NASHVILLE – Nashville experienced another successful summer tourism season that was fueled by record crowds at Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th and CMA Fest, combined with major concert tours, to fill hotel rooms and generate record visitor spending, according to the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. The events boosted business across the hospitality industry and highlighted the value of live music to the local economy.
“Once again, Nashville’s Fourth of July celebration, CMA Fest and stadium concerts proved to be powerful tourism drivers, bringing meaningful economic benefits to our community,” said Deana Ivey, President and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “When visitors come here for a concert, festival or celebration, they fill our hotels, dine in our restaurants, shop in our neighborhoods and support businesses across the city.”
Recently named one of Travel + Leisure’s Best U.S. Cities for its live music, food, sports and culture, Nashville continues to stand apart as a destination where music drives tourism. A recent study found that an estimated 60% of attendees at Nashville’s stadium concerts are visitors, a significantly higher share than in most major U.S. cities. Nashville and Las Vegas ranked highest among destinations in the study.
The free Independence Day downtown celebration expanded to two days in 2026 to commemorate America250 with more stages, more live music and the largest Fireworks and Drone Show, presented by Crav’n Flavor, in the city’s history. As a television special on ABC, Disney+, ESPN App, Freeform, FX, Hulu and NatGeo, “Nashville’s Star-Spangled Bash” delivered 5.3 million total viewers and was the most watched primetime Independence Day program this year. As previously announced, attendance at the free, live event was estimated at a record-breaking 400,000 people.
- Visitor spending reached a record $31.6 million, delivering a significant economic boost to local businesses while generating tax revenue for the city and state.
- Davidson County hotels saw record demand on July 4th, with 31,749 rooms sold, up 2.7% from the previous Fourth of July holiday, as well as 74.6% occupancy.
- Downtown hotels experienced 92.5% occupancy, up 6% from the previous year.
- Some 65.5% of those surveyed cited the July 4th event as the primary reason for their trip to Nashville, up from 59% in 2025.
- The top five out-of-state origin markets were Illinois, Georgia, Florida, New York, and California.
The mainstage lineup included The All-American Rejects, Boyz II Men, Brothers Osborne, Lauren Daigle, NE-YO, Nick Jonas, Sublime and more, as well as dozens of local acts on additional stages July 3 and 4. The nationally televised special is now available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.
CMA Fest
CMA Fest presented by SoFi, country music’s signature festival, took place downtown from June 4-7 with hundreds of free performances across multiple outdoor stages with nighttime ticketed concerts held at Nissan Stadium. A primetime television special highlighting the festival aired on ABC on June 25 and is currently streaming on Hulu. The weekend ranked as the eighth highest for hotel room demand in the city thus far in 2026.
- As a live event, CMA Fest generated a record $93 million in estimated visitor spending, up from the previous year’s $86 million.
- The organizers estimated a record 100,000 fans gathered downtown each day throughout the four-day festival.
- The 53rd annual event drew fans from all 50 states and 39 countries. The top five out-of-state origin markets were Florida, California, New York, Texas and Illinois.
- Average spending for a CMA Fest travel party was $5,363.
- Downtown hotel occupancy during the four days of the event was 89.4%
Major Concerts at Nissan Stadium
In addition to downtown music festivals, major summer stadium concerts have helped drive strong hotel performance. Alan Jackson's Last Call – The Finale concert at Nissan Stadium generated the second-highest hotel room demand of any weekend to date in 2026 with 78,433 rooms sold and 92% occupancy county-wide and 98% occupancy downtown. The opening of the new enclosed Nissan Stadium in 2027 is expected to expand opportunities to attract major concerts and events year-round, further strengthening Nashville’s tourism economy.
Other notable Nissan Stadium shows driving hotel demand included the following:
- Bruno Mars concert on Wednesday, May 6 with hotel occupancy at 90% in Davidson County and 98% downtown.
- Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson concert on Saturday, May 23 with occupancy at 89% countywide and 96.5% downtown.
- Ed Sheeran on Saturday, June 20 with occupancy at 82.6% countywide and 89% downtown, helping make that weekend the seventh-highest hotel room demand of any weekend in 2026 thus far.
Upcoming concerts and sporting events that will continue to drive visitation through early fall include the following:
July 31 and August 1: DroneArt Show: Harry Potter at Nissan Stadium
August 1: Barry Manilow at Bridgestone Arena
August 4 and 5: Tame Impala with Djo at Bridgestone Arena
August 13: My Chemical Romance at Nissan Stadium
August 14-16: PBR at Bridgestone Arena
August 15: Foo Fighters at Nissan Stadium
August 21 and 22: Megan Moroney at Bridgestone Arena
August 23: Seahawks vs Titans (preseason) at Nissan Stadium
August 29: Brandi Carlile at Bridgestone Arena
August 29: Bears vs Titans (preseason) at Nissan Stadium
September 6: Music City Kickoff: Ole Miss vs Louisville at Nissan Stadium
September 12: Brooks and Dunn at Bridgestone Arena
September 13: Jets vs Titans at Nissan Stadium
September 17-20: Disney On Ice at Bridgestone Arena
September 20: Eagles vs Titans at Nissan Stadium
September 22: NHL Preseason: Tampa Bay Lighting at Predators at Bridgestone Arena
September 24: Luke Bryan at Bridgestone Arena
September 25: Lil Wayne at Bridgestone Arena
September 26: NHL Preseason: Carolina Hurricanes at Predators at Bridgestone Arena
September 27 and 28: Kacey Musgraves at Bridgestone Arena
The industry’s momentum continues with a strong summer schedule of upcoming conventions at Music City Center and Gaylord Opryland Resort, including Getty Music’s Sing! 2026 Conference, Behavioral Health Tech Conference and Shoptalk Fall, all in September.
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.
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