Winter After Hours returns!

Mike Paulus, photos by Zachary Oliphant |

You know, a lot of people around here are complaining right now. About the cold. About the snow. About the way their nostril hairs freeze as soon as they step outside. It’s almost as if they’re mad at Wisconsin for ... being Wisconsin. We’re not sure why they live here if it bothers them so much.

Luckily, you are not among those people. Luckily, you embrace the cold. You don’t mind seeing your breath freeze. You don’t call a few feet of snowfall a “blizzard." You know how to drive your car up an icy hill. You own real boots. You dress in layers. You, dear friends, are true Wisconsinites. And Volume One has something for you ...

Get ready for some wintertime snow-cializing as Winter After Hours returns for its fifth year – on Thursdays, 6-8pm, Jan. 2 through Feb. 27 in Eau Claire’s Boyd Park. We’ve teamed up with the city’s Parks and Rec Department once again to host these outdoor winter evenings featuring:

Ice Skating - Meander Boyd Park's new curvy ice loop. Bring your own skates or rent some on-site.
Snowshoeing - Great for first-timers! Visit the pavilion to rent some snowshoes from Beaver Creek Reserve, then follow a torch lit path next to Boyd Park. Bring a flashlight!
Snow Sculptures - Watch Eau Claire's international award-winning snow carvers in action. Led by Jason Anhorn and Steve Bateman.
Winter Kubb - Try out Eau Claire's hottest yard game, Kubb, winter style!
Giant Firepit - Gather round the over-sized firepit for some mid-winter warmth.
Music - Enjoy the ambient sounds of an excellent winter playlist.
Hot Drinks - Partake in some hot liquid goodness from local tea and coffee houses.
Warming House / Restrooms - Getting too cold? Step into the warming house for a bit and grab a seat.

Winter After Hours is sponsored by Mayo Clinic Health System, Hillside Dental, State Farm Insurance - Deb Becker, Saylon Seven, Toppers, Group Health Cooperative of Eau Claire, Quality Management Services, First Strike Paintball, US Bank, Beaver Creek Reserve, and Riverside Bike & Skate.