Nate Smith, Megan Moroney And More To Perform At 2024 ACM Country Kickoff Festival

The Academy of Country Music (ACM) has announced that the ACM Country Kickoff is returning to Texas with a can’t-miss performance lineup to help celebrate this year’s highly anticipated awards show.

In its second year, the free, two-day festival will once again be held just days before the 59th ACM Awards at The Star, a 91-acre campus in Frisco, Texas that houses the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and renowned practice facility. Throughout Tuesday (May 14) and Wednesday (May 15), attendees will be treated to performances by nearly every ACM New Artist nominee this year, including Kassi Ashton, Ashley Cooke, Hannah Ellis, Kameron Marlowe, Kylie Morgan, Megan Moroney, Neon Union, Restless Road, Dylan Scott, Conner Smith, Nate Smith, and Tigirlily Gold.

In addition to the already stacked lineup, the event promises to bring a few surprises as well as even more talent to the outdoor Carhartt Stage with rising stars such as Chayce Beckham, Annie Bosko, Tyler Braden, Tiera Kennedy, Jenna Paulette, Alana Springsteen, Matt Stell, and more expected to appear.

Starting Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. CT, a slew of special performances will be held in honor of Live From the ACM Awards: ACM New Artist Winners Celebration, during which the New Artists of the Year category winners for the 59th ACM Awards will be announced. Country Heat Weekly Podcast hosts Kelly Sutton and Amber Anderson will emcee the exciting show, which will air live on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch. 

Artist Meet-And-Greets, Exclusive Merch, Food Trucks And More

On top of all the performances by country music’s hottest up and comers, the ACM Country Kickoff will feature a beer garden and dance floor presented by Coors Light, artist meet-and-greet sessions in the ACM Red Barrel Lounge presented by Princess Cruise Lines, delious food trucks, photo opportunities, and ACM Awards show merchandise. Plus, there a slew of activations by a host of partners will be on-site, including ACM Lifting Lives, Ashley, Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, Coors Light, Debbie’s Dream Foundation, North Texas Ford, Fritos, Kendra Scott, Korbel, Lucas Oil, and Princess Cruise Lines.

VIP Upgrades Available Now

This highly anticipated festival is free for fans to attend, however those looking to get even closer to their favorite Country stars have the chance to purchase the brand-new ACM Country Kickoff VIP Ticket. This special ticket includes exclusive artist meet & greet opportunities, premium viewing access of the outdoor stage from the Lucas Oil VIP Area, a Jack Daniel’s whiskey tasting, two drink tickets, merch items, dedicated bar service, a meal voucher redeemable at any of the on-site food trucks, and more. 

A limited number of VIP tickets are available HERE. 

The ACM Country Kickoff at The Star will be held from 3:00 – 10:00 p.m. CT on both Tuesday, May 14 and Wednesday, May 15. A detailed performance schedule is expected to be released in the coming days. For more information, visit ACMCountryKickoff.com.

Hosted by Reba McEntire, the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards will take place on Thursday, May 16. The show will air live from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas at 8 p.m. EDT / 7 p.m. CDT / 5 p.m. PDT exclusively on Prime Video. For this special occasion, fans do not need a Prime membership to watch as everyone is invited to the “Party of the Year.” 

A limited number of tickets to attend the ACM Awards are still available for purchase.