Food+Drink

From Pasties To Curds, Here's What To Eat At The Eaux Claires Festival

Eric Christenson, photos by Lee Butterworth |

The Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival, taking place Aug. 12 and 13 here in Eau Claire, announced its expanded lineup of food vendors from the region and beyond. More than 30 local and regional vendors will be there, serving everything from cheese curds to dumplings to barbecue to pasties. While seeing musical acts like Erykah Badu, Bon Iver, and James Blake, you’ll be able to stuff your face with food from Clear Water BBQ, an Eau Claire smokehouse serving locally sourced meats, and The Marigold, an Eau Claire mobile café. You’ll see some familiar foodie faces with Tutto Bene Wood Fired Pizza and 9 Degrees (serving that delicious Olson’s Ice Cream). Six Madison-based food carts will be on site as well as six food trucks from the Twin Cities. Minneapolis-based Dogwood Coffee will be at the festival, serving up ice-cold coffee drinks in refillable ice hockey water bottles from their vintage Zamboni. On the beverage side, Leinenkugel’s will return to the festival this year with tons of Chippewa Falls flavors, but you’ll also be able to choose from a much wider selection of drinkables. The Brewing Projekt will serve up its popular Gunpowder IPA, and you’ll be able to slug down beers from the likes of Summit Brewing Company and Lagunitas. Mikkeller, an internationally acclaimed Danish brewer, will pour a special pale ale called Eaux Claires, in honor of the festival. For the full food and drink lineup, check out www.eauxclaires.com.