SEASONAL SOUNDS. Clearwater Jazz and Art Festival will return for its third annual, free-to-attend "holiday edition" with a new roundup of Chippewa Valley musicians and artisans. On Nov. 22, this holiday artist market and non-stop jazz celebration will be held at The Brewing Projekt. (Photo via Facebook)

The third annual Clearwater Jazz and Art Festival: Holiday Edition will offer the perfect blend of seasonal tunes and thoughtful gifts — an ideal destination for your holiday season preparations.

From 12-6pm on Saturday, Nov. 22, this holiday artist market and non-stop jazz celebration will be held at its usual location, The Brewing Projekt (1807 N. Oxford Ave. Eau Claire).

“The reason we started (the) ‘holiday edition’ two years ago was to give local visual artists a place during the holidays to present what they have in their art forms,” Joe Lustek, a co-organizer for the Clearwater Jazz and Art Festival said.

Attendees can look forward to reimagined holiday-themed tunes from area jazz musicians and the addition of “big band” ensembles from the area university and high school groups. The Brewing Projekt main stage will welcome Bloomer High School’s Jazz one ensemble, along with the Sue Orfield Trio, Velvet Roots and others.

This year, the festival's holiday edition will feature musicians such as Emily Watkins, Valerie Evans & Will Deblay and others performing jazz arrangements in the upstairs art gallery — to further complement the surrounding visual art.

“We try to set the mood for people buying art (upstairs),” Lustek added. “Artists tell us they have actually sold more pieces when a specific kind of music is playing.”

Featured artisans during the Nov. 22 festival will include mixed media creations by Elizabeth Carey, whimsical watercolor paintings by Ashley Wittling, copper and enamel ware by Cindy King, wooden sculptures by Rich Meredith, among others.

While the holiday edition of this volunteer-driven event will continue to evolve in its musical and artistic offerings, the heart of Clearwater Jazz and Art Festival remains the same: offer the Chippewa Valley community greater access to the creative hub which exists in our region.

The Clearwater Jazz and Art Festival: Holiday Edition (free to attend) will kick off at 12pm on Saturday, Nov. 2 and offers live music, curated art vendors, craft beers made on-site and more. For additional information and event announcements, visit leauclairejazzsociety.com or follow along through Facebook (@ClearwaterJazzAndArtFestival).