unscripted · Events Guide
The CMA Awards 2026 will be one of the most emotional nights in country music history — the first major awards show since the death of Dolly Parton. November at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
The CMA Awards are country music’s biggest night — held every November at Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville and broadcast live on ABC. The 2026 ceremony will be unlike any other, taking place just months after the death of Dolly Parton and certain to feature significant tributes to the Queen of Country.
Date
Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Venue
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville
Broadcast
ABC — Live
Tickets
Via CMA — cmaawards.com
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CMA Awards week is one of the busiest hotel weeks in Nashville all year. Downtown hotels book up months in advance. If you’re planning to attend — book now.
CMA Awards Nashville Accommodation
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Browse Nashville Hotels → Browse Nashville VRBOs →What Are the CMA Awards?
The Country Music Association Awards — the CMAs — are the premier awards show for country music, held annually in Nashville since 1967. Unlike many awards shows, the CMAs are voted on entirely by CMA members — music industry professionals — rather than the public or a small committee.
The show is broadcast live on ABC and draws some of country music’s biggest performance moments of the year. Artists don’t just accept awards — they perform. The CMA Awards night is as much a concert as a ceremony, with multiple full performances throughout the broadcast.
Major award categories include Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Male and Female Vocalist of the Year, and New Artist of the Year.
The 2026 CMA Awards and Dolly Parton
The 2026 CMA Awards will be the first major country music awards show since Dolly Parton’s death on August 25, 2026. Every year the CMAs include an In Memoriam tribute — the 2026 ceremony will honor Dolly alongside other artists lost during the year, and the tribute is expected to be one of the most significant moments in the show’s history.
The awards themselves take on additional meaning this year. Entertainer of the Year, in particular, is awarded in the shadow of the woman who defined what it meant to be a country music entertainer for six decades.
Attending the CMA Awards in 2026 means being in Bridgestone Arena for what will almost certainly be one of the most emotional nights in country music history.
CMA Awards Tickets
How to Get CMA Awards Tickets
CMA Awards tickets are notoriously difficult to obtain. The ceremony is largely an industry event — most seats go to CMA members, record labels, management companies, and sponsors. A limited number of public tickets are made available through official channels at cmaawards.com. Check the CMA website for public ticket availability as the date approaches. Resale market tickets are available but typically at significant premiums.
Watching the CMA Awards Without a Ticket
You don’t need a ticket to experience CMA Awards week in Nashville. The energy in downtown Nashville during CMA week is extraordinary — artists, industry professionals, and fans from across the country fill the honky tonks and venues around Bridgestone Arena.
- Broadway and the honky tonks — CMA week brings unofficial showcases and pop-up performances throughout Lower Broadway. Artists appear at Tootsie’s, Honky Tonk Central, and other venues throughout the week.
- CMA Close Up Stage — free outdoor performances typically held during CMA week for fans without tickets to the main ceremony.
- Watch the broadcast — ABC broadcasts the full CMA Awards live. Watch it from a Broadway bar surrounded by country music fans for the full Nashville experience.
Parking and Getting Around During CMA Week
Bridgestone Arena sits in the heart of downtown Nashville — a few blocks from Broadway. CMA Awards night means significant downtown congestion.
- Book parking in advance through SpotHero — downtown garages fill fast on show night. Find CMA Awards parking →
- Stay downtown and walk — the best CMA week strategy. A downtown hotel puts you walking distance from Bridgestone and Broadway.
- Rideshare — surge pricing will be significant after the show ends. See our Nashville rideshare guide for tips.
→ Dolly Parton Hotel Nashville: Inside the SongTeller
→ Dolly Parton Nashville: Her Legacy in Music City
→ Dolly Parton Nashville Memorials: Where to Pay Your Respects
→ Complete Nashville Parking Guide
→ Nashville Rideshare Guide
→ Nashville Bachelorette Party Guide
→ Best VRBOs in Nashville
CMA Awards 2026 date, nominees, and performers have not yet been officially announced. Always verify current information at cmaawards.com. This post will be updated as details are confirmed. This post contains affiliate links.