The past year has been a big one for Justin Vernon. The Wisconsin singer-songwriter behind the band Bon Iver released the album Sable, Fable to critical acclaim, earned two Grammy nominations, and now he’s bringing the Eaux Claires Festival back after an eight-year hiatus.
The festival will run July 24-25 at Carson Park in Eau Claire.
The lineup includes Dijon, Daniel Caesar, Lil Yachty, Aimee Mann, Kevin Morby, Wisconsin’s Bizhiki and more. Mann will be performing her 2000 album Bachelor No. 2 Or, The Last Remains Of The Dodo. “Bon Dylan” is also listed to perform. (Who precisely that is remains unclear—Bon Iver performing Bob Dylan covers seems like a reasonable possibility).
See the poster below for the full, current lineup.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Along with the musicians, the lineup will feature Eaux Claires Festival first class of “Writers In Residence,” who will be leading discussions, giving readings in more. The list includes Wisconsin’s Michael Perry as well as Wisconsin Poet Laureate Brenda Cárdenas.
The Eaux Claires Festival was founded in 2015 by Vernon and Aaron Dessner of The National. It ran through 2018 before taking what was meant to be a one-year break in 2019. The COVID pandemic nixed it the following year, and soon the hiatus stretched on through 2025.
The festival will release a full program of activities and events in the weeks ahead, along with information about Eaux Claires Days, a new feature of the festival that will include shows around town through the weekend, “emphasizing the local and the unexpected.”
Tickets to the festival are available in the Eau Claire area now. Special access codes are available in person at locations throughout town, listed here.
Fan prescale begins at 9 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, and all remaining tickets will go on sale at 11 a.m. Check eauxclaires.com for tickets along with the latest schedules and updates.
