After an eight-year pause, the Bon Iver–curated Eaux Claires festival is coming back this summer, bringing a mix of music and literature to Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The two-day event, set for July 24–25 at Carson Park, promises high-profile performances and a new Writers in Residence program that broadens the festival’s reach beyond stages to bookstores, bars and public spaces across town.
The relaunch matters because it reunites a distinctive indie festival brand with its hometown while introducing a formal literary component — a move that could reshape local cultural life and draw visitors during the summer season. Organizers say the program will combine headline sets, late-night shows and daytime events spread around the city under the banner of Eaux Claires Days.
Eaux Claires will open with a lineup led by Justin Vernon’s tribute project, billed as Bon Dylan, alongside contemporary acts such as Dijon, Daniel Caesar and Lil Yachty. The weekend also includes an on-stage performance of Aimee Mann’s acclaimed 2000 album Bachelor No. 2, plus sets from Hotline TNT, Kevin Morby, Gash, Gully Boys and Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas.
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The festival’s return marks a new chapter: Vernon relocated programming to Carson Park, giving Eaux Claires a permanent festival site in Eau Claire. That fixed venue is expected to make logistics easier for artists and attendees, and to anchor the weekend’s expanded daytime offerings.
Organizers announced a curated Writers in Residence lineup for the first time, bringing together novelists, essayists and critics for readings, panels and collaborations. The initial roster includes a mix of established and emerging literary voices.
- Music highlights: Bon Dylan (Justin Vernon), Dijon, Daniel Caesar, Lil Yachty, Aimee Mann performing Bachelor No. 2
- Notable supporting acts: Hotline TNT, Kevin Morby, Gash, Gully Boys, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas
- Writers in Residence (selected): Michael Perry, Sheila Heti, Hala Alyan, Sean Thor Conroe, Kyle Seibel, Amanda Petrusich, Jon Mueller, Benjamin Percy, Nishant Jain
Ticketing is time-sensitive: specially priced fan pre-sale tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. ET on Feb. 13, with remaining general-sale tickets available from noon the following day. Eau Claire residents have an earlier chance to secure passes through special access codes distributed at participating local restaurants and retail outlets; the festival’s official site lists participating businesses and further ticketing details.
For context, Eaux Claires was co-founded by Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner of The National and ran annually from 2015 through 2018. Those editions mixed genres and big names — from Paul Simon and Lizzo to Chance the Rapper, Wilco and Erykah Badu — building a reputation for adventurous programming and unique collaborations. This reopening aims to recapture that experimental spirit while rooting the festival more firmly in Eau Claire’s public spaces.
Expect additional announcements in the coming weeks: organizers say the full schedule and day-by-day programming, including special Eaux Claires Days events around town, will be revealed before summer. For residents and travelers, the key implications are straightforward — more cultural traffic for local businesses, new opportunities for author-audience encounters, and a weekend program that blends headline concerts with offstage literary life.
Advance planning is recommended: with the festival’s return after a lengthy hiatus and limited-capacity site, popular sets and ticket tiers are likely to sell quickly. Check the festival’s official channels for the complete lineup and the list of local businesses distributing access codes.
