By Tom Wuckovich

If you’re a country music fan, you have to make the pilgrimage to Nashville in June, the mecca of country music and the site of the 31st Annual Nashville Country Music Fan Fair®, when country artists pay tribute to the people who buy their albums and flock to their concerts. It’s also a time to make new friends and new fans—and if you aren’t one now, you will be—both of Nashville and country music. Take my word for it. I’ve become a believer (that sounds like a song title).

For four fun-filled and fan-filled days (June 13-16), Nashville kicks up its heels at three different locations where you can get closer than you’ve ever imagined possible to your favorite artists. The event is billed as “The World’s Biggest Country Music Festival™,” but you’ll feel like it’s a down home family reunion thanks to the gracious hospitality of the city and the country stars on hand. There are no “big heads” here, only big hearts and big hats…and maybe a few big belt buckles. You can truly rub elbows with the biggest, the best and the brightest stars country music has to offer. Even at the large outdoor concerts like the ones scheduled at Adelphia Coliseum, the location for the main stage evening shows, the singers and musicians will be almost close enough to touch. And, thanks to a longstanding tradition, the popular photo line is back, where fans get right up to the stage for photos of their favorite stars.

You’ll discover how easily accessible these country music giants are when you saunter down to the Nashville Convention Center, which will play host to popular stars’ exhibits and regularly scheduled autograph sessions. Last year, of the more than 200 country music artists participating in Fan Fair, at least 175 signed autographs and greeted fans and visitors at the convention center. Slated to appear so far are smash hit makers such as Sara Evans, Brooks & Dunn, SHeDAISY, Vince Gill, Martina McBride, Billy Ray Cyrus, Brad Paisley, BlackHawk, Alan Jackson, Lee Ann Womack, Cyndi Thomson, Kenny Chesney, Diamond Rio and Lonestar. Call (800)657-6910 or (615) 259-4700 for tickets.

Many will also stage shows at Nashville’s Riverfront Park during the day. The concert stages are set up on the west bank of the Cumberland River, and artists representing a broad range of musical interests and styles—from classic to alternative country and bluegrass—will entertain. The Grand Ole Opry, country music’s most recognizable name, has three spectacular shows on tap during the festival. On June 13, a charity show will be held to benefit the Opry Trust Fund, which helps members of the country music community who are in need. On June 14, the Opry will showcase new stars, superstars and legends of country music, while on Saturday, June 15, the Opry Matinee Show features top performers at the Ryman Auditorium, the “Mother Church” of country music.

Marty Stuart will host a late-night jam with Travis Tritt and others at the Ryman on Wednesday. Also on Wednesday, the 2002 CMT Flameworthy Video Music Awards Show will be staged at the Gaylord Entertainment Center.

Whether you’re a first-timer or longtime fan, you’ll want to check out the storied history of country music at the new Country Music Hall of Fame on Fifth Avenue South in downtown Nashville. This $37 million shrine to country music pays homage to the songs, stars and stories that comprise country music. The history is told in rare artifacts and numerous multi-media stations throughout the museum. Touch screens permit interviews with songwriters, and listening stations give you a taste of the variety of sound that exists under the country umbrella. Occasional live performances and demonstrations by noted musicians enhance the experience.

And if you want to catch a glimpse of potential new stars, stroll down Broadway, where a glut of honky-tonk bars offers a forum for those new talents hoping for their first big break. The many who have found stardom over the years still drop by the watering holes to socialize or jump up on stage to jam with the other musicians. Never know whom you might run into. Part of the excitement of Fan Fair is “Fan Fair After Hours,” which features late night music at the downtown clubs.

Fan Fair is guaranteed to be “the thing” in Nashville for those four days in June, but there is so much more to this cosmopolitan city. In recent years, there has been an emphasis on a downtown revival as well as a commitment to the arts. Music still holds forth as the city’s signature trademark, but take note of the explosion on the cultural scene. The Frist Center for the Visual Arts, housed in the city’s original main post office, features more than 20,000 square feet of exhibit space and showcases artists from all time periods, backgrounds and styles. The Cheek mansion is home to the Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art. The 55-acre setting is divided into 10 serene botanical gardens and the Woodland Sculpture Trail, featuring works by internationally known sculptors. If history captivates you, visit The Hermitage, Andrew Jackson’s former home and the site of an extensive archaeological dig that has unearthed some intriguing information about the early pioneering days.

Many of Nashville’s sights—and sounds—are available at a discounted rate when you buy the special Pick 3 or Take 2 attraction tickets available at your local AAA branch office. Schedule a trip today. You’ll be a fan for life.

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