THE COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION KICKS OFF CMA FEST WEEK WITH COUNTRY FORWARD EVENT
Bi-Annual Celebration Brings Together Industry and Community Ahead of CMA Fest presented by SoFi
The Country Music Association officially kicked off CMA Fest presented by SoFi week on Sunday, May 31 with Country Forward, a vibrant membership-focused gathering dedicated to community, connection, and the future of Country Music. Hosted at Nashville’s Aura Lounge, the event welcomed music industry professionals, CMA staff and Board members, and community leaders for an afternoon centered on bridging the music industry and the greater Nashville community through shared connection.
Now in its fourth iteration, Country Forward has become a signature CMA gathering rooted in intentionality. The event is designed to bring together people who might not otherwise cross paths, creating organic space for conversation, collaboration and connection. This year’s theme, “Bright Lights and Big Country,” reflected the event’s core belief that the more people feel seen, welcomed, and included in Country Music’s story, the stronger the entire industry becomes.
“There is something genuinely special about what happens at Country Forward,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “People come together from all different corners of this industry and this city, and something clicks. Relationships form, opportunities open, and collaborations begin—not because anyone planned it that way, but because people show up and are present with each other. That kind of community building is what Country Music is built on, and this event reminds us of that every single time.”
Country Forward is a bi-annual CMA initiative held each CMA Awards and CMA Fest week. It reflects CMA’s broader commitment to Nashville—an organization that each year brings millions of visitors and dollars to the city, and directs a portion of CMA Fest proceeds to the CMA Foundation, which has invested more than $33 million in music education initiatives across the country. To learn more about CMA Membership, visit CMAmember.com.
Sarah Trahern (CMA CEO) and Mia Jones (CMA Senior Director, Industry Relations and Inclusion) during Country Forward on Sunday, May 31 at Nashville’s Aura Lounge.
Photo Credit: Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for CMA
Invited artists gather during Country Forward on Sunday, May 31 at Nashville’s Aura Lounge.
Photo Credit: Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for CMA
MŌRIAH and Frankie Staton during Country Forward on Sunday, May 31 at Nashville’s Aura Lounge.
Photo Credit: Lorenzo Huerta/CMA
Cory Mason and Cash Cortez during Country Forward on Sunday, May 31 at Nashville’s Aura Lounge.
Photo Credit: Lorenzo Huerta/CMA
James Marsh, Tessa Kuzio, Shy Carter and Markus Kroger during Country Forward on Sunday, May 31 at Nashville’s Aura Lounge.
Photo Credit: Lorenzo Huerta/CMA
Angie K and Rodney Smith during Country Forward on Sunday, May 31 at Nashville’s Aura Lounge.
Photo Credit: Lorenzo Huerta/CMA
Elia Esparza and Alyssia Dominguez during Country Forward on Sunday, May 31 at Nashville’s Aura Lounge.
Photo Credit: Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for CMA
Brandon Campbell and Derek Campbell of The Kentucky Gentlemen during Country Forward on Sunday, May 31 at Nashville’s Aura Lounge.
Photo Credit: Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for CMA
Gina Miller and Prana Supreme Diggs during Country Forward on Sunday, May 31 at Nashville’s Aura Lounge.
Photo Credit: Lorenzo Huerta/CMA
About CMA Fest
For more than 50 years, CMA Fest has united the Country Music community, bringing fans, artists and industry professionals together for four unforgettable days in the heart of Nashville. What began in 1972 as Fan Fair® with just 5,000 attendees has evolved into the longest-running Country Music festival in the world, drawing an estimated 95,000 daily attendees. CMA Fest is more than a festival—it’s a celebration of the connection between artists and fans, featuring hundreds of performances and collaborations across multiple stages, once-in-a-lifetime moments, and the vibrant energy of Nashville, all fueling something bigger than the event itself. Through the participation of artists and the broader Country Music community, a portion of proceeds support music education initiatives nationwide through the CMA Foundation. This year marks the 23rd consecutive year that CMA has produced a summer music program to air as a network television special on ABC and Hulu.
About the Country Music Association
Founded in 1958, the Country Music Association is the first trade organization formed to promote a type of music. CMA created the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961 to recognize artists and industry professionals with Country Music’s highest honor. Music industry professionals and companies across the U.S. and around the globe are members of CMA. The organization serves as an educational and professional resource for the industry and advances the growth of Country Music around the world. This is accomplished through CMA’s core initiatives: the CMA Awards, which annually recognize outstanding achievement in the industry; CMA Fest, which benefits the CMA Foundation and music education and is taped for a three-hour network television special, “CMA Fest”; and “CMA Country Christmas.” All of CMA’s television properties air on ABC.
For more information about CMA Fest, visit CMAfest.com.
