Getting his country on

Surprising English pop superstar to perform at ACM Awards in Frisco

Ed Sheeran will perform at the ACMs.

Photo by Greg Williams

England's biggest pop star didn't make the cut for his new king and queen's coronation concert last weekend. Turns out, he was setting his sights on a different kind of country royalty. Ed Sheeran will perform at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards in Frisco on Thursday, May 11 at The Star in Frisco.

He joins a previously announced lineup that includes Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Jo Dee Messina, Ashley McBryde, Dolly Parton, Jelly Roll, Cole Swindell, Keith Urban, Morgan Wallen, The War And Treaty, Lainey Wilson, and Bailey Zimmerman taking the stage at show, hosted by Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks.

The big, glaring difference being that Sheeran is not a country music singer - although he has collaborated with Luke Combs and Chris Stapleton, and has been spotted hanging out at Nashville's famed Bluebird Cafe.

He is undoubtedly a superstar who is in every spotlight right now, from recently winning a court case in which he was accused of copying the Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” for his own hit “Thinking Out Loud,” to a new Disney+ docuseries called Ed Sheeran: The Sum of it All.

Currently on his “+ - = ÷ x” (Mathematics) World Tour, Sheeran also just played a big show at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Saturday, May 6. Two shows in one week - he's practically an honorary North Texan.

A press release does not explain why Sheeran was chosen to perform at the ACM Awards, what he'll sing, or with whom he may collaborate, but it promises he'll be "adding an electrifying moment to an already-packed evening of powerhouse performances."

The ACM Awards will be free to stream live for a global audience across more than 240 countries and territories exclusively on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch (it'll also stream for free the next day on Amazon Freevee).

The show gets started 6 pm Thursday, May 11 at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco. There are still a limited number of tickets remaining (starting around $400) via SeatGeek, organizers say.

As with any worldwide, Super Bowl-level event, there'll be many happenings leading up to it, including an ACM Lifting Lives benefit concert headlined by country music bad boy Morgan Wallen.

The Awards are being preceded by "ACM Awards Week," an entire slate of prelude parties, including:

ACM Country Kickoff at The Star, a two-day music and entertainment festival which is open to the public, free to all fans, and does not require tickets - May 9-10.
ACM Songs & Stories Powered by The Bluebird Cafe + NSAI, a private industry celebration of the top songwriters of the past year
A Dolly Parton-branded pop-up shop

The 2023 edition of the Academy of Country Music Awards will mark a return to Texas for the first time since the landmark 50th ACM Awards, which took place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington in 2015.

ACM Awards Ed Sheeran Frisco celebrities concerts

Toddler Fun

Cloudbound debuts in Frisco as immersive indoor playground for kids

Photo courtesy of Cloudbound

The new immersive play experience Cloudbound is now open in Frisco.

Families in Frisco and the surrounding area have a new immersive play experience to hit this summer: Called Cloudbound, it's an indoor attraction that opened May 30 at 3333 Preston Rd., Frisco.

The 10,000-square-foot play space is the second location for Cloudbound, which also has a venue in New Rochelle, New York.

Designed for children up to 6 years old, the space blends imaginative play with early childhood development principles.

"Cloudbound brings a sky-inspired world of play to Frisco, inviting children to crawl, climb, slide, and discover," says a release.

Attractions for the older kids in the age group include a giant spiral and airplane slides, rainbow bridges, and castle-inspired climbing structures.

Little ones can enjoy musical walls, light panels, building-block zones, tummy-time mats, and cloud-soft areas where they can safely challenge themselves through movement and sensory play.

Parents and caregivers can visit the full-service cafe for espresso-based beverages and snacks. There is also lounge-style seating around the space where the adults can relax while staying connected to the playground.

Other amenities include complimentary wifi, dedicated nursing rooms, quiet spaces, and ample stroller parking.

There are also 30-minute guided classes for babies and toddlers held in private Cloud Rooms, with themes such as "Curious Creators: Building & Sensory Creation" and "Zumbini: Music and Movement," according to the website.

Three private party roomsare designed for birthdays and special celebrations.

Cloudbound offers CloudPass memberships ranging from $99-$129 per month for one child & parent/caregiver, which allow for daily 90-minute visits, "Moments" classes, discounts on cafe purchases, and more.

Non-membership options include $10 for first-time visitors, and $30 per child and $20 per sibling for return visitors.

Cloudbound is open daily from 8 am-6 pm, with special members-only "Twilight Hour" from 6-7 pm.

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