CMA Fest canceled for 2nd year in a row due to COVID-19

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) - Country music festival CMA Fest in Nashville, Tennessee, will be canceled for a second year in a row because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Country Music Association announced on Tuesday the decision to cancel the June event, which is one of the oldest country music festivals after starting in 1972 as Fan Fair. It was also canceled last year.

'œWhile we are optimistic with the pace at which COVID-19 vaccines are becoming more widely available, we still face several challenges that prevent us from bringing our many artists, crew members and fans together safely for the full CMA Fest experience we know everyone has come to expect,'ť CMA CEO Sarah Trahern said in a statement.

Trahern explained that the festival takes place at several Nashville venues and couldn't be rescheduled for later in the year. Venues would also have capacity restrictions that would limit attendance. Further, the festival draws many out-of-state and international visitors that would be impacted by travel restrictions.

People who purchased passes for last year and held onto them to use for this year's festival can either retain them for 2022 or opt for a refund at CMAFest.com.