#Eau claire wisconsin golden hour time driver
#Eau claire wisconsin golden hour time free

Despite the limited seating and a patio that looks out on a pothole-strewn dirt road, it’s an outstanding place to hang. Though expansion is on the horizon, its taproom is currently a garage with a handful of tables lined up by the canning machine, or sometimes set askew around a parked forklift loaded with tallboys. The most exciting brewery right now might be The Eau Claire Brewing Projekt. Being in the same building means there’s something for hops lovers, vodka drinkers, and that one dude who really wants cinnamon-flavored whiskey. Brewing, joined in a single facility, have made a name for themselves. Nearby, the Chippewa River Distillery and Brewster Bros. Lazy Monk Brewing and its German beer hall, established in 2010, has become a city staple (the Rye IPA is a must-try). Now, craft breweries have spread like milkweed. For years, beer in the Chippewa Valley was associated with Leinenkugel's, a Miller subsidiary and the oldest business in neighboring Chippewa Falls. In true Wisconsin tradition, there’s beerīesides music, there’s a whole lot of beer in Eau Claire. Brewing Projekt tap room | Eau Claire Brewing Projekt / Kyle Lehman Headliners are big-name acts like Chance and Paul Simon, but there’s also a dedication to local artists, local businesses, and collaborative performances that highlight Wisconsin’s surprising wealth of artistry (at least, it’s surprising to outsiders).

Vernon’s vision for Eaux Claires is to celebrate that city while amping up its cultural offerings.

#Eau claire wisconsin golden hour time free

You’ll find free genre-spanning outdoor concerts multiple times a week throughout the summer, with plenty of spaces to hear locals play though House of Rock is closing its doors this month, the town has gained spaces like The Local Store’s art gallery, hotel stages, and outdoor nights that are thriving with the support of the city. The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s jazz program attracts a prestigious lineup for its annual Eau Claire Jazz Festival. Carey, Peter Wolf Crier, Laarks, and Arms Aloft, to name a few.Įaux Claires, likewise, follows a festival tradition that includes the older-skewing Rock Fest, Country Jam, and Country Fest. But Eau Claire has continued to spawn an impressive list of bands that have made a national mark: Gayngs, The Daredevil Christopher Wright, S. At his start, Vernon was playing to tepid crowds in musty local haunts like the Stones Throw, House of Rock, and Downtown’s Acoustic Café before seeking a bigger indie hub in Raleigh, North Carolina, along with brothers Phil and Brad Cook (now of Megafaun).

#Eau claire wisconsin golden hour time driver

Vernon’s Eaux Claires fest, now on its third year, has been a powerful driver in putting this city of 68,000 in the cultural limelight. Its homegrown music scene is only getting bigger In a region flush with natural beauty, Eau Claire is like a homey, beer-battered, cheese-filled Portland - big enough that it doesn’t feel like you’re walking into an episode of Cheers, small enough to feel like a breath of fresh air. A growing roster of breweries, quirky businesses, diverse dining, and respect for all things local is evidence of larger creative forces at work. Vernon calls this dot on the map 80 miles east of the Twin Cities his hometown (so do I, coincidentally), and has helped champion a Midwestern music scene here reminiscent of a younger Austin.īut the city of Eau Claire has street cred that goes beyond Vernon, and music is only a taste of what makes the place great - and one of the best small towns to visit. Yep, a crowd of 20,000 showed up for Eaux Claires, a two-day fest in the west-Wisconsin woods co-founded by The National’s Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. In early June, when you saw headlines about a music festival with names like Paul Simon, Bon Iver, Chance the Rapper, and Wilco leading the bill, maybe you raised an eyebrow when you realized it was in.