Eau Clairians are proud of winter. Or at least according to a new community campaign by Think Eau Claire and Wintermission, which aims to change your attitudes about the chilliest season of the year in an effort to recruit new professionals and their families to the Chippewa Valley.   

Think Eau Claire, a campaign originally launched last year by the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce and Volume One, illuminates how Eau Claire is the fastest-growing small city in Wisconsin – and the subject of glowing national media profiles praising the quality of life and low cost of living – even in the coldest months of the year. The wintertime campaign is launched by the Eau Claire Area Chamber in partnership with Wintermission Eau Claire, which is led locally by representatives from the City of Eau Claire, Eau Claire City-County Health Department, Downtown Eau Claire Inc., Visit Eau Claire, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, and the City of Altoona, with a video produced through Volume One. 

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Winter is one of Eau Claire's greatest assets.

Kenzi Havlicek

Visit Eau Claire

“Winter is one of Eau Claire’s greatest assets,” said Kenzi Havlicek, the director of marketing at Visit Eau Claire. “We hope this campaign will improve the perceptions and attitudes toward winter life in the region – especially this year more than ever!”  

90% of Eau Claire residents say the city is a great place to raise a child, and it ranks as the 13th safest of 371 metro areas in the nation. From outdoor recreational opportunities, a radiating arts and entertainment scene, the unique and robust food and drink landscape, a strong culture of health and fitness, the bustling retail scene, and – of course – the serenity of friendly neighbors, Eau Claire is the perfect place for people looking for something new and different.   

SNOW MUCH FUN. Grab your hats, mittens, scarves, and fuzzy socks to get outside and enjoy what Eau Claire has to offer this winter! From hitting local sledding hills to skiing slopes, ice skating rinks, and cozying up with a good local read, Eau Claire is just the place to make the season bright, according to Think Eau Claire.

“My husband and I often get asked if we have any regrets moving back to Eau Claire, and without hesitation our response is ‘absolutely not!’ ” said Becky Witt, who moved to Eau Claire in 2016. “We would have considered Hudson or Minneapolis before Eau Claire if it wasn’t for all the growth happening. The progress definitely stood out to us, but in a unique way that offered what we had in Madison plus more, and with a small-town vibe.”   

For workplaces who want to attract outside residents, Think Eau Claire offers the unique opportunity for website and video content, customized for the culture of their specific workplaces, to promote the benefits and opportunities of working in Eau Claire at their business.

If interested, businesses can contact Kaylynn Stahlbusch at the chamber at (715) 858-0615 or stahlbusch@eauclairechamber.org.  

You can check out more about Think Eau Claire at their website at thinkeauclaire.com, their Instagram at @thinkeauclaire, or their Facebook at Think Eau Claire. 

To learn more about Wintermission, check out EauWinter.com.