How it all began...

Fan Fair started back in 1972 with around 5,000 attendees and has now become the dominant event in the Country Music calender, with attendances of over 20,000; it regularly sells out months in advance.

Whilst the formula has remained largely the same, many of the names have changed. Stars who appeared in the early years of the event, such as Loretta Lynn, Tom T. Hall and Roy Acuff, have now largely given way to the modern stars like Brooks And Dunn, Terri Clark and Trisha Yearwood.

The event's popularity led to the move to its current home - The Tennessee State Fairgrounds - in 1982.

The modern Fan Fair is co-presented by the Country Music Association and The Grand Ole Opry, with proceeds going to Country music-related foundations.

You can find out more about the history of Fan Fair at the official website, www.fanfair.com.

Where you begin...

To attend Fan Fair, you first need to register. There's details of how to register on the Advice page. Once you've registered, you'll be send registration documents.

When you arrive for Fan Fair on either Sunday or Monday, you use these documents to collect your wristband and program package. Don't lose your wristband as you'll need to wear it to get in every day. In your program package, you'll find a book of vouchers that will get you reduced admission or concessions at places like the Country Music Hall Of Fame and the Ernest Tubb Record Stores.

If you can drag yourself away from the Fairgrounds for a couple of hours, maybe between shows, you should make a point of seeing something of Country music's history at the Country Music Hall Of Fame. Having outgrown its Music Row site, it is shortly to be relocated to a site near the Nashville Arena.

Just across from the Nashville Arena, on Fifth Avenue, is the Ryman Auditorium, former home of the Grand Ole Opry. The Opry itself is still going strong from its new home on the Opryland Complex.

You can find out more about the build-up to Fan Fair at the official website, www.fanfair.com.