DELIGHTFUL DISTRICT. The Eau Claire Event District is slated to finish construction by Country Jam USA in July. (Renderings from Eau Claire Event District website)

Eau Claire is home to some of the state’s coolest music events, and now it’s upping its game with its newest large event venue. Originally intended solely as the new home for Country Jam USA, the Eau Claire Event District has since blossomed into so much more.

Stretching across about 100 acres, the Eau Claire Event District grounds will hold two large event venues – The Crescent and High Country – as well as 1,000 campsites with varying amenities and even more space primarily for Country Jam and the Event District’s brand new festival, Reverb.

Though currently under construction along County Highway T on Eau Claire’s northwest side, the site is slated to be completely finished and ready to go just in time for Country Jam, which will take place July 19-22. Along with the music festivals, the Event District is the perfect place for pretty much any event possible, namely weddings, large corporate events, conferences, and everything in between.

“There's really not a space this size between Madison and the Twin Cities,” said Holly Hedrington, CEO of the Eau Claire Event District. “So this is the first space of this size in that market that can really hold this many people. So we feel really good about the impact we can have bringing people in from a really good radius.”

THE CRESCENT

The Crescent digital rendering

There is an 8,000-square-foot kitchen that will house the on-site catering company, KP Catering. Since KP Catering was Country Jam’s on-site caterer at the previous location, the Event District decided to offer them a permanent space at the new site. Their menus can be customized for each event and budget.

“We had sort of a temporary kitchen built for (KP Catering) down at the old site,” Hedrington said. “But then as this project kind of morphed and grew it just became obvious that they would be the perfect fit to come in there as our caterer as we were adding these permanent spaces that we weren’t originally going to have.”

The Crescent under construction (May 2023)

The Crescent also has spacious bride and groom suites and a 7,000-square-foot pavilion that allows for large events or weddings to be outside while still sheltered from any rain or heavy sun. Just outside the pavilion is where the Country Jam and Reverb stages will be set up, giving great views of the shows for VIP ticket holders.

HIGH COUNTRY

High Country digital rendering

High Country’s aesthetic is very different from The Crescent since it is a steel building, but it will still offer the same great event space in a larger capacity. With more than 18,000 square feet, High Country was originally planned to just be the venue’s main bar area and festival storage but was made into another event space that is fully usable year-round.

The sides of the High Country building will have large garage doors that will be open in the summer, creating a more cohesive indoor/outdoor feel. It will also house the Event District’s main bar space, with an 80-foot-long, double-sided bar. There will also be a large outdoor patio.

The High Country under construction (May 2023)

Both buildings have state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment that can operate independently or can be shared across buildings for events that need both sites. The Event District is licensed to have up to 10 concerts a year on the grounds and is looking forward to using the High Country building to host small- and large-scale musicians.

CAMPING

A huge part of the Country Jam festivities has been the on-site camping available, and the Eau Claire Event District wants to go even bigger with it this year. With more than 1,000 campsites available, there’s a spot for every kind of camper.

Glamping tent provided by Canvas Town Events.

If you’re bringing your camper or RV, there is a 20’ x 40’ electrical camping site with water and sewer hookups available. If you’re bringing your tent, no problem! Along with two 20’ x 40’ native camping sites – as well as a third smaller site – there is a brand new shower and restroom facility being built right next to the site.

And if you want to camp without doing the work, the Event District is offering a new camping option this year: “Glamping.” Glamping includes your own 14-foot weather-proof canvas tent, furnished with either two single beds or one queen bed, as well as linens, comforters, and pillows. The Glamping Village is also located in a premier spot on the campground, with a very short walk to the concert bowl, and includes an exclusive hospitality area for games, grilling, and free coffee in the mornings. Learn more about the new camping and Glamping options on the Country Jam website.

RIBBON CUTTING

The Event District already has several large-scale events lined up after construction wraps up. From an employee appreciation event in August to several weddings in the works, it’s shaping up to be an exciting and busy venue. To celebrate its opening, a September ribbon cutting is planned, with more info coming later.

“Country Jam has been around for 30-some years and it's just so terrific and everybody loves it and we're excited to have it (at the Eau Claire Event District),” Hedrington said. “But then having our own venue versus renting which is what we used to do on the old site really allows us to be able to open that up to other things.”

To learn more about the Eau Claire Event District, you can go to eauclaireeventdistrict.com.