We r trvlg from overseas and just realised that our dates in nashville coincide with cma , While i would love to get tickets to a show or two i would hate to not get a true feel of the city and to face chaos and traffic every where as well as lines at all the famous food joints

Is it worth trying to move the schedule around so that e miss the CMA or hold our breath and dive right in !!!!!!!!!

second thing i needed to understand was if i can go into some good places with music with 7 year olds

thirdly any suggestion on where to stay in a $ 175 to $ 200 bracket .prefrably not a chain hotel but a place with character .

thanks for yr help !

I don't know where you are going to find a hotel with character that's not part of a chain. Even the Union Station is affliated with Wyndham. But anyway, you said "character" so here's my suggestion -
http://www.unionstationhotelnashville.com/

The price point won't work though. Especially during CMA Fest

The Hermitage has character, but I can't imagine it would fit your budget, especially then. I agree with starrs' recommendation; I have been in the lobby of that hotel and it is spectacular.

As to your question about whether or not to rearrange your trip to avoid the CMA Fest, I would reply that if you don't already have your hotel booked, the decision may be made for you. I've not been in Nashville during the festival, but know people who have, and have considered it myself. It is a huge event--people literally come from around the world to attend it. Everywhere you go will be crowded, there will be lots of traffic, it's usually quite hot and humid, and I think would be about the exact opposite of getting a true feel for the city. My two cents.

i am still looking to get advice on how crazy it does get over these dates of CMA ?

do i miss the true feel of the city or do i still enjoy it but with some crowds

It is not just "some crowds"...it is thousands and thousands of people...the concerts at the football stadium fill the place every night for four nights in a row. And again, unless you already have a room booked, you might not have a choice.