News & Publications
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May. 19, 2008
2008 CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL OFFERS FREE ENTERTAINMENT AND ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES IN THE FUN ZONE AND McDONALD’S-DR PEPPER FAMILY ZONE
Activities Include Borders Storytelling; Music City Rising Star Youth Vocal Soloist Competition; Family Shows on the Family Zone Mainstage; and the Hard Rock Outdoor Stage in the Fun Zone
NASHVILLE - The CMA Music Festival Fun Zone and McDonald’s®-Dr Pepper® Family Zone are where you want to be for exciting free concerts, events and family activities during 2008 CMA Music Festival, Thursday through Sunday, June 5-8, in Downtown Nashville.
“The Fun Zone and the McDonald’s-Dr Pepper Family Zone are great areas for kids of all ages to play, learn, eat, and be entertained,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer Tammy Genovese. “Admission and the activities are free making this a great destination for Nashville residents and fans looking for fun programs and great music in a family-friendly environment.”
MCDONALD’S® - DR PEPPER® FAMILY ZONE
Location: Hall of Fame Park
Between Fourth and Fifth Avenues on Demonbreun
Hours: Thursday, June 5 11:00 AM-5:00 PM
Friday, June 6 11:00 AM-5:00 PM
Saturday, June 7 11:00 AM-5:00 PM
Sunday, June 8 11:00 AM-4:00 PM
MCDONALD’S® - DR PEPPER® FAMILY ZONE Mainstage
The McDonald’s-Dr Pepper Family Zone Mainstage features a broad range of shows geared towards kids and families including magic with Ronald McDonald; singing and dancing with Strawberry Shortcake and friends; Country Music from the Bummkin Band starring Joe Bear Bumm Kin; folk music from the Hollow Trees; music and motivation from PBSKids host Miss Lori; high-energy, sing-alongs with Grammy Award Winner Dennis Scott; and much more.
Thursday, June 5
Kid Fiddlers 11:00 AM
Katie Chance 11:50 AM
Ronald McDonald Show 12:40 PM
Strawberry Shortcake Show 1:30 PM
Miss Lori 2:20 PM
Dennis Scott 3:25 PM
Nashville Zoo 4:15 PM
Friday, June 6
GrandBob 11:00 AM
BummKinn Band 11:50 AM
Ronald McDonald Show 12:40 PM
Strawberry Shortcake Show 1:30 PM
Adam & the Couch Potatoes 2:20 PM
Zak Morgan 3:10 PM
Tim Hannig's Pro-Kids Show! 4:00 PM
Saturday, June 7
YWCA Celebrity Auction 11:00 AM
The Hollow Trees 4:00 PM
Sunday, June 8
The Zinghoppers 11:00 AM
Eve & Mare 11:50 AM
Ronald McDonald Show 12:40 PM
Strawberry Shortcake Show 1:30 PM
Little Nashville 2:20 PM
Music City Rising Star 3:10 PM
Taylor Ware 3:30 PM
McDonald’s-Dr Pepper Family Zone Events and Activities
McDonald’s and Dr Pepper will distribute a variety of samples from their booths during the Festival in the Family Zone. Ronald McDonald will perform his interactive magic show once daily on Thursday, Friday and Sunday (June 5, 6, and 8). Sunday, June 8, is the annual Family Zone picnic (11:30 AM), with McDonald’s providing FREE sandwiches to the first 500 fans in attendance.
Borders®
Each day, Borders will sponsor celebrity storytelling on the Family Zone stage. The first 50 children to visit will receive a free copy of the book being read.
Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee
The Girls Scouts of Middle Tennessee will offer a variety of arts and crafts projects in their cabin-themed activity tent: kids can create wellness kits, participate in gardening projects, make cards for Father’s Day/Veterans Day, and much more. On Sunday, June 8, 25 Girl Scouts attending “Camp Music City, USA” will join Taylor Ware in a performance on the McDonald’s-Dr Pepper Family Zone Mainstage.
Space Chimps Academy
Kids can get an advanced peek into the world of the soon-to-be-released 20th Century Fox film “Space Chimps.” Visitors to the Space Chimps Academy can earn their stripes to become an official Space Cadet.
Strawberry Shortcake
Join Strawberry Shortcake’s Big Country Fun at the Strawberryland tent with plenty of activities and fun-filled surprises.
Music City Rising Star Youth Vocal Competition
For the second year, top high school vocalists from across the country will compete for the prestigious title “Music City Rising Star.” Performances will take place Thursday-Friday, June 5-6, on the Fifth Avenue stage in the Family Zone Plaza. The Grand Champion “Music City Rising Star” will be announced Sunday, June 8, on the Greased Lightning™ Riverfront Stages and will perform later that day on the McDonald’s-Dr Pepper Family Zone Mainstage. The winner of this competition will receive one free private session with Linda Davis.
YWCA Celebrity Auction
Fans will have the chance to bid on memorabilia from their favorite Country artists when the YWCA returns with its Celebrity Auction on Saturday, June 7, emceed by Steve Virginia. Katie Armiger, NFL Tennessee Titans’ Cortland Finnegan, Lady Antebellum, Sherry Lynn, Heidi Newfield and GAC’s “Country Music Across America” host Storme Warren are among the artists and celebrities scheduled to appear.
Other Family Zone activities include character visits from Wow! Wow! Wubbzy and The Cabbage Patch Kids; and exhibits from Carl Black Chevrolet, Chevy(tm) Safe Kids, Coca-Cola®, and more.
FUN ZONE
Location: Broadway between First Avenue South and Third Avenue South
Hours: Thursday, June 5 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Friday, June 6 10:00 AM-6:00 PM
Saturday, June 7 10:00 AM-6:00 PM
Sunday, June 8 10:00 AM-6:00 PM
The action-packed Fun Zone will keep families excited and busy for hours while they enjoy interactive games, activities, celebrity appearances, product samples, giveaways, and more.
Super 8 Motel
Super 8 will hosts an autograph signing with famous NASCAR driver Bobby Labonte on Thursday, June 5, (10:30-12:00 PM/CT) and will have a register-to-win drawing for an autographed guitar. Super 8 is also sponsoring the “Super 8 Top 8,” where attendees can vote at the Super 8 booth for their favorite performances from any of the CMA Music Festival concert stages. The top eight performances will be revealed at LP Field before Sunday night’s (June, 8) concert.
USO
The USO will partner with CMA and Borders for “Music Outreach.” Borders will collect CDs, books and DVDs purchased by customers to be sent to the troops. Collection areas for these items will be set up at Borders’ stores at the truTV® Fan Fair Hall, Greased Lightning Riverfront Stages, and at LP Field. All items collected will be donated to the USO for distribution to troops stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan and other overseas locations.
Tours of the Mobile USO unit will be offered to the general public. There also will be a hospitality area for troops and their families set up in the canteen location. Visitors will have the chance to demonstrate their support for the troops through written greetings via the USO’s “Hello! from the Homefront” program.
Other Fun Zone Activities
Cool off on the Nashville Shores Water Slide. Get grilling tips and watch fun cooking demos from Fiesta Gas Grills and register to win a FREE grill. You can also stop by booths from others sponsors including CiCi’s Pizza®, Blue Bell Creameries, The Catfish Institute, Facecard, Greased Lightning® Home Cleaning Projects, Martha White® Foods, Tetley® Iced Tea, VAULT™ and Waggin’ Train.
THE HARD ROCK OUTDOOR STAGE SCHEDULE:
Thursday, June 5
Kyle Wyley 11:30 AM
Shawna Russell 12:10 PM
Jason Brown 12:50 PM
Indian Rodeo 1:30 PM
The Clark Brothers-Late Night Kick Off 11:30 PM
Friday, June 6
Colt Ford 11:30 AM
Bailey Grey 12:10 PM
Ash Bowers 12:50 PM
Jason Matthews 1:30 PM
Whiskey Falls–Late Night Kick Off 11:30 PM
Saturday, June 7
Tommy Joe Wilson 11:30 AM
Zane Lewis 12:10 PM
The Wrights 12:50 PM
Cody McCarver 1:30 PM
Mark Wills-Late Night Kick Off 11:30 PM
Sunday, June 8 Gloriana 11:30 AM
Billy Block & Friends
*Two Timers 12:10 PM
*Brother Trouble 12:50 PM
*Brittini Black 1:30 PM
Tickets to the individual Nightly Concerts on the VAULT(tm) stages at LP Field are on sale for $40 for reserved seats on the Lower and Club levels, and $30 for general admission in the upper deck of LP Field (plus applicable handling fees). To order tickets call 1-800-CMA-FEST (262-3378); visit www.ticketmaster.com to buy online or charge-by-phone at (615) 255-9600. The Nightly Concerts are also included in the Festival’s four-day ticket packages and can be purchased through the same means.
For more information on the 2008 CMA Music Festival, including a list of artists appearing and a schedule of activities, please visit www.CMAfest.com.
CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. CMA Board member Tony Conway is the Executive Producer of CMA Music Festival. Premiere Radio Networks is the official radio broadcaster. Chevy: The Official Ride of Country Music. Borders®: The Exclusive Music & Book retailer of the CMA Music Festival. Wrangler®: The Exclusive Jean of the CMA Music Festival. Additional promotional partners include, American Airlines, Assets®, Blue Bell Creameries, BP, Carl Black Chevrolet, CiCi’s Pizza®, CMT(tm), Coca-Cola®, Coyote Ugly®, Dr Pepper®, Dunkin Brands, Inc, Facecard, Fidelity Investments® Nashville, Field & Stream, Fiesta Gas Grills, GAC Great American Country, GEICO, Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee, Glacèau Vitaminwater®, Greased Lightning® Cleaning Products, Great American Country, Hard Rock Cafe, Kansas City BBQ Society, MARTHA WHITE FOODS INC, Mary Kay®, McDonald’s®, Mr. Coffee®, Music City Rising Star, New Holland, RFD-TV, Rocky Boots., SELECT COMFORT, Shire Pharmaceuticals, Silpada Designs®, Southern Living Magazine, Space Chimps, Sprint Nextel Corporation, Strawberry Shortcake, Super 8 Motel®, Tetley® Iced Tea, The Yankee Candle Company, Inc., truTV(tm), USO, VAULT(tm), Waggin’ Train, Wrigley’s Spearmint, Wrigley’s Doublemint, Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit, Wrigley’s Big Red, Wrigley’s Winterfresh, and XM Satellite Radio. Fan Fair® is a registered trademark of CMA.