WHYS NOT? WHYS 96.3FM Radio is hosting a new music festival in August, featuring Michael Perry + The Long Beds, The Foxgloves, Dames, and more.  (Photos via Facebook)

Since 2005, WHYS 96.3FM Radio has been electrifying listeners with a wide range of musical genres and artist. Now, in gratitude for the community that allows it to thrive, the station is bringing a new and thrilling music festival to the Chippewa Valley: WHYS Fest.

WHYS Radio is no stranger to music festivals. For more than a decade, they have held the WHYS Bluegrass Fest at Lake Altoona. This year, organizer Ben Johnson – who has been planning WHYS Fest since last summer — aims to repay the community for its support with a diversification of music at the fest. “I like to present the music that people on the radio listen to,” he said. “That was the main ingredient, to promote something that will give back to the community.”

WHYS Fest will be held at 4 Mile Restaurant & Bar (S5786 State Highway 37, Eau Claire) on Sunday, Aug. 18, from 11-6:30pm, rain or shine. Ticket prices have yet to be decided, but when they are available it will be on the WHYS Radio website.

The six artists who will be featured at WHYS Fest all have one common thread: Wisconsin roots. Bluegrass will still make an appearance thanks to The Foxgloves, an all-women bluegrass group, but the festival will also feature folk in the Rock Creek Song Dogs, indie rock in Dames, and country in Michael Perry and the Long Beds – to name a few.

Intended as a love letter back to their listeners, WHYS Fest is aimed at the entire family. There will be visual art and activities to partake in beyond just the music for adults and children alike. The importance is that attendees leave with a sense of belonging to a family that all share a love of music.

“The listeners support us at WHYS Radio, and in a big way, the festival is from our listeners,” Johnson said.

Check for updates on the WHYS Facebook page (@WHYS96.3FM).