New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash Fact Sheet 2023

NASHVILLE – The live show for Jack Daniel’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park will feature GRAMMY Award-nominated Thomas Rhett, newly crowned CMA Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson and Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd as headliners. 

The concert is free and open to the public. The five-hour CBS special will air live on Sunday, Dec. 31 at 6:30 pm CT on the CBS Television Network, Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs).  Gates open at 4:30 p.m.

As a live event, Big Bash will kick off at 5:15 p.m. with a 50-minute tribute to hip-hop’s 50th anniversary to celebrate the genre over the decades. Music City Hip-Hop 50 will conclude with a guest DJ set by Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, who has experience as a DJ. 

Big Bash is partnering with the HERO (Homeless Education Resource Office) Program of Metro Nashville Public Schools to support students and their families who are experiencing homelessness.

This will be the 15th annual concert and seventh year at Bicentennial Park. The event will include the famed red Music Note, which will be dropped on a 138-foot tower at midnight to ring in the new year. As a live event, the Big Bash generates as much as $38 million in direct visitor spending and attendance of 200,000, with more than half being local residents. 

“Big Bash will celebrate the start of 2024 with three incredible headliners who promise to deliver unforgettable performances,” said Deana Ivey, President and CEO, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “We are thrilled to once again join forces with CBS to spotlight Nashville’s vibrant live music scene to the rest of the country. Beyond the economic impact, we also host this event as a gift back to the community to come together and enjoy great music in one of the many beautiful parks in the city.”

As a TV special, NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVE: NASHVILLE’S BIG BASH is executive produced by Robert Deaton and Mary Hilliard Harrington in partnership with Music City Inc., the foundation of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. The special will be directed by Sandra Restrepo. The annual event is returning to CBS in a new multi-year deal.

Keep up with new details: visitmusiccity.com/newyearseve. #NashvilleNYE

Highlights

• This year marks the 15th New Year’s Eve event and seventh year at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park.
• Ninety-second fireworks display at the stroke of midnight CT when the Music Note drops.
• CNN will broadcast the Music Note Drop at midnight CT.

Fun Facts

• Music Note and Tower: The red Music Note tower is 138 feet. The Music Note is 16 feet tall and approximately 400 pounds. It is made of aluminum and acrylic. There are 13,000 LED pixels in the Music Note.
• Production Crew: On the busiest day of setup, there will be more than 300 production crew members working to build the stage and setting up other elements for the concert, fireworks and Music Note Drop.
• Production Equipment: The event will use 75 production trucks, 27 pieces of heavy equipment, 859 lighting fixtures, more than 10 million pixels of LED, more than four miles of fiber optic video cable, 2,000 cable ramps, more than five miles of power cable lines to power the event, 182 audio speakers and 205,000 square feet of flooring. The stage will be 7,200 square feet.

Website

Go to visitmusiccity.com/newyearseve for everything New Year’s Eve, including event schedule, transportation information, site map, FAQs and more.

The live show for Jack Daniel’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bashwill include a 50-minute tribute to hip-hop’s 50th anniversary to celebrate the genre over the decades. Music City Hip-Hop 50 will conclude with a guest DJ set by Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, who has experience as a DJ. The segment will be curated by Eric Holt, managing partner of The Lovenoise Group and assistant professor of Music Business at Belmont University, and Nashville artist Jason Eskridge, along with guest appearances by artists Tim Gent and Daisha McBride. Eskridge will DJ the segment. Kenny Smoov of 92Q will emcee.

The family-friendly hip-hop segment will kick off at 5:15 p.m. and will conclude with remarks from Mayor O’Connell, as well as a 10-minute DJ set that he will play and mix. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., and the program is free and open to the public. The early-evening segment gives families a way to celebrate the free Big Bash event with children of all ages. The tribute will also help mark the 20th anniversary of The Lovenoise Group, an urban promoter that provides performance platforms for local urban artists and a community hub where black music lovers can come together to experience the power of culture.

Charitable Giving

Big Bash is partnering with the HERO (Homeless Education Resource Office) Program of Metro Nashville Public Schools to support students and their families who are experiencing homelessness. Through the partnership, Big Bash sponsor Crav’n Flavor will replenish the HERO food pantry for the month of January from scratch. The food pantry empties in December to ensure families are well-supported throughout the holiday season. Dr Pepper, Coca-Cola Consolidated and Carl Black Chevrolet will support HERO families by supporting the transportation fund over the next 12 months so that families can access community resources and navigate the work of obtaining stable housing. Additionally, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp through its Music City Inc. foundation will contribute $1 from each official Big Bash event t-shirt sold to support the work of the HERO program. Donations to the HERO Family Fund can be made at BigBashHERO.

Sustainability

Big Bash partners with Tennessee State Parks to foster sustainability at the event hosted at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. Sustainability efforts include recycling cardboard, aluminum, plastic, solid grease and grease water. Additionally, food vendors are encouraged to use biodegradable plates and food containers and no single-use condiment packets. Use of Styrofoam is prohibited. The event partners with Compost Nashville to collect organic waste material at the crew catering tent and other backstage food service. Care Kitchen Outreach will collect unused prepared food to donate to local food kitchens and nonprofits.

Energy-efficient LED is used on video screens and for lighting, along with some solar-powered work lights. The event partners with SmART! Art Supplies to upcycle signage for reuse as art materials. The event will reduce single-use plastic water bottles through water refill stations and 5-gallon water coolers in crew areas.

Event Schedule for Sunday, December 31, 2023

(All times CT. Artists and times subject to change)

Social Media

Roaming Teams
Social Media teams will roam the crowds with cool props to capture the moment at this year’s Big Bash.

#NashvilleNYE and @VisitMusicCityThe official hashtag for the 2023 Jack Daniel’s New Years Eve Live: Big Bash is #NashvilleNYE. Please use this hashtag in all social media posts about the event and follow along to join the conversation.

Follow the NCVC on social media for event updates, information, and answers to your #NashvilleNYE questions:
Instagram: @VisitMusicCity - https://www.instagram.com/visitmusiccity/
Facebook: Visit Music City - https://www.facebook.com/nashvillemusiccity
X: @VisitMusicCity - https://twitter.com/visitmusiccity
Threads: @VisitMusicCity - https://www.threads.net/@visitmusiccity

The Artists on Social Media
The #NashvilleNYE artists can be found on social media at:

Thomas Rhett
Website: https://www.thomasrhett.com/#/
X: @ThomasRhett - https://twitter.com/ThomasRhett
Facebook: Thomas Rhett - https://www.facebook.com/thomasrhettmusic
Instagram: @thomasrhettakins - https://www.instagram.com/thomasRhettAkins/
YouTube: @thomasrhettmusic - https://www.youtube.com/user/thomasrhettmusic

Lainey Wilson
Website: https://laineywilson.com/
X: @laineywilson - https://twitter.com/laineywilson
Facebook: Lainey Wilson - https://www.facebook.com/laineywilsonmusic
Instagram: @laineywilson - https://www.instagram.com/laineywilson/
YouTube: @LaineyWilson - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZkeQWzPCGeH707eRS6K6Hg

Lynyrd Skynyrd
Website: https://lynyrdskynyrd.com/
X: @Skynyrd - https://twitter.com/skynyrd
Facebook: Lynyrd Skynyrd - https://www.facebook.com/LynyrdSkynyrd
Instagram: @skynyrd - https://www.instagram.com/skynyrd
YouTube: @SkynyrdOfficial - https://www.youtube.com/SkynyrdOfficial

Parking and Transportation

Attendees will have a variety of safe, affordable transportation options. The Tennessee Highway Safety Office reminds everyone to drive safely this New Year’s Eve. For those who will be drinking, please plan ahead to have a sober ride home. Law enforcement partners will be out in full force during the Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk campaign to keep impaired drivers off the roadways. Keep up to date on all parking and transportation options.

Nearby Parking
To locate parking downtown, visit www.parkitdowntown.com. 

Ride Share & Taxi Services Drop Off and Pick Up Locations

• James Robertson Parkway between Fourth Avenue and Rep. John Lewis Way
• James Robertson Parkway from Charlotte Pike to Rosa L. Parks Boulevard (Capitol Hill side) • Rosa L. Parks Boulevard from Farmers’ Market entrance to 10th Circle North
• Jefferson Street between Sixth Avenue and Rosa L. Parks Boulevard

Ride Share & Taxi Staging Area 
As available, parking lots located at Tenth Circle North near Charlotte Avenue 

ADA Vehicle Passenger Unloading & Loading Zones
Vehicles with ADA Permit Hangtags or License Plates will be allowed to drop off and pick up near Nashville Farmers’ Market accessible from Rosa L. Parks Boulevard. Vehicles will utilize event designated area in Nashville Farmers’ Market parking lot for drop-off and pick-up only.

Scooter Corral Locations

• James Robertson Parkway between Sixth Avenue and Seventh Avenue (on Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park Plaza)
• Harrison Street at Rosa L. Parks Boulevard (SE corner of intersection)
• Rep. John Lewis Way at Junior Gilliam Way (east side of street - between the tree wells) 

Bicycle Storage Stations

• James Robertson Parkway between Sixth Avenue and Seventh Avenue (on the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park Plaza)
• Jefferson Street at 7th Avenue (SW corner of intersection)
• Parking Lot at Harrison Street and Fourth Avenue (SW corner of intersection)

Guidelines and Security Procedures

The NCVC is planning for more than 200,000 attendees. Event goers should be aware of the following guidelines that will be strictly enforced by event personnel. The event’s perimeter will be fenced and include six entry points conveniently located around the site. Attendees should expect to walk through metal detectors as they enter. Bags and purses may be searched. Please, no large bags, but locker rentals will be available for $10 on Sixth Avenue near the main entrance and on Rosa L. Parks Boulevard between Nashville Farmers’ Market and the Tennessee State Museum. Exits will be clearly marked with giant illuminated globes. A complete list of House Rules is available. 

Permitted items

• Small bags with maximum measurement of 16” by 10” by 4”
• Personal cameras 

Prohibited items

• No handheld umbrellas of any kind
• No guns, knives, weapons or other dangerous devices of any kind
• No backpacks or luggage
• No coolers
• No outside alcoholic beverages (Only alcoholic beverages purchased from a designated official event vendor are permitted.)
• No illegal substances, drugs or drug paraphernalia
• No fireworks
• No laser pointers
• No pets (service animals are permitted)
• No drones or other remote-controlled aerial or ground-based devices
• No unauthorized vending, sales, sampling, solicitation or distribution of materials including handbills, flyers, stickers, beach balls, giveaways, etc. (event credentials required)
• No wagons or pull-carts
• No unauthorized personal transport devices, including bicycles, rollerblades, skateboards, Segways, golf carts, mopeds, scooters, electric scooters (Bird, Lime, Spin, Lyft, Jump, Gotcha, Bolt), or any personal motorized vehicles other than wheelchairs or ADA devices (event credentials required)
• No pedicabs or pedal taverns
• No unauthorized amplification devices which disrupt event production, including handheld megaphones
• No other noisemakers (musical instruments, bullhorns, air horns, whistles, etc.)
• No performances or demonstrations of any type outside of the designated Freedom of Expression zone
• No chairs of any type
• No pop-up tents
• No beach or pole-style umbrellas
• No inserting stakes, poles or any other objects into the ground or using ropes, cords, tape, etc. to reserve space
• No blankets or ground tarps
• No hammocks or attaching anything to any park structures or trees
• No audio recorders or video cameras
• No camera stands, monopods, tripods, attachment sticks or selfie sticks
• No aerosol containers of any kind
• No sealed containers of any kind
• No throwing objects
• No smoking, e-cigs or vaping outside of designated smoking area
• No professional-grade radios or walkie-talkies
• No large chains or spiked jewelry
• No signs, flags on sticks or poles
• No pepper spray
• Phone recordings of concerts are illegal: No bootleg recordings, streaming or reposting

Packages

The NCVC is offering Lodging Packages, Celebration Packs, and a VIP Experience:

• Nashville’s NYE Celebration Pack and Lodging Package
  Choose from over 140 lodging options - from the cozy comfort of a vacation rental or the boutique elegance of a charming hotel.  The package includes a NYE Celebration Pack to ring in the New Year with a New Year’s Eve event t-shirt, Nashville koozie, festive party horn and hand-warmers. Purchase an individual NYE Celebration Pack or include as a lodging package.
• Gold Circle Party Ticket and Lodging Package
  Celebrate New Year’s Eve like a VIP at the exclusive Gold Circle Party. The Gold Circle Party is a 21+ ticketed private event hosted at the Nashville Farmers’ Market, where guests will enjoy an elevated experience in a festive party atmosphere. Purchase individual ticket or include as a lodging package.

For more information or assistance with booking, visit visitmusiccity.com/goldcircle or call 1-800-657-6910.

Partners

The Jack Daniel’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash live event is produced by Music City Inc., the foundation of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, for the city of Nashville and presented by Jack Daniel’s. Partners include Advance Financial, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Crav’n Flavor, Dr Pepper Zero, Ferguson HVAC, Korbel California Champagne, Nashville Farmers’ Market, Stella Artois, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, and Tennessee State Parks.

Thomas Rhett

Ten years after signing his record deal with Big Machine Label Group’s The Valory Music Co., arena-packing superstar Thomas Rhett has 21 No. 1 singles, 15 billion streams and the longest current active streak of consecutive No. 1’s in the format (Mediabase/Country Aircheck Chart). His most recent sixth studio album, WHERE WE STARTED “practically demands an open field, tens-of-thousands-strong throng of fans in front of it” (Esquire). Declared “a prince in the genre” (USA Today), he has been honored with eight ACM Awards including Entertainer of the Year, two CMA Awards, five GRAMMY® Awards nominations, plus trophies from the CMT Music Awards, Billboard Awards and iHeartRadio Awards, in addition to being recognized with four CMA Triple Play awards for penning three No. 1 songs within a 12-month period. The hitmaker has also launched a tequila brand, Dos Primos, now offering Blanco, Reposado and Añejo variants. ThomasRhett.com

Lainey Wilson

As the leading female nominee and winner at the 2023 ACM Awards with Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of The Year, Visual Media and Musical Event of the Year and reigning CMA 2022 Female Vocalist and New Artist of the Year, Lainey Wilson has earned the enthusiasm of the industry. Critically acclaimed and touted as a top “artist to watch” to being crowned the most nominated artist at both the 2023 CMA Awards with a record-breaking nine nominations and CMT Music Awards, the Louisiana native has made a name for herself in the industry as one of music’s hottest and most buzzed-about new artists. Landing her first No. 1 with her PLATINUM Certified ACM Song of the Year, “Things A Man Oughta Know,” nearly 10 years to the day after leaving her small farming community in a camper trailer to chase her dreams, she has won over legions of fans with her signature Bell Bottom Country sound and aesthetic, which blends traditional Country with a modern yet retro flare. A prolific and sought-after songwriter - having co-writer credits on songs by artists including Luke Combs and Flatland Calvary - Lainey is a fresh, fierce voice in Nashville, delivering CMA-nominated album of the year with her label debut, Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin.’ With a rockstar stage presence, her artistry has taken her across the globe, performing for sold-out crowds throughout the United States, UK and Germany with notable names like Jon Pardi, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, HARDY, Jason Aldean and Ashley McBryde. After topping the country radio charts for a second time with the two-week No. 1 hit, “Never Say Never” with Cole Swindell, she recently achieved her third and fourth No. 1 song with “Heart Like a Truck” and HARDY collaboration “wait in the truck.” Her current single “Watermelon Moonshine” is currently in the top 2 on the Country charts and climbing. Her critically acclaimed album, Bell Bottom Country, reached No. 9 on Billboard’s Country Albums Chart, quickly rose to No. 1 on iTunes charts and has amassed over 650 million streams to date. Wilson made her acting debut in Season 5 of the smash hit series “Yellowstone” as a musician character named Abby, where she premiered her original “Smell Like Smoke” as well as showcased other hits off her recent album, including “Watermelon Moonshine” and “Hold My Halo.” Adding to her growing list of endeavors, Wilson was recently named “Tractor Supply Brand Ambassador,” was honored at Billboard’s Women in Music Awards with the Rulebreaker Award, and most recently joined forces with Wrangler as the face of their 2023 fall/winter women’s collection. laineywilson.com

Lynyrd Skynyrd

As Lynyrd Skynyrd approaches the 50th anniversary of the band’s critically acclaimed debut album Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd in 2023, they resonate as deeply with their multi-generational fan base today as when they first emerged out of Jacksonville, Florida in 1973. Few ensembles have had the deep impact in creating a lifestyle as Skynyrd has. The band travels forward with a primary mission of celebrating a legacy that honors all who have had a resonating contribution to the lives of hundreds of millions of fans globally. Former members Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Steve Gaines, Ed King, Billy Powell, Bob Burns, Leon Wilkeson and Hughie Thomasson alongside others will forever remain significant contributors to this indelible repertoire and the band’s colorful history. Today, Lynyrd Skynyrd rocks on with a current line-up featuring Johnny Van Zant, Rickey Medlocke, Mark “Sparky” Matejka, Michael Cartellone, Keith Christopher, Peter Keys, Carol Chase and Stacy Michelle. The rock and roll powerhouse continually tours, and as Van Zant shares, “It’s about the legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and what it stands for, what the fans are all about. There’s nothing like getting out there playing a great show with Skynyrd and seeing people love this music. “With a catalog of over 60 albums, billions of streams, and tens of millions of records sold, Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd remain a cultural icon that appeals to all generations. lynyrdskynyrd.com

The Nashville Farmers’ Market

The Nashville Farmers’ Market was founded in the early 1800s and is located in the urban core of downtown Nashville adjacent to the Tennessee State Museum and Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. The year-round market, featured in The New York Times, Southern Living and Food Network, provides retail space to farmers, artisans and small businesses. The facility includes two covered open-air sheds, a 24,000 square-foot garden center, a culinary incubation center and international food hall that includes more than 20 restaurants and shops. The mission of Nashville Farmers’ Market is to curate an inclusive destination marketplace that fosters a connection between the community and the farmers, foods, and artisans who contribute to the region’s food system. nashvillefarmersmarket.org

The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City

The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination. Visit the NCVC’s website at www.visitmusiccity.com and follow us on social media @VisitMusicCity.