61st Academy of Country Music Awards

The 61st Academy of Country Music Awards marks the annual return of country music's premier televised awards ceremony to Las Vegas — the city that has hosted the ACM Awards more than any other venue in the show's history. Sunday, May 17, 2026 is the anchor date, with the telecast airing live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT exclusively on Prime Video, the second consecutive year the ceremony streams globally rather than broadcasting on traditional television.

Shania Twain hosts the 2026 ceremony, bringing her own Las Vegas residency experience to the role. The performance lineup spans country music's mainstream radio format, the emerging Americana crossover movement, and the new generation of artists who have redefined country's audience demographics over the past five years. Blake Shelton, Kane Brown, Kacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson, Thomas Rhett, Dan + Shay, Ella Langley, Jordan Davis, The Red Clay Strays, Carter Faith, and Zach Top are confirmed to perform or present — one of the strongest ACM lineups in recent memory.

ACM Week 2026 runs Thursday May 14 through Sunday May 17, with three official ACM-sanctioned events preceding the main ceremony. The Whiskey Jam Welcome Party at Ole Red Las Vegas on Thursday, May 14 opens the week with rising artists Avery Anna, Caroline Jones, Jenna Paulette, and The Band Perry. ACM Lifting Lives Country on the Green at Topgolf Las Vegas on Friday, May 15 features Riley Green, Lauren Alaina, Randy Houser, and Rodney Atkins with general admission tickets from $150, doors at 8:00 PM. ACM Next Wave: Country's Beach Bash at Mandalay Bay Beach on Saturday, May 16 brings Keith Urban, Ashley Cooke, Braxton Keith, Dasha, Flatland Cavalry, and Tucker Wetmore — one of the most accessible ACM Week events at $75 GA.

The nightlife dimension of ACM Week 2026 is shaped by a significant scheduling overlap with EDC Week (May 13–19). Las Vegas sees one of its most unusual dual-festival weekends: 400,000+ EDM fans and tens of thousands of country music attendees simultaneously occupying the Strip. Strip nightclubs during this period primarily target the EDC crowd, but Hakkasan Nightclub inside the MGM Grand operates just steps from the Garden Arena and runs open-format programming until 5 AM, making it the most natural post-ceremony destination for ACM attendees. Hotels near MGM Grand — Aria, Park MGM, Vdara, Bellagio — reach maximum occupancy during this combined week; book accommodations and venue guest list access well in advance.