Carter got the veteran slot to open the show, and she didn’t disappoint. There must be a photo of Carter aging in a closet somewhere because she looks exactly the same — and sounded exactly the same — as she did when the burst on the scene in the ’90s. She set the upbeat mood for the evening with the vibrant “If This is Love,” before segueing into her classic, funny, trad country song, “I Shaved My Legs for This,” which she shared she wrote in her kitchen. It’s a little hard to believe the Matraca Berg-penned “Strawberry Wine,” which landed on Billboard’s 100 Best Country Songs of All Time list last month, is nearly 30 years old because it sounded as fresh as always as Carter’s set closer.

“Two years ago, we watched the show from the VIP section, so it’s so amazing to be on stage this time,” Red Clay Strays’ lead singer Brandon Coleman enthused shortly after the Alabama group started its set. The reigning ACM Award new duo or group winner quickly proved it had earned its spot with a tight six-song set that blended country and southern rock on such songs as the swaying “Wondering Why,” which reached No. 71 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. While Coleman joked, “We show up at these fun beach festivals and play these sad songs that make everybody cry,” the band’s strong guitar riffs obliterate any potential sadness, especially on “No One Else Like Me,” where the band broke into a jam that would have made the Allman Brothers proud.

No, wife Gwen Stefani didn’t join Shelton for his brisk six-song set. Instead, he shared it with someone he knew long before the No Doubt lead singer came into his life. After opening with his latest hit, the finger-snapping “Texas,” he moved into “Stay Country or Die Tryin,’” which has the same swamping, minor-key feel as “God’s Country.” Both tracks are from his new album, For Recreational Use Only, but then he took the audience way back to a quarter of a century ago: “I had a mullet. I was skinny and I released this song and got to play my very first CMA Fest,” before segueing into “Austin,” his first hit from 2001. 

Shelton kept the focus squarely on the past as he broke into the cheeky 2005 Trace Adkins’ smash “Honkytonk Badonkadonk,” and then welcomed Adkins to the stage as the two buddies, clearly taking delight in each other, finished the hit together. But they weren’t done. Adkins and his echoing baritone hung for the rest of Shelton’s set, which included their two collaborations, “Hell Right” and “Hillbilly Bone.” It was a match made in CMA Fest heaven and the truest definition of Bro Country.  

The emo cowgirl proved she is ready for the bigtime, holding down the stage with the confidence of artists twice her age and proving she has become a legit headliner. She worked a theme — dressed in a silver sparkly mini dress with fringe, singing into a matching mic and playing a similarly bejeweled silver guitar. Only a few years  into her career — she remarked that this was the fourth CMA Fest she has played, starting on the Spotlight Stage at the Music City Center — Moroney shined throughout her five-song set, filled with songs that turned into singalongs from the poppy “Man on the Moon” to “No Caller ID,” “Am I Okay” (during which she descended the stair onto a catwalk to mingle with the cheering audience) and the song that started it all for her, “Tennessee Orange.” She made the latter a family affair, bringing out her brother Brian, who is “the coolest attorney I know,” she stated, to accompany her on guitar and backing vocals.

Ever since he broke through eight years ago with his first Country Airplay chart-topper, the winning “Singles You Up,” Davis has traveled a solid lane delivering songs that celebrate love, pride in a family and hard work, and he showed again last night in an efficient, high-energy seven-song set just how well he accomplishes that goal. He does it so well with songs like “Buy Dirt,” which won CMA song of the year honors in 2022 (Unfortunately, his collaborator on the song, Luke Bryan, didn’t make a surprise appearance, but he will be closing out the festival tonight), as well as on more recent hits like “I Ain’t Sayin,’” the lovely “Next Thing You Know” and new single “Bar None.”

When Rascal Flatts went on hiatus five years ago because of the pandemic and internal issues, it was unclear they’d ever return to the stage, but here they were, closing out Saturday night’s show and celebrating their 25th anniversary as if no time had passed at all. They also had some company, bringing out Carly Pearce for a soaring version of the heartfelt, supportive “I Wish.” Pearce, who has posted on social media about her issues with vocal strain showed no sign of difficulty last night, hitting and sustaining notes as she and Gary LeVox wrapped their voices around each other. (Their pairing appears on Life is a Highway: Refueled Duets, a new album released June 6 that celebrates the band’s 25th anniversary). They closed their set — and the evening — with a robust, spirited version of “Life Is a Highway” as fans spilled out into the night after nearly five hours of music.