BATTER UP! The moment has finally arrived – the weekend where a sea of travelers and curious locals will descend upon Carson Park to immerse themselves in the 2026 iteration of the Eaux Claires festival. To help you navigate the noise, we’ve rounded up the must-see local happenings to plan what should be on your radar.

EDITORS NOTE (07/22/26): On July 22, Eaux Claires festival organizers announced Kevin Morby will no longer perform on Friday, July 24 at Carson Park in Eau Claire.

"Due to unforeseen family obligations, Kevin Morby will no longer be able to join us. Please see updated lineup for Friday," a social media update reads.

The Friday "batting order" now has a new revision, with Morby's appearance struck from the schedule and replaced by what appears to be a half-hour set, listed simply as "Bon." Festival organizers have not yet responded to inquiries from Volume One regarding the change.

This week in Eau Claire will surely be a flurry of arts, music and other happenings – in just about every nook and cranny of downtown. With that said, let’s all get on the same page with what’s coming up before and during the 2026 Eaux Claires festival at Carson Park this July 24-25.

The folks behind the fest finally dropped a full "batting order" – the official music schedule – for the stages on Carson Park’s football and baseball fields. Musicians will kick off daily just after noon, while the main event headliners will start their sets around 9pm.

Today, July 20, the Writers In Residence lineup surfaced, promising a healthy mix of speaker sessions, live podcast tapings and one-on-one intimate readings from the various wordsmiths joining the festival this time around.

Michael Perry told us to expect rich conversations and laughter aplenty – including one event with Perry and fellow bestselling area author, Nickolas Butler, atop a set of snowplows. (Yes, snowplows.)

Modeled by Eaux Claires’ previous iterations, local businesses will also host their own events from Wednesday up until Friday morning – before the festival gates open to the public at 11:30am. To help you navigate the noise, we’ve rounded up these festival-adjacent happenings so you can mark your calendars accordingly.

Follow along with Volume One’s live coverage of the 2026 Eaux Claires festival at Carson Park (100 Carson Park Dr., Eau Claire) online via Instagram and Facebook (@VolumeOne). Visit Volume One’s complete events calendar, online at VolumeOne.org/Events/Calendar.

Eaux Claires 2026 Music Schedule

Eaux Claires 2026 Writers In Residence Schedule

Wednesday, July 22

Welcome to Eau Claire: A Sawdust City Showcase

• When: 8pm doors / 8:30pm music
• Where: Leona’s Pizzeria and LIVE at LEONA’s (408 Galloway St., Eau Claire)
• Purchase tickets ($15 advance, $20 doors): volumeonetickets.org
  • Start off Eaux Claires week with a celebration of the local music scene and enjoy performances by just some of the many excellent musical artists that call Eau Claire home. Presented by Converge Media, 101.9 FM.
  • Featuring: Shane Leonard, Jeremy Boettcher, Brady Didion, Paul Brandt, Sarah Magill (Quiet Takes), Sarah Krueger (Lanue), Luke Callen, Shannon Carey (Luray), Soren Staff (Them Coulee Boys), Courtney Hartman, Liz Eldredge, Jerrika Mighelle, Jake Lindgren and more.

Welcome to Eau Claire: A Sawdust City Showcase event at LIVE at LEONA's. (Graphic by Sarah Magill)

Thursday, July 23

Eaux Claires Water Street Faire

• When: noon-8pm

  • Noon-7pm: Street faire

  • Noon-8pm: Live music

  • 2pm-8pm: Beer garden

• Where: Water Street (3rd Avenue to 5th Avenue; street will be closed)
• Free to attend

• Held as part of the "Week on Water Street" initiative. Local artists, makers, food trucks, community vendors, a beer garden, live music and more interactive public art experiences like a yarn bomb installation, collaborative doodle wall, brewers mural unveiling, envelope exchange and drum circle.

  • Featuring: Water Street businesses, Nick Foytik Band, Jim Pullman, AuroNova, Jenna Wood (Wisco series muralist), Paula Gorski (yarn bombing), Patricia Hawkenson (doodle wall), Lynn Buske (drum circle) and more arts vendors. 

Eaux Claires Opening Ceremony

"Eaux Claires Opening Ceremony." (Graphic by Jen Schultz)

• When: 5pm doors / 6pm music
• Where: Masonic Temple (616 Graham Ave., Eau Claire)
• Purchase tickets ($30 advance, $40 doors): volumeonetickets.org

• A lineup of artists with close ties to Eau Claire and Eaux Claires. Presented by Farewell Transmission Radio & Converge Media 101.9 FM. Sponsored by Token Jewelry.

  • Featuring: Trever Hagen, Humbird, Setting, Sam Amidon and featuring live visuals by Erik Elstran

• The Eaux Claires Opening Ceremony event also includes more than live music

  • 3-6pm at SHIFT (615 Graham Ave., Eau Claire): A live broadcast hosted by The Current and Radio Milwaukee that will be simulcast on both stations as well as EC’s own Converge 101.9.

• 5-9pm inside Masonic Ballroom: Eau Claire Makers Market and Seven Suns Vintage are teaming up for a big pre-fest market. Come away with a keepsake or perhaps something to wear to the fest! Art, jewelry, pottery, clothing and more.
  • Artists and makers: Kala Rehberger, Hannah Kabelitz, Brianna Schaller, Kal Norton, Greyson Nolter, Kayla Nyre, Izzy Helgeson, Mark Lone, Ratty Stitches, Dustin Frederick, Katie Lawver, Flourish Studios, Grant Schroeder, William Falk, Emily Bergum, Blaring Sunshine, Lupine Pottery, Token Jewelry
  • Vintage: Range Life Vintage, Norgedane, Lunch Vintage, Sunday Postage Vintage, Seven Suns Vintage, Shop Country Club, Best Dressed Vintage
  • Books, zines and comics: Little Engines (books and magazines), Michael Perry, Brent Schoonover, Heron Press

Pre EXC Vinyl Night Patio Party

• When: 6-9pm
• Where: Oxbow Hotel and The Lakely (516 Galloway St., Eau Claire)
• Purchase required for giveaway entries
• The Lakely is turning its patio into a full‑blast summer groove session with Matt Sayles of Philville Records, spinning an all‑vinyl set packed with festival‑season energy. And that’s just the start, there's even more giveaways. Every original or no‑proof cocktail purchase at The Lakely gets you an entry to win:
  • Two, two-day Eaux Claires festival tickets
  • Grateful Dead Crosley record player
  • Sun Cruiser beach chair and beach gear

Pre Eaux Claires Late Night Variety Show

• When: 10pm doors / 10:30pm show begins
• Where: The Fire House (202 Gibson St., Eau Claire)
• Free to attend, some purchases required
• Join your hosts Khloe Wold and Flannery Murphy for a late night variety show immediately following the Eaux Claires Opening Ceremony at the Masonic Temple in downtown Eau Claire. An eclectic night of drag entertainment, surprise music performances, comedy specials and a raffle to kickoff Eau Claire's biggest weekend.
  • Raffle prizes included donated goods and services from local businesses throughout the Chippewa Valley, learn more at @eauclairefirehouse online.
  • Event is in support of the Queer Collaborative, with local sponsorships including Eaum Yoga, The Lismore, Hello Adorn, Woody's Bar & Grill.

The Fire House (202 Gibson St., Eau Claire), pictured above. (Photo by Andrea Paulseth)

Eaux Claires Closing Ceremony

• When: 10:30pm doors / 12am music
• Where: The Venue (209 Graham Ave/, Eau Claire)
• Purchase tickets: TBA (keep up with Abraxas Wax online for that info)
• Minneapolis-based independent record label, Totally Gross National Product (Westerlund // Hagen, POLIÇA, among others), partners with Abraxas Wax record store in downtown Eau Claire for a late night music event featuring Marijuana Deathsquads. The experimental "noise band" of Minneapolis, Minn. will showcase ear-bending rhythms, swirling synths, multiple drummer percussions and electronic glitches that are sure to "melt your brain," organizers shared. Get ready for hypnotic music and grooves to create a chaotic, avant-garde dance party!

Friday, July 24

The Smallest Big Spaces: Building Music Communities For Us

• When: 9:30-10:30am
• Where: Third floor Riverview Room at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library (400 Eau Claire St., Eau Claire)
• Free to attend

• Yes, it’s bad. We’re shook down by extractive business models, assaulted by fascism, isolated by screen-addiction, and suffocated by AI slop. But we can be the good: DIY music communities are building human connection, sustainable micro-economies and networks of resistance. You can, too. (You already are.) We’re going to talk about how.

  • Moderator: Sarah Magill (Quiet Takes)

  • Panelists: Evelyn Nelson (Volume One), Evan Minsker (see/saw), Jordan Duroe (Converge Media), musician Courtney Hartman, Lindsay Kimball (The Current)

• Free coffee supplied by SHIFT and baked goods from Jonnie's Bakery and Peller & Co. Bakery

The Eaux Claires Festival, July 24-25

The moment has finally arrived – the EXC revival weekend where a sea of indie-alternative music fans will descend upon Carson Park to immerse themselves in everything from mysterious artist activations to that familiar "more something for more everyone" vibe.

Before you make your way into this historic local landmark, we've gathered the latest details shared by the City of Eau Claire to ensure you're fully prepped and ready for the whirlwind ahead.

Carson Park Access

• To accommodate festival operations, public vehicle access to Carson Park will be closed Thursday afternoon, July 23, through Sunday. A festival pass or credential is required to access the designated secured event site.
• During set-up and while the festival is taking place, several Carson Park amenities will be temporarily affected including tennis courts, playgrounds and the boat launch.

Traffic & Parking Information

Parking will be prohibited on Lake Street and on W. Grand Avenue (between Fifth Avenue and the Causeway) from July 23–26. To help keep traffic moving safely from July 23-26, City staff have shared the following updates to enter Carson Park.

• Menomonie Street entrance: Shuttle buses only
• Lake Street entrance: VIP parking/authorized event vehicles only

For Festival Attendees - Getting to the Festival

On-site parking is sold out. No additional parking will be available during the festival, so please do not drive to Carson Park expecting to find parking.

Instead, attendees are encouraged to:

• Walk from downtown Eau Claire.
• Bike or ride a Byrd scooter, with parking available near the Chippewa Valley Railroad (811 Carson Park Dr., Eau Claire).
• Park free at Chippewa Valley Technical College (613 W. Clairemont Ave., Eau Claire) and ride the complimentary shuttle. Shuttles begin at 11am rach festival day and run continuously.
• Use rideshare services, with pickup and drop-off at the designated location near Lake Street and West Grand Avenue of Eau Claire.

Wisconsin Farmers Union Stage (Faire Field)

The Wisconsin Farmers Union Stage, also known as the "Faire Field" stage, will be a family friendly hub for entertainment, located in the Carson Park softball fields alongside its baseball and football fields where music will take place.

The Faire Field, according to organizers, has been intentionally curated as a space to offer a mix of performance art; guided demos from local organizations; dessert bar contests (voted on by five women named "Mary"); a showcase from Eau Claire's Hmong youth dance program; and yes, the timeless "All American Lumberjack Show."

Faire Field events (30 minutes/set) include:

• Beaver Creek Nature Reserve "Owls of Wisconsin" presentation

• All American Lumberjack Show
• Hmong Siab Zoo (Kindness) Dance Program
• Eau Claire County Farmers Union, featuring Drew Kaiser from Kaiserson Honey
• Mary Bar Contest
• Professional Juggler Mark Fiore
• Magicians Noah Sonie and Ethan Cread
• And more!

Eaux Claires 2026 site map, featuring a visual key to indicate where attendees can find art installations, merch stands, the Faire Field stage and more. There will be 10 artist installations spread across the festival grounds, some created by locals of the Chippewa Valley. (Graphic via Eaux Claires, Knorth Studios)

Eaux Claires 2026 Faire Field Schedule

To learn more about the 2026 Eaux Claires festival requirements, prohibited items to enter grounds, weather procedures and other Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), visit eauxclaires.com/about/faqs online.