When you are born an “Eau Clarian” there is a certain gift bestowed upon you at birth. It is the type of gift you don’t fully understand until you grow into the culture that surrounds a town of 67,545 inhabitants. It is a gift of being born in a specific time, place and moment where the pulses of the city flow with the electric current of local music galore. Yes, Eau Claire does draw popular country music artists to its home every year with the annual popularity of Country Jam, but the hometown music is so much more than that. Growing up in Eau Claire, I have witnessed the effect of hometown music first hand, whether that was Music in the Park at the local park in the heart of Downtown Eau Claire or the excitement when Justin Vernon and his bandmates come to town. No matter where you go, music pulsates through this city — always keeping folks within the “heart of things”. And that statement has never been more truthful as it is right now — in this moment, in the days of August 12-13 when people from all around the world, from all walks of life, unite under the power of music — under the power of what is Eaux Claires.

So, what exactly is Eaux Claires? The Eaux Claires Music Festival is a two-day, rain or shine event, that takes place on multiple stages featuring live music from different popular indie music artists each year. This year acts such as Bon Iver, James Blake, Francis and the Lights, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats are just among the hefty list of fifty-five artists who are expected to take the stages over the two-day time frame. Besides just musical allure, Eaux Claires offers visual performances, concessions, and visual art creating a well-rounded event for people of all ages to enjoy. Creator and musical performing artist, Justin Vernon, describes the event such as this, “Our mission for Eaux Claires is to create a deeply meaningful experience of togetherness and expression. We feel like everyone, whether interested in the fashion of popularized music or not, will be entertained, moved, and surprised by our festival.”

In a culture that is beginning to be dominated by the thrill of big name music festivals such as Coachella, Glastonbury, and lastly, Lollapalooza, it very refreshing to see a smaller scale indie music festival finding their own way and making a name for themselves against certain music festivals. Even some that have been leading the game for decades. Despite the incredibly large scale of certain festivals, good music is just that — good music. Something that Eaux Claires never fails to deliver even if it is their second year. So from one “Eau Clarian,” best of luck Eaux Claires in your second year, may the sun be shining, singers giving it their all, and finally, keep that music we have come to love pulsating throughout the night.