A Look at Fan Fair '99 (June 14th - 19th 1999)
Dateline: 03/08/99UPDATED 06/05/99
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What is Fan Fair? Fan Fair is an annual festival where fans can meet many of their favorite country music stars for autographs and photos. The festival is currently in its 27th year, and attendance continues to grow each year. When it began back in 1972, approximately 5,000 fans attended. Last year, there were over 24,000. How do I get tickets? Fan Fair tickets first went on sale in January. For $90.00, you have access to over 30 hours of stage shows, as well as Exhibit Halls where the stars have their booths. Fans have the opportunity to meet the stars and get autographs and photos. Also included are two bbq lunches, a one-day admission to the Country Music Hall of Fame, and discounts to other local attractions. UPDATE: You can now also order your tickets from Ticketmaster. How long does Fan Fair last? Fan Fair itself runs Monday through Thursday. Exhibit halls are open from 9:30 am - 6:00 pm. What else is there to do? If you come a day early, you can attend the City of Hope Softball Game. This takes place on Sunday, June 13th at 1:00 pm at Greer Stadium. Stars meet head to head in a softball game, and proceeds go to the City of Hope. Tickets are $15 - $17 each, and can be purchased through Ticketmaster. Sunday evening is also the date for the 32nd IFCO Fun Fest. The show is held at the Ryman Auditorium, and lasts for about three hours, with the cost a mere $25.00 per person. Some of the stars that performed at last year's Fun Fest are Jo Dee Messina, David Kersh, Ricky Lynn Gregg, Mark Wills, Jeff Carson, Big House, Brad Hawkins, Charlie Daniels, Tracy Lawrence, Linda Davis, Moore & Moore, Blake & Brian, and Kurth & Taylor. Some of the stars performing this year are: Marty Stuart, Jeff Carson, Beverly Ellis, Janie Fricke, Ricky Lynn Gregg, Brad Hawkins, Eric Heatherly, South Sixty Five, Danni Leigh, Victoria Shaw, Trini Triggs, plus a suprise guest - one of the most powerful voices in country music. You can order tickets from the IFCO at PO Box 40328, Nashville, TN 37204, or at the IFCO site online. On Monday night, you can attend the Music City News Country Awards. The show starts at 7:00 pm, but the doors close at 6:30 pm. Ticket prices are between $50.00 - 100.00. On Thursday night, the IFCO hosts its second annual Shindig Party. It's held at the Castle Door, at 115 16th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee. There's fun, food and entertainment, and free parking too. A perfect end to a busy week at Fan Fair. Tickets for the Shindig are $25.00 per person, and can be ordered at the IFCO Office, by mail, phone or fax. The address is: International Fan Club Organization (IFCO)
NOTE: How do I get tickets to the Opry? The Grand Old Opry has shows on Friday and Saturday evenings. If you'd like to take in a show on either Friday, the 18th, or Saturday, the 19th, you'll need to reserve tickets ahead of time. Ticket prices are $16.00 - $18.00 per person. There is one show on Friday at 7:30 pm, and two on Saturday, at 6:30 pm and 9:30 pm. How about hotel and dining information? There are many other things to do in the Nashville area. Janet Granstaff, the About.com's Nashville Guide has a feature listing places to visit during your stay. She also has on her site, information on accommodations, dining, entertainment and more. The Grand Finale Just added, The Run For The Row, a 5K (3.1 miles) run and one mile "fun walk/run" for charity, will kick off early Saturday morning, June 19, on Music City's historical Music Row. The proceeds will go to the Francis Williams Preston Laboratories, a division of the T. J. Martell Foundation. What about a package deal? Still haven't organized your trip to Fan Fair? You might want to opt for one of the following packages. IFCO 1999 Fan Fair Packages include accommodations, Fan Fair tickets, as well as tickets to the Fun Fest, and an option to purchase tickets for the Celebrity Softball Game and Super Star Shows.Affordable Tours include accomodations for five nights, Fan Fair tickets, admission to the Ryman Auditorium Museum, and the Country Music Hall of Fame, two catered lunches, and a souvenir program with artist performance times.
NOTE Below you will find links to the stars that are scheduled to appear at Fan Fair. Each page has a mini-bio, and Fan Club info, as well as a link to the artist's website.
UPDATE:
The following stars were added on April 12th.
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