The ACM Country Kickoff features free fan festival with live music, food trucks, a beer garden, exclusive merch & more
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) announces additional events for ACM Awards Week, in advance of the 60th ACM Awards, The celebration 60 years in the making is set for May 8th at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Returning for its third year and streaming live on Amazon Music channel on Twitch, the ACM Country Kickoff will feature two days of live performances from ACM Award-nominated artists and exciting, emerging talent on the outdoor Carhartt Stage. Fans attending the event will experience artist meet-and-greets, food trucks and partner activations beginning Tuesday, May 6th, with limited VIP tickets available now for premium viewing in a reserved area with a bar; a special ACM Edition of Whiskey Jam at Sidecar Social in The Star District on Tuesday, May 6th; Jelly Roll & Friends at Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth on Tuesday, May 6th, raising money for ACM Lifting Lives with surprise guests; ACM Lifting Lives Topgolf Tee-Off at Topgolf The Colony on Wednesday, May 7th; and the ACM Awards Official Afterparty.
These events are in addition to the previously announced Opry NextStage Live from Texas, taking place at the Lexus Box Garden at Legacy Hall in Plano on Wednesday, May 7th, and Play Something Country, A 60th Anniversary Gala Honoring Brooks & Dunn and Benefiting ACM Lifting Lives taking place at Omni PGA Frisco on Wednesday, May 7th.
One of Nashville’s favorite weekly festival-style concerts is coming to Frisco to take over Sidecar Social at The Star for a free concert at 4 pm on Tuesday, May 6th. Whiskey Jam will be hosted by singer and comedian Danae Hays, and will include performances from Russell Dickerson, John Morgan, Wilder Blue, with more artists to be announced.
The annual ACM Country Kickoff at Tostitos Championship Plaza at The Star returns for its third year. The free two-day festival will take over the plaza, allowing fans to get up close and personal with some of country music’s biggest stars and celebrate the ACM Awards’ return to Frisco. Some of today’s most exciting, up-and-coming artists will perform on the outdoor Carhartt Stage, including several ACM Award nominees. Performers include ACM Nominees Kassi Ashton, Ashley Cooke, Dasha, Restless Road, and Tucker Wetmore, along with Josh Abbott Band, Maggie Antone, Drew Baldridge, William Beckmann, George Birge, and The Wilder Blue. The full lineup of performers and performance times will be announced prior to the event.
Kelly Sutton and Amber Anderson of the Country Heat Weekly on Amazon Music will host the concert, and the events will livestream on the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch from 8-10 pm CT. Fans on site will be treated to a beer garden and dance floor presented by Coors Light will be on hand. Boot Barn will be hosting a trucker hat giveaway and cowboy roping activation. In addition, food trucks, photo opportunities, ACM Awards show merchandise, and activations by a host of partners will be on-site, including ACM Lifting Lives, Ashley, Carhartt, Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, Coors Light, Coors Banquet, Happy Thursday, North Texas Ford Dealers, Fritos, Korbel, Lucas Oil, Western Son Vodka and Wrangler. The ACM Country Kickoff at The Star will be held from 5-11 pm CT on both Tuesday, May 6th and Wednesday, May 7th, with the festival footprint opening to the public at 4 pm. A detailed performance schedule, as well as a map of the full festival footprint, will be released in the coming weeks.
Limited Country Kickoff tickets for the Lucas Oil VIP Area are available on SeatGeek. Each ticket includes access to a covered patio to the side of the stage with activations from The Duckhorn Portfolio, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, SeatGeek, and Western Son Vodka, plus there will be specialty cocktails from Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Korbel, Licor 43, and Western Son Vodka. There will be dedicated bar service, two drink tickets, liquor tastings, and gift bags for the first 300 guests.
ACM Entertainer of the Year nominee, Jelly Roll, will be hosting his Jelly Roll & Friends concert at Billy Bob’s for the second year in a row, with one hundred percent of ticket sales benefiting ACM Lifting Lives. Last year’s event included special surprise guests Noah Kahan, Lainey Wilson, Shaboozey, Dasha, and others, and this year’s guests will remain a surprise. Proceeds from last year’s show went to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s Homeless Veteran Program, which provides housing and supportive services as part of its goal to eradicate veteran homelessness in the United States, and ACM Lifting Lives.
The industry-only golf tournament benefiting ACM Lifting Lives at Topgolf The Colony is back by popular demand, returning for its third year. This year will have the return of the golf tournament, along with acoustic performances on the golf deck from a handful of Country newcomers, as the industry comes together for a fun afternoon of golf and camaraderie while raising money and awareness for ACM Lifting Lives, which works to improve lives through the power of music.
The Grand Ole Opry will host Opry NextStage Live from Texas on Wednesday, May 7th at 2:30 pm at the Lexus Box Garden at Legacy Hall in Plano. The event, presented by Tecovas, returns for its third year as a marquee lead-up to the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards. Hosted by Jelly Roll and featuring performances from Opry NextStage class of 2019 alum Riley Green, as well as Opry NextStage Class of 2025 members Avery Anna, Chayce Beckham, Dasha, Kaitlin Butts, Kashus Culpepper, Tigirlily Gold, and Tucker Wetmore. Tickets for the event are on sale now.
The Academy of Country Music and ACM Lifting Lives are hosting an exclusive and intimate gala honoring the achievements of 25-time ACM Award-winning duo Brooks & Dunn. The gala will take place on Wednesday, May 7th, the night before the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards. The event will feature a cocktail hour presented by Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, an elevated seated dinner, a curated silent auction, highlights from historic moments from the 60-year history of the Academy, the presentation of a special honor to Brooks & Dunn, and performances of Brooks & Dunn’s hits from country music’s top acts, including Eric Church, Cody Johnson, Megan Moroney, Zach Top, Keith Urban, and Lainey Wilson. The evening will be hosted by TV and radio personality Bobby Bones. The Pre-Show and Live Auction will be presented by Shawn Parr. Tables are available for purchase through tiers, with the starting price for 8 seats at $15,000 with premium options available. Proceeds will benefit ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable partner of the Academy of Country Music with a focus on mental health-based initiatives in the country music industry.
The Academy of Country Music will host its official After Party presented by Amazon Music following the ACM Awards at the Omni Frisco hotel, featuring performances from some of country’s most legendary artists from the last 60 years, honoring the history of the Academy, while celebrating the winners of the ACM Awards Show. The event will feature activations by Ashley, Amazon Music, Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, The Duckhorn Portfolio, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, and The Mountain Valley Spring Water. Tickets are limited to industry.
Hosted by 16-time ACM Award-winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the 60th ACM Awards will stream live exclusively for a global audience across 240+ countries and territories on Prime Video on Thursday, May 8th at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The monumental anniversary show will celebrate six decades of country music and feature unforgettable performances by the genre’s most legendary and multi-award-winning stars, including Blake Shelton, Eric Church, and Lainey Wilson.
