Attendance at the 2026 Royal Inaugural Awards Ceremony will be strictly private and confidential.

Honky Tonk Music Association will not publicly release or confirm the names of individual attendees, including award winners, nominees, artists, industry professionals, executives, representatives, invited guests, media personnel or personal security personnel.

An individual’s attendance, approved night or nights, travel arrangements, credentials, security arrangements and related event-access information will be treated as confidential event information.

Award winners are not required to attend. However, an award winner who wishes to attend must register and be verified like every other attendee.

There will be no unregistered walk-in admission and no exceptions at the door based upon identity, professional title, award status, invitation, representation or association with another attendee.

If an individual independently discovers the confidential venue location but is not on the official verified HTMA attendance list, access will be denied.

Production planning for the 2026 Royal Inaugural Awards Ceremony is already well underway and the current performance schedule is being finalized.

September 30, 2026 is the final participation deadline, but artists requesting a performance opportunity should contact HTMA immediately rather than waiting until the deadline.

The earlier HTMA receives the request, the greater the opportunity for the production team to determine whether the artist can be integrated into the current production and performance schedule.

Performance requests remain subject to available production space, technical requirements, time limitations, venue requirements and final HTMA approval.

Any award winner, nominee, artist, executive, industry professional or invited guest attending with personal security personnel must register those individuals with HTMA in advance.

HTMA must know exactly who each security professional is attending on behalf of.

Registration of security personnel does not automatically include complimentary admission.

Depending upon the individual event night, venue requirements, available capacity, credential classification and security arrangements, a separate ticket, credential or admission purchase may be required for one or more members of an attendee’s personal security team.

Payment or ticket purchase does not replace verification. All personal security personnel must still be registered, verified and approved in advance.

Security-detail information will remain confidential.

Unregistered or unverified security personnel will be denied access.

Winners and nominees may provide current professional photographs, biographies, press materials, official website information, social-media information, approved video information, management information and other promotional materials authorized for HTMA use.

Promotional information is processed separately from invitation and attendance registration.

Materials received after September 30 may not be incorporated into final ceremony, website, media, broadcast or production materials.

Award winners who will not participate in or attend the 2026 Royal Inaugural Awards Ceremony may request to receive their applicable trophies, certificates and award materials after completion of the ceremony.

HTMA must have complete and verified contact information from the award winner before award materials can be mailed.

Following completion of the ceremony, eligible award winners may alternatively elect to pick up their applicable award materials from Honky Tonk Music Association / Affinity Publishing Group corporate headquarters.

Awards will not be available for headquarters pickup prior to the ceremony.

HTMA will announce the official date when post-ceremony award distribution begins. Winners should not arrive at corporate headquarters expecting to collect an award before that announced distribution date.

For security purposes, Honky Tonk Music Association will not publicly release:

• The private venue location
• Individual ceremony dates and times
• The identity of individual attendees
• Approved nights of attendance
• Credential information
• Ticket-access information
• Entrance and check-in procedures
• Personal security arrangements
• Private production schedules
• Restricted event-access information

Only verified and approved attendees will receive the confidential information necessary for their authorized attendance.

Please do not travel to Murfreesboro based solely upon submission of an attendance request.

Attendance is confirmed only after official verification and authorization by Honky Tonk Music Association.

No. Award winners are not required to attend, and absence from the ceremony does not cancel the winner’s recognition.

Yes. Award status does not automatically authorize event access. If you intend to attend, you must register, be verified and have your name placed on the official HTMA attendance list.

Access will be denied. There are no walk-in exceptions at the door based upon identity, award status, professional title or association with another attendee.

Knowing or discovering the venue location does not authorize admission. If your name is not on the verified HTMA attendance list, access will be denied.

You may request consideration, but contact HTMA immediately. Production is being finalized and remaining performance opportunities are limited. Submission does not guarantee a performance slot.

No. Individual attendance is confidential.

Confidential venue, date, time, credential and security information will be released only after the attendee has been verified and approved.

Personal security personnel may attend only after individual advance registration, verification and approval. A separate ticket, credential or admission purchase may be required. Purchasing a ticket does not bypass verification.

No. Awards designated for post-ceremony distribution will not be mailed or released for pickup before completion of the inaugural ceremony.

Yes. After the ceremony, HTMA will announce the date when authorized corporate-headquarters pickup and post-ceremony mailing begin.