2023 Music Festival Season: Here’s What to Look For
music fans can come together in the Valley to enjoy these summer music festivals
Music fans in the Chippewa Valley – and beyond – are lucky that the region hosts eight big music festivals each summer, most of them multi-day, multi-star extravaganzas. Here are some details we hope are music to your ears.
REVERB MUSIC FESTIVAL
Aug. 19 • Eau Claire Event District • Tickets: $79-239
Early-2000s emo kids, unite! Reverb is a brand-new festival, created by the same folks who manage Eau Claire’s Country Jam, that promises a lineup of “some of the biggest names in emo, punk pop, and alt-rock music, including All Time Low, Mayday Parade and The Maine, Plain White T’s, Charlotte Sands, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, and The Ataris,” organizers say. So dig out your skinny jeans and eyeliner and start growing out those bangs pronto! For more information on this new event, visit reverbwi.com.
Country Fest
June 22-24 • Festival Grounds, Cadott • Tickets: $95-$595
Year after year after year (in fact it’s more like 30+ years), Cadott staple Country Fest has brought tons of seriously huge names in country music to our fair Valley, and there’s no sign it will stop anytime soon. This year’s all about sunshine and good times with a killer lineup of country stars including Jon Pardi, Dan + Shay, Zac Brown Band, Billy Currington, Brett Eldridge, and dozens more of country’s biggest acts. Throughout the festival there will be music on five different stages, including a local stage featuring Branded, among others. There will be a Wednesday night kickoff event for three-day ticket holders as well featuring an exclusive headline performance by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
Throughout the country-fried festival, there will also be games, hammocks, and other things to keep you entertained all weekend long. For more information visit countryfest.com.
Blue Ox MUSIC FESTIVAL
June 22-24 • Whispering Pines Campground, Eau Claire • Tickets: $135-$249
One of the most unique festivals in the Chippewa Valley, in terms of both setting and lineup, is the Blue Ox Music Festival. The event takes place at Whispering Pines Campground, where pine trees and sunsets create a perfectly idyllic setting for an eclectic collection of the finest country and bluegrass performers. Performers stopping by the welcoming Whispering Pines Campground this year include favorites The Lowest Pair, Adam Greuel & The Space Burritos, The MilBillies, Yasmin Williams, Sicard Hollow, The People Brothers Band, Feed the Talking Dog, WuGrass feat. Chris Castino & Chicken Wire Empire, and local favorites Them Coulee Boys, among others.
In addition to the toe-tappin’ sets, Blue Ox offers other activities to enjoy like a soothing Soul Sanctuary, instrument and songwriting workshops, late-night performances on the Backwoods Stage, art installations, food trucks, and craft vendors, a nine-hole disc golf course on-site, and family-friendly entertainment for the kiddos. For more information visit blueoxmusicfestival.com.
Rock Fest
July 13-15 • Festival Grounds, Cadott • Tickets: $99-$575
Many years ago, the rock gods blessed a patch of land in west-central Wisconsin, saw that it was good, and every year since, Rock Fest has brought undeniable rock ’n’ roll legends to the Chippewa Valley for four days worth of head-bangin’ anthems. This year is no exception as Rock Fest and its widespread community of rock fans welcome the likes of Slipknot, Rebel Queens, Dark Heavens, Pantera, 9th Planet, Kings County, and Citizen Kane to continue the legend. Add to that a few killer tribute bands, tattoo parlors aplenty, local acts like Contingency, and even a chapel of love, and you’ll get it: Rock Fest is not to be missed. Oh, and if you buy a three-day ticket, you’ll get to enjoy their Wednesday night Bonus Bash featuring Soul Asylum, Widow7, and nearly a dozen other acts.
And when you’re taking a break from the bangers, enjoy live professional wrestling, giant games, relaxation stations, and tons of other attractions. For more information visit rock-fest.com.
Country Jam
July 19-22 • Eau Claire Event District • Tickets: $99-$4,000
For the annual celebration of all things country – from the cowboy boots to the beer – Jam is a country music lover’s dream, and this year it will be held for the first time on its new grounds at the Eau Claire Event District on Eau Claire’s far northwest corner. For 2023, Country Jam continues its legacy of garnering huge names in country music to celebrate summer in our own backyard. This year they’ve got Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley, Lee Brice, Chris Janson, LOCASH, Whiskey Myers, as well as around a dozen more great acts to see.
While all the music is chugging along, you’ll also have access to plentiful food and drink options, including some of the finest alcoholic beverages this side of Leinenkugel’s. And don’t you worry, the best party is always in the campground, with spots available right now. For the pure Wisconsinite inside you, there’s nothing quite like Country Jam. For more information visit countryjamwi.com.
Blues on the Chippewa
August 4-6 • Downtown Durand • Tickets: Free
One of the area’s bluesiest annual festivals is back with one its most impressive lineups to date. This year Durand is bringing blues artists People Brothers Band, Good Morning Bedlam, Josh Left Wing Bourbon, Big Ray & Chicago’s Most Wanted, Jon Sullivan Band, and Halo Rider, among others.
A unique aspect of the festival is it is free for all to attend, with organizers urging fans to make donations throughout the weekend to support various charities. In the past, they’ve supported the Durand Food Pantry, Pepin County Humane Society, senior citizens programs, and the Pepin County Historical Society. It’s shaping up to be another memorable year for the bolstering event. For more information visit bluesonthechippewa.com.
One Fest
July 28-30 • N. Wisconsin Fairgrounds, CF • Tickets: $35-$80
This family-friendly Christian music festival brings some big names in contemporary Christian music to perform alongside local acts. Taking place at the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds in Chippewa Falls, this praiseworthy festival is bringing Skillet, Tauren Wells, Colton Dixon, We Are Messengers, and others to the Chippewa Valley. There will also be a slew of options available for kiddos. For more information visit one-fest.com.
Train at Ashley for the Arts 2022 (Photo by Luong Hyunh)
Ashley for the Arts
August 11-13 • Memorial Park, Arcadia • Tickets: $35-$200
Every year, Ashley Furniture throws a huge three-day party and gives tons of money to nonprofits to celebrate their success in their hometown of Arcadia. Ashley For The Arts always sports one of the most interesting lineups of musical headliners in the Valley, and 2023 continues that trend with acts including Jake Owen, Raelynn, Walk the Moon, Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line, Sawyer Brown, and OneRepublic, among others.
See some awesome music, run the 2.5-mile Pursuit of a Cure Glow Run, paint in the park, ride in a hot-air balloon, and bring the whole family for a family-friendly weekend of appreciation for the arts. For more information visit ashleyforthearts.com.
