Volume One 07/28/2022

Owner + Publisher + Creative Director

Nick Meyer nick@volumeone.org

ext: 214

Editorial + Content

MANAGING EDITOR

Tom Giffey tom@volumeone.org

ext: 221

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Sawyer Hoff sawyer.hoff@volumeone.org

ext: 216

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

McKenna Scherer mckenna.scherer@volumeone.org

ext: 218

LISTINGS EDITOR

James Johonnott james@volumeone.org

ext: 215

Advertising + Digital Marketing

MEDIA STRATEGY DIRECTOR

Brian Maki brian@volumeone.org ext: 211

MEDIA STRATEGIST

Jake Smith jake.smith@volumeone.org

ext: 212

MEDIA & CLIENT SUPPORT

John Lyberg john.lyberg@volumeone.org

ext: 259

Video + Photo + Design

VIDEO & PHOTO DIRECTOR Ma Vue ma.vue@volumeone.org

ext: 260

WEB DEVELOPMENT & DESIGN

Don Ross don@volumeone.org ext: 219

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Taylor McCumber taylor@volumeone.org ext: 222

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Allison Buchli allison.buchli@volumeone.org ext: 220

PHOTOGRAPHER Andrea Paulseth andrea@volumeone.org

Retail + Gallery

LOCAL STORE DIRECTOR

Lindsey Quinnies lindsey@volumeone.org ext: 217

LOCAL STORE STAFF

Matt Novacek + Maggie Israel + Lydia Park + Tatiana Broses + Sydney Kwallek + Alexis Linder + Emily Kaszubowski

Office + Distribution

OFFICE MANAGER / BOOKKEEPER Angela LaVoy angela.lavoy@volumeone.org

ext: 224

DISTRIBUTION DRIVERS

Tom Jannusch + Matt Novacek + Daniel Wewusson

THE CHIPPEWA VALLEY’S LEADING INDEPENDENTLY OWNED COMMUNITY VOICE

Staff Notes

Growing Up Alongside V1: Coming Back to Fall in Love With My Hometown

I WAS ONE OF THOSE KIDS WHO SAID, “I CAN’T WAIT TO LEAVE MY HOMETOWN,” and then ended up back in said hometown after college. It feels oddly fitting that as I reintroduce myself to Eau Claire in my first year back – and first months working at Volume One – it is also Volume One’s 20th anniversary. (Take a trip through the past 20 years with the big Volume One timeline on page 40.) Finding my way back – and to Volume One no less – is kind of funny. Case in point: My older sister plastered Volume One covers on her bedroom walls when we were growing up, moved away for college, and now lives in another state; I covered those walls with One Direction posters, moved away for college, and landed a gig back in E.C., here. Imagine that.

I fell in love with the written word as a kid, and I now realize I’ve always been searching for a sort of understanding, and solace, in books and others’ words. While mental health conversations have become less taboo, I’d argue they rarely occurred when I was growing up. My senior year of high school, I almost didn’t apply for college, simply because I had never planned on making it that far before. I graduated this May from Winona State University Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. I’d even dare to say, I’m really happy, too.

That being said, let me introduce myself to you, readers: Hi, I’m McKenna. I hope you’ll like having me around, because I’m falling in love with the Valley all over again.

V1 Online SOCIAL MEDIA

VOLUMEONE.ORG

Exclusive online content and digital goodness await you at VolumeOne.org. Visit our website for our robust online events calendar, videos, interactive content, comments, discussion, and much much more.

Our social media feeds are filled to the brim with breaking news, exclusive content, timely promotions, visuals, videos, and more fun stuff. Across platforms, Volume One brings the best stuff right to your feed.

About Us

Volume One is the leading locally owned, locally operated, and locally focused media organization in our market. We’re a collection of print and online publications; a video, design, and digital marketing company; an event production and ticketing company; and a mission-driven retail operation. In print we typically distribute 13,000 copies to 500+ locations in Eau Claire, Menomonie, Chippewa Falls, and other communities 26 times/year. Online at VolumeOne.org we garner nearly 5 million annual pageviews, have a weekly email network of more than 30,000 people, and we connect daily with another 30,000 on social media. The magazine was co-founded in 2002 by Dale Karls & Nick Meyer.

Memberships + Subscriptions

You can support Volume One with a membership, subscription, or by shopping at The Local Store. Visit VolumeOne.org/ membership for options, or call (715) 552-0457. For annual subscriptions of 26 issues and special publications, mail a check for $65 (covering postage) to the address above.

Advertising Info

For information about ad rates & sizes in print or online, or about digital marketing including email, video, or social media and more, email: advertising@volumeone.org or call (715) 552-0457.

Partner Content

Volume One occasionally partners with local organizations to create content in print and online that may be of interest to thousands of readers throughout the Chippewa Valley and beyond. Articles or videos created “in partnership” are sponsored by the partnering organization and may be created with their assistance or expertise, for informational and/or promotional purposes. Any content created in this way – which comprises less than 2% of the pages Volume One publishes each year – will always include “Partner Content” indication.

Contributors + Submissions

If you’d like to become an occasional or regular contributor, please email tom@ volumeone.org. There are opportunities for paid writing, photography, and cover art, though most contributions are unpaid. We also welcome the submission of ideas or completed works from the community for publication consideration.

Internships

Internships are available for a number of exciting and interesting positions including writing/editing, photography, sales/marketing, illustration, and more. Contact us to learn more.

Stay

discover cool events, and learn about promotions, giveaways, and so much more by signing up for our email newsletters. There are seven different lists, sign up at VolumeOne.org.

© 2022

Contributed writing, artwork, and photography in Volume One remains the property of the authors, artists, & photographers. The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of the publication or its advertisers.

FROM VOLUME ONE NEWBIE MCKENNA SCHERER

PHOTO BY MA VUE

Contributors

SAMANTHA KOBS doesn’t get it … is an orca a whale or a dolphin?

SAWYER HOFF is already preparing for spooky szn.

MCKENNA SCHERER has no blood running through her veins, just iced coffee.

TOM GIFFEY has determined that a 3D jigsaw puzzle is about two times harder than a 2D puzzle. MANAGING

LYDIA “NIBS” NOBLE would still love you if you were a worm.

* EVA PAULUS is not a girlboss, per se, but perhaps more of a girlintern.

ALLISON BUCHLI has spent six hours at IKEA … several times.

TAYLOR MCCUMBER used to think she was indecisive, but now she isn’t so sure.

PARKER REED hasn’t slept for three days, because that would be too long.

BARBARA ARNOLD is switching between climbing the jungle gym and playing basketball in her great room.

THOMAS DELAPP is selflessly hunting for the single best cookie in Eau Claire. Send him yours.

MARK OLIVER truly loves to capture images. He is a fan of live music and trying to capture their energy in the images is his ultimate goal. PHOTOGRAPHER

SPECIAL SHOUT OUTS:

MEASHA VIETH wants you to know that the Mad Spicy Chicken from Teriyaki Madness is in fact MAD SPICY.

Branden Nall, Diana Peterson, Rebecca Mennecke, Michael Bartsch

On the Cover

“20 Years of Creativity, Culture, and Community” by Taylor McCumber • How do you encapsulate 20 years? For us, it was by going bold to emphasize the core themes that have driven Volume One for the past two decades: creativity, culture, and community. The color scheme for our anniversary issue’s cover is simple, drawing on the black-and-white of Volume One’s logo (not to mention our earliest issues) combined with the yellow and cyan highlights that have been part of the magazine since our redesign in 2020. Look in the background, and you’ll find words and icons that touch on many of the things we’ve undertaken and promoted in the community over the years. For more on Volume One’s history, check out the timeline on page 40.

MIKE PAULUS owns pants older than Volume One.

FIERCE FREEDOM JUSTICE RUN. This year marked the 15th annual Justice Run put on by Fierce Freedom to raise money to fight against human trafficking. Runners and walkers got together on July 20 in Carson Park to show support for the cause. Fierce Freedom is a non-profit in Altoona dedicated to ending human trafficking.

High Five

WHAT

PHOTO BY BRANDEN NALL

UNINTENTIONAL TREASURES

IN WITH THE NEW DOESN’T ALWAYS HAVE TO MEAN OUT WITH THE OLD words by

I WAS UP AND AT ’EM BY 7AM THE MORNING OF THE EASTSIDE HILL NEIGHBORHOOD THRIFT SALE. As a resident of the Eastside Hill and an avid thrifter, I was looking forward to being the first in line for all of the hot deals –or treasures, as my family would say. Each year, members of the Eastside Hill Neighborhood Association spend many hours organizing – this includes advertising, communicating with people who wish to list their sale, and creating a printed and mobile map for shoppers. A decade ago, the sale maps had a dozen or two homes marked; now upwards of 150 homes register each year with other sales that crop up unannounced the day of. This event brings in waves of thrifters who fill the streets with Radio Flyer wagons and strollers.

Any bargainer knows that the early bird gets the worm – or the collectible duck decoys or the rare vinyl records. I couldn’t afford to be slow off the blocks. I put on my most comfortable athleisure garb, slammed a cup of coffee, and loaded my wallet with a reasonable but limited amount of cash. By 8:02am, I was pulling out of my driveway in

ANY BARGAINER KNOWS THAT THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM – OR THE COLLECTIBLE DUCK DECOYS OR THE RARE

VINYL RECORDS.

my rusty Honda, seats down in sweet anticipation.

I made my way towards a cluster of sales on Fenwick. A few houses in, I noticed a middle-aged woman frantically buzzing up and down her driveway, uncovering tables from the sales the day before. I offered to help, and together we rolled up the door of a car canopy, revealing rows of glass figurines and women’s clothing.

“My mom passed away a few weeks ago,” the woman said, unprompted. “She’d been living with us, so we’re finally clearing out some of her things.”

I apologized for her loss and asked how she was adjusting.

“Well,” she went on. “The other day, my husband asked if I wanted to run to the store with him, and within 30 seconds, I was buckled in and ready to go. … That hasn’t happened

in over 20 years.”

I chewed on that for a while, imagining a life in which I had to care full-time for somebody I loved. Not being able to come and go as I pleased. A few minutes later, I was purchasing a plant stand – perhaps one owned by her mother – and wishing the woman well.

Next, I made my way up and down Sherman and Altoona. In a narrow alley between the two, I stumbled upon a sale with three women sitting in the shade of a garage. I listened to the women swap stories of their parents with dementia. To my surprise, all three were smiling. One spoke of her elderly mother thinking that she had been dancing on tables the night before. All three seemed to have found solace in one way or another. After paying, I headed back down the alley – arms full of pots and

frames – wondering if I would ever know what it felt to lose a family member slowly to dementia … and if I could handle it with such grace.

For the next few hours, I hit up as many sales as I could, but something had changed. Not only was I looking for great bargains, but I was also in a deep state of contemplation. I wondered about the stories behind the items. Behind the people. An older couple on Hogeboom was selling a “Stranger Things Starter Pack” with a rotary phone and multi-colored Christmas bulbs. A man on Agnes seemed to know everything about mid-century furniture. A few streets away, a family sold mouthwatering homemade tamales. Toothless children peddled lemonade while others begged their parents to shell out money for gently used Nerf guns. Everybody smiled.

By noon, I had thrown in the towel and was pulling into my driveway with an empty wallet and a hatchback packed to the brim. I had filled my quota of home goods and gardening supplies. But the real treasure, the one you can’t find displayed on a wobbly card table and that doesn’t require a monetary transaction, is the connection with neighbors – intentional or unintentional – that happens along the way.

samantha kobs • illustration by lydia “nibs” noble

Eau

Claire’s

Sesquicentennial ON THE BIG SCREEN

Hollywood once picked State Theatre for film premiere

Words by Diana Peterson

In 1933 Hollywood came to Eau Claire with a world premiere of the feature film Out All Night, starring frequent comedy collaborators Zasu Pitts and Slim Summerville. According to the Eau Claire Leader, the film print was rushed to town for the premiere at the State Theatre at 11:30pm Saturday, April 8. The price was just 25 cents for adults and 10 cents for kids (adjusted for inflation, that’s $5.70 and $2.28 respectively).

Giant searchlights, flares, and streamers announced the film’s arrival. The high school drama class interacted with patrons, impersonating famous stars. Dick Bradley of the State Theatre (316 Eau Claire St.), which screened the film, said that it was the first time Eau Claire had the honor of hosting a world premiere movie.

The plot of the movie is pretty typical for the 1930s: Ronald

Colgate (Summerville), a shy guy who lives with his mother (played by Laura Hope Crews), meets Bonny (Pitts) and falls in love. She is a nurse taking care of kids at a department store. His mother tries to keep them apart. Billy Barty and Shirley Temple – just 5 years old at the time and a few years from mega-star dom – are also in the movie.

Originally built as a Vaudeville theater featur ing a $20,000 Wurlitzer organ, the State soon became a downtown movie destination, a role it served for generations until screening its last film in 1982. A few years later, it was reborn as home of the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center,

and until the Pablo Center at the Confluence opened in 2018, the State served as downtown Eau Claire’s most prominent performing arts venue.

5 THINGS WE THINK THE MUPPETS WOULD DO ON A VISIT TO EAU CLAIRE

KERMIT THE FROG would most likely start his visit by hanging out at Acoustic Cafe, and he would definitely bring his banjo. Would he play “Rainbow Connection”? I don’t know, you decide. (Yes he would.)

FOZZIE BEAR would definitely have a gig with Clear Water Comedy – come on, that’s a gimme. He would obviously need to bring his rubber chicken, because that’s comedy gold. I can only imagine Statler and Waldorf would be in the audience heckling him. Wocka, wocka!

GONZO (AKA GONZO

THE GREAT) would put a ramp at the bottom of UWEC’s hill and rollerblade full speed onto that thing and launch himself into the Chippewa River. He would get a standing ovation.

MISS PIGGY – after clarifying that Eau Claire is nothing like France despite the French name – would walk all throughout downtown Eau Claire, snout raised high, and end up staying at the Lismore

words by sawyer hoff 1 2 3 4 5

PEPINO RODRIGO SERRANO

GONZALES (AKA

PEPE THE KING

PRAWN) would be at the Pablo Center looking for his big break on an Eau Claire stage. Everyone knows he’s the real star of the show, okay?

CHIPPEWA VALLEY MUSEUM

THE STATE THEATRE, CIRCA 1926

Community

FEELING DIZZY YET?

As it has for more than 120 years, the Northern Wisconsin State Fair drew folks of all ages to Chippewa Falls from July 12-17. From animal contests, to face painting, to rides, live music, and plenty of good eatin’, fairgoers had a blast at a cherished local event.

PHOTO BY ANDREA PAULSETH

FROM .ORG

Developers Buy Final Two North Barstow Plots

words by tom giffey

NEARLY TWO DECADES AFTER REDEVELOPMENT BEGAN IN THE ONCE-NEGLECTED NORTH BARSTOW STREET NEIGHBORHOOD, the final two parcels there owned by the city’s Redevelopment Authority have been sold.

On July 20, the RDA’s board approved purchase agreements on two pieces of property: the northern half of Block 7, now a city parking lot, and the so-called “liner site remnant” next to the future Children’s Museum of Eau Claire.

The Block 7 site was purchased by Eau Claire developer Geoff Moeding, who intends to build a five-story building with 111 to 115 apartments, underground parking, and a small amount of commercial space. Moeding was part of some of the first development projects in the neighborhood more than 10 years ago. The southern half of Block 7 was sold in May to Menomonie Market Food Co-op, which plans to build a new grocery store there.

Meanwhile, Iowa-based Merge Urban development group has purchased the lot next to the future Children’s Museum. Merge’s plans also include a five-story building, with commercial space on the ground floor and 52 apartments above. Merge is also developing the five-story Andante apartment building which is rising on the other side of North Barstow.

While purchase agreements were approved, the sales haven’t official closed, and still require City Council approval.

HERE COMES THE SUN

SUN COUNTRY SELECTED TO SERVE EAU CLAIRE AIRPORT

SUN COUNTRY AIRLINES WILL REPLACE SKYWEST as the commercial airline serving the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport in Eau Claire. The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Thursday that Sun Country, which is based in Minneapolis, had been selected to provide service to the Eau Claire airport.

SkyWest, which currently provides daily flights to and from Chicago, informed the DOT in March that it wanted to stop serving Eau Claire, which it has flown to and from since 2010. This kicked off an application process from airlines wishing to fill the void.

Two other airlines – Boutique Air and Southern Airways Express – also applied, and in May the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport Commission voted to recommend that the DOT pick Sun County.

While an official start date hasn’t been established, it will likely

L

be in early December, according to a media release from the airport.

The switch to Sun Country will mean an end to daily commercial flights to and from Eau Claire.

According to the announcement, “Sun Country Airlines will provide two flights per week to the

Development

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and at least two flights per week seasonally to Ft. Myers, FL, Orlando, FL and Las Vegas, NV. The rotation of the seasonal hub will adjust based upon the time of year.”

Service will be provided in 186seat Boing 737s.

“The decision by the US DOT to select Sun Country Airlines to serve the region provides an exciting opportunity to work with an UltraLow-Cost Carrier that is already utilized by many area travelers,” said Charity Zich, the airport’s director. “We look forward to working with Sun Country and thank the Department for expediting their carrier selection process.”

Sun Country currently flies 98 routes and serves 78 cities across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Find out more online at chippewavalleyairport.com.

ibrary Ready to Book It Back to Refreshed Digs

BIG UPGRADES TO L.E. PHILLIPS LIBRARY NEARLY COMPLETED

AFTER MORE THAN A YEAR OF RENOVATION AND OPERATING OUT OF A TEMPORARY LOCATION, the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library in downtown Eau Claire will reopen soon. The library announced in July that it would be back in business at 400 Eau Claire St. in earlier September following an $18.5 million renovation and addition project that started in May 2021. Highlights of the renovation include the addition of a third floor, which will include a new 200-seat community room and an all-new Innovation Lab with classroom-style spaces intended for a variety of events, workshops, and gatherings. Other changes include updated infrastructure for heating and cooling, the creation of expanded kids areas, a dedicated teen space, a tween space, additional meeting and study rooms, and much more. The project was funded by $11.5 million from the city of Eau Claire and $7 million from private donations. In preparation of the move back to its permanent home, the library will close its temporary location, 2725 Mall Drive, after Aug. 6. Digital library services will pause briefly Aug. 9-10, and a “soft” reopening will occur in early September. Grand reopening events will kick offer Sept. 26. Learn more online at www.ecpubliclibrary.info. –V1 staff

words by tom giffey

SKYWEST, WHICH CURRENTLY PROVIDES DAILY FLIGHTS TO AND FROM CHICAGO, SAID IN MARCH THAT IT WANTED TO STOP SERVING EAU CLAIRE.

Nonprofits

Museum Merger: C.V. Museum, Logging Museum Will Join Forces

words by tom giffey • photo by andrea paulseth

CARRIE RONNANDER, DIRECTOR OF THE CHIPPEWA VALLEY MUSEUM IN CARSON PARK, knows that visitors can be understandably puzzled that her museum and the Wisconsin Logging Camp next door are actually separate institutions.

It’s something she’s dealt with frequently in her nearly 22 years at the Chippewa Valley Museum.

In fact, the museum’s Anderson Log House and Sunnyview School are just a few yards from the outdoor exhibits at the Wisconsin Logging Museum, which until last year was known as the Paul Bunyan Logging Camp.

“That gets confusing for the visitor when they walk into one museum, and then they walk into the other museum, and say, ‘Why do I have to pay twice?’ ” Ronnander said during an interview.

Such confusion will likely decrease as early as next year: The museums told members and supporters in a July 18 letter that they

are planning a merger. While the two nonprofit organizations’ boards hope the museums maintain distinct identities, the planned merger will allow for easier collaboration and increased efficiency, Ronnander said.

As she and Rachel Lange, director of the Wisconsin Logging Museum, wrote in a letter to mem-

bers, “By uniting under one umbrella, our museums will more effectively bring the history and culture of the region to the larger community.”

Ronnander said the merger discussions are still in the early stages, but it’s already clear that combining forces will help both museums. For example, it will make it easier to pursue grants and market the orga-

nizations jointly, she said. There will also be back-office efficiencies, especially for the Wisconsin Logging Museum, which has a staff of just 1.5 people plus four seasonal employees, versus 10 employees at the Chippewa Valley Museum.

Of course, the two museums have been working together for a long time. For example, this summer they collaborated to create the Carson Park Experience, a series of events at the park (the next of which is Sunday, Aug. 14, and will include the Chainsaw Carving Competition). And for years, school field trips to the museums have been coordinated.

Visitors, members, and donors can expect even more collaborations in the future, and early feedback about the proposed merger has been overwhelmingly positive, Ronnander said.

“I think some folks are just surprised it hasn’t happened earlier,” she said.

VISITORS AT THE WISCONSIN LOGGING MUSEUM

Neighbors People

SHE’S A RINGER

AFTER TWO JUNIOR WORLD TITLES, C.F. TEEN SEEKS WOMEN’S WORLD CROWN

DID YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE LIVING AMONG A WORLD HORSESHOE PITCHING CHAMPION? In fact, Sarah Chaffee of Chippewa Falls won her first Junior World Championship in 2019 at the age of 12, and a second last year. Now, she is competing for her another title – this time competing against adults – after ranking first in the world for women’s horseshoes.

In her early childhood, Sarah enjoyed watching her dad pitch horseshoes. Thinking the sport was pretty cool, she wanted to give it a try. So, at a mere 7 years of age she pitched her first horseshoe and was hooked! Though it didn’t come naturally, after a lot of frustration, her determination and competitive nature kept her going. After a year of practice, she started to compete – winning her first State Championship at 9 years old, kicking off her horseshoe champion career.

“I love playing horseshoes

because it is the perfect balance of competition and making new friends that last a lifetime,” Chaffee said. “You go to these tournaments and you play and compete against other people, but

after the tournament, these people are some of the best friends ever, and you meet so many different people from this sport.”

The 2022 World Tournament is happening right now, between July 11-23, and Chaffee is currently holding her own at second place with a 9-1 game score. The final championship will be Saturday, July 23.

In addition to horseshoes, Sarah plays golf and basketball at Chi-Hi. You may even see her on the golf course with her dad, or if you’re more interested in witnessing her horseshoe skills, you can catch her pitching at the Eau Claire Horseshoe Club located in Carson Park. They pitch Tuesdays at 6:30pm throughout the summer.

Fundraiser

TAKE A PIC, RAISE CASH FOR BEAVER CREEK

BEAVER CREEK RESERVE WAS CHOSEN BY THE AMANDA GEISSLER MEMORIAL FOUNDATION for its latest social media fundraising event, running from July-August. The Amanda Geissler Memorial Foundation honors late Thorp native Amanda Geissler, whose passion for educational opportunities for women and children left such an impact, friends and family began the nonprofit after her passing. Geissler’s passion for education began after her experience volunteering in a kindergarten classroom in Ghana, Africa. That dedication grew as she continued mentoring young girls in Milwaukee and Minneapolis, also teaching English to women and children internationally in Peru . The foundation, alongside nonprofit Pencils of Promise, has successfully built two schools in Geissler’s honor. Another ongoing project the foundation does is their “Social Media event” fundraiser. The Beaver Creek Reserve fundraiser began on July 1 and will continue through Aug. 30. To participate, all you need to do is visit Beaver Creek or any state or national park, snap a picture of yourself outdoors there, and send the photo to the foundation’s Facebook page or email, amandageisslerfoundation@gmail.com. The foundation will donate $20 to Beaver Creek for every photo received! Learn more about the Amanda Geissler Foundation on their website, amandageisslerfoundation.com, and visit Beaver Creek’s online at beavercreekreserve.org.

–McKenna Scherer

words by measha vieth photo by andrea paulseth

I LOVE PLAYING HORSESHOES

BECAUSE IT IS THE PERFECT BALANCE OF COMPETITION AND MAKING NEW FRIENDS THAT LAST A LIFETIME.

–SARAH CHAFFEE

CHAFFEE AT THE 2021 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

BEAVER CREEK

PHOTO BY ANDREA PAULSETH

FAREWELL TO FM

A WRITER’S RECOLLECTIONS OF HIS FAMILY’S

A CATCHY JINGLE – FEATURING THE MELODY

“WCFW, WHERE FM MEANS FINE MUSIC”

– came across a young radio station owner’s desk in 1969.

It was short, simple, and it worked. The owner paid $25 for it, and more than 50 years later that same jingle – which has aired thousands of times on 105.7FM – exemplifies the values of WCFW and the couple who have owned it for over half a century: simplicity and consistency.

My grandparents, Roland and Patricia Bushland, have owned and operated WCFW in Chippewa Falls since its inaugural broadcast on Oct. 20, 1968. Earlier this summer, they decided to end their 54-year stint in radio, selling the legacy station to Magnum Media – a Wisconsin-based business that now owns 25 radio stations statewide and will take over operations of the quaint, easy-listening station later this fall.

It’s a bittersweet moment – for the community, yes, but especially for our family, for whom the station has been an integral part of our lives for decades.

“It’s hard to not have mixed feelings about it, because it was our life for so long,” said my grandmother, Patricia Bushland. “When you start something, and you’re the only people who ran it all those years, you

get attached to it. But after so many years, I’m thrilled to death that someone new is coming in, and we can finally take a break.”

When my grandfather, Roland, was young, he would draw pictures of radio towers during school – as his life too began with radio, front and center. My great-grandfather Roy Bushland owned and operated multiple Bushland Radio Specialties storefronts in Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire since the early 1930s – a business where my grandfather got his start in 1952 after he graduated as salutatorian from Chi-Hi.

From the beginning, radio was his first love and the only industry in which he would ever work.

As Roland sought to provide better audio quality for listeners, he became a trailblazer in the local FM radio industry when he built one of the first FM radio stations in the mid1960s after recently starting a family – including my Aunt Lynn, my mother Karen, and my Aunt Lisa.

The station started in 1968 with an easy-listening format, peppering in Top 40, polka, and talk-radio programs. It was soon beloved for its broadcasts of local high school sports and archived airings of syndicated radio host Jack Raymond, best known for his 1957-1975 program, The Jack

RADIO STATION, WCFW

Raymond Show. Episodes are still broadcast using original cassette tapes – of which there are no digital copies.

Over the decades, the only thing that changed about WCFW were the updates that allowed automation technology to take over much of the oversight on the station, as the world moved away from vinyl records and the need to be at the board 24/7.

“It hasn’t changed, and I never felt the need to change it,” Roland said. “It worked, and we had good ratings, so we just left it alone.”

While their time in radio ending, their love for radio will be kept alive through their continued operation of Bushland Radio Specialties on Loring Street in Eau Claire.

And, with any luck, WCFW will remain “where FM means fine music” for decades more to come.

As I wound down our conversation recalling a lifetime of memories with the radio station Roland built with his own hands – a career that inspired my own work in media – I asked my grandfather one last question: “Why did you decide to start the station?”

“I’m not sure why,” he answered earnestly, “but I just did it. You’ve got to do something.”

And so we do.

Director of E.C. Sylvan Learning Honored by Firm

SYLVIA DOMBROWSKI, WHO HAS WORKED AT EAU CLAIRE’S SYLVAN LEARNING CENTER FOR 22 YEARS, was recently recognized as one of the top 11 Sylvan Learning directors in the nation.

“Helping students in the Chippewa Valley realize their academic and personal success is a passion of mine,” Dombrowski said. “It is truly an honor to be nominated as one of the top directors at Sylvan.” As center director, Dombrowski leads program integrity, personalization for students learning, and oversees all of the day-to-day operations for Sylvan of Eau Claire. As a teacher, Sylvia chose a career in the tutoring business because of the personalized learning and advancement that Sylvan provides.

Portland, Oregeon-based Sylvan offers supplemental and enrichment education for K-12 students at more than 700 locations worldwide –V1 staff

Hmong Economic Summit Unveils Slate of Speakers

THE UPCOMING HERE CONFERENCE – WHICH WILL PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY HMONG ENTREPRENEURS – has sparked immense excitement among the communtiy. The conference, which will run Sept. 14-16, recently announced its featured speakers. The keynote speakers will be state Rep. Francesca Hong and Isaac Kou Lee. Hong is the first Asian American elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly as well as being an entrepreneur, chef, and mother. Lee is a Wausau-based business owner with a passion for assisting minority business owners. The HERE banquet chef and subsequent keynote speaker will be Yia Vang, proprietor of a Twin Cities restaurant called Union Hmong Kitchen and appeared on Netflix’s Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend Learn more at hmongamericanled .org. –Sawyer Hoff

words by parker reed • photos by rebecca mennecke

MIC CHECK. The studio at WCFW, owned for 54 years by Roland and Patricia Bushland, shown at bottom right with their grandson, writer Parker Reed.

ROARIN’ THREADS

ONLINE VINTAGE BIZ, RETROSAURUS REX, AIMS FOR REAL-WORLD STORE

words by mckenna scherer • photo by andrea paulseth

IF YOU HAVEN’T HEARD OF RETROSAURUSREX VINTAGE IN MENOMONIE, you might have seen some of its pieces on the big screen. The locally owned online and soon-to-open physical store with a catchy name has quite the tale.

Sara Sorenson, the stylish red-haired creator and sole entrepreneur behind RetrosaurusRex Vintage, has a keen eye for all things rad and vintage, hence the creation of the online store in 2013. With a true love for the treasure hunt of antiquing and thrift shopping, Sorenson specializes primarily in clothing from the 1930s through ’80s, also picking up pieces from even earlier and through the 2000s. However, Marvel Studios seems to have an appreciation for her older ware.

“We’ve had some pretty cool sales to movie and television series and theaters,” Sorenson said. “Most notably, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (and) Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War.”

Also having sold items used on the TV show

Mad Men, at the London Royal Opera House and Williamstown Theater in Massachusetts, among others, Sorenson primarily sells through popular resell app Poshmark (@retrosaurusrex), though she began on Etsy, and has most recently been accepted by Thrilling, an exclusive resell platform for hand-selected sellers that’s been highlighted by Vogue and Refinery29, among others.

With more than 600 individual listings on her Poshmark platform, you’d think a good chunk of RetrosaurusRex inventory would be up for sale. Well, you’d be thinking wrong.

With a plethora of items ranging from Gunne Sax dresses, ’80s Metallica posters, vintage Bongo and Gitano denim, jewelry, knickknacks, and so much more, RetrosaurusRex Vintage is a curated, fantastical playground for all vintage lovers.

Though she’s made thousands of sales, most of Sorenson’s items have yet to even be tagged or put into the building she hopes to open as a by-appointment physical shop.

But vintage selling requires a heck of a lot of research, and that often means extra time and care placed into mending items, too.

“It takes me a lot to give up on an item, so

Open Now

An Olive Branch for Engaged Couples

ACCORDING TO THE WEDDING REPORT, A MARKET RESEARCH FIRM, the number of weddings happening in 2022 is the most since 1984, largely because the pandemic pushed back weddings planned for 2020 and 2021. With supply shortages and inflation, getting married has become more stressful than ever in some ways. Deanna Wheeler, owner of Olive Branch Events, wants to take the stress off the wedding couple so they can enjoy their day. Wheeler has been in the event planning business for eight years and is passionate about giving couples their dream wedding. Olive Branch Events was started in Madison, but about a month ago Wheeler and her family moved to Eau Claire, bringing some of the business with them. Olive Branch Events tends to weddings in a large radius that includes the Chippewa Valley, Madison, and even the Twin Cities. They don’t have an office, which allows for more mobility for all of their planners. “The best part about planning a wedding is being a part of the couple’s big day,” Wheeler said. “You spend so much time with them and helping to bring the day together that when the day finally comes, it’s amazing to see them all together.” Whether you’re looking for a planner to jump in a month before your wedding or if you want them from the start, they will continue to pursue your vision. Not only are they the people you and the vendor turn to for design and direction, but Wheeler also says they are no strangers to being a sounding board on the big day since emotions tend to be high. To learn more, go to olivebrancheventsco.com. –Sawyer Hoff

if it’s got stains or anything wrong with it, I’ve taught myself over the years how to mend it,” Sorenson explained.

Though there is money to be made in curating and reselling sought-after pieces, Sorenson most enjoys the life she is able to fold back into items.

“What I really like is when the stuff finds a new home, that’s the coolest thing,” she explained. “A lady got married overseas in a vintage dress she bought from me, and it’s like, the person who donated that had no idea what other life this dress was going to have.”

Though business is booming, Sorenson has had to take steps back due to her health. (A rare neurological diagnosis impacts her dayto-day life and movement.) Her true goal with RetrosaurusRex Vintage is to solidify its family roots and pass it on to her children. Having her two sons and a partner currently learning the ropes of the biz, Sorenson’s hobby and love of vintage curation will hopefully become a family business.

Read the full article to learn more about Sara and RetrosaurusRex on volumeone.org, and visit its Poshmark @retrosaurusrex.

PHOTO BY ALI LOCKERY PHOTOGRAPHY

WE’VE HAD SOME PRETTY COOL SALES TO MOVIE AND TELEVISION SERIES AND THEATERS.

–SARA SORENSON, RETROSAURUS REX

Open Now

HABIT FORMING: Habitual Yoga Space Opens, Plans Therapeutic Options

words by sawyer hoff • photos by andrea paulseth

ARIANE FOSTER, OWNER OF HABITUAL YOGA SPACE, first tried yoga when she was 16 years old and immediately felt the benefits, not only physically, but mentally.

“Something that stuck with me was when I came home from that first yoga class,” Foster said. “My mom had said to me, ‘Wow your mood is so much nicer!’ ”

Her love for yoga only blossomed from there, prompting her to do more in college and eventually moving to San Diego to complete her yoga teacher training. While also working in the disability sector, Foster realized that there was a massive gap in accessible places in general, but especially in the health and wellness world. This pushed her to start using yoga therapy.

“Yoga therapy is a much more therapeutic approach that allows any body – (with) any physical disabilities, any mental illness – to try yoga,” Foster said. “So, opening my own space was a bridging between my disability work with my yoga work and making yoga accessible to everybody and more inclusive.”

Foster’s new business, Habitual Yoga Space, 422 Water St., opened for classes July 11 and has already been a hit. While initial offerings will mostly consist of mat-focused yoga to get started, in the fall Foster will be offering more tailored, therapeutic yoga classes. They will also hold monthly meetups for things like menstrual cycles, sobriety and recovery support, men’s groups, and more.

“There is a lot of research that shows that people

with chronic conditions in a group setting really benefit and get better faster,” Foster said.

Each class after July is only $17 and there will also be class packages and memberships.

Habitual Yoga Space will have its grand opening on Aug. 6, with 10-15 minute free classes for people to come in and try it out. There will also be giveaways and swag bags provided by other local businesses.

“What I’m most excited about is being able to meet more community members and really have this be a welcoming and cohesive space for people who may not have otherwise tried yoga,” she said.

To learn more about Habitual Yoga Space and to book a class, you can go to habitualyogaspace.com or visit them in person at 422 Water St., Eau Claire.

Perform

THIS SUMMER, A UWEC THEATER GRAD BECAME (MORE) FAMOUS

WHEN THE NEW YORK TIMES PUBLISHED ITS LIST OF THE TOP STREAMING SERIES FOR THE SUMMER, and among the titles was an Amazon Prime original series featuring a UW-Eau Claire theatre arts alumnus, 1998 graduate and Eau Claire native Alfredo Narciso. Based on a bestselling young adult fiction trilogy by author Jenny Han, The Summer I Turned Pretty is a series of seven episodes, set in a fictional beach town called Cousins Beach. The multigenerational romantic drama revolves around a teenage girl named Bella and the families she has spent summers with for years, including two brothers both in love with her. Narciso plays Cleveland Castillo, a New Yorker and novelist researching sailing for a new book who becomes the love interest of Bella’s mother, also a writer. Although he was born in Milwaukee, Narciso spent his formative years in Eau Claire where his family remains, graduating from Memorial High School. After graduating from UWEC in 1998, Narciso weighed the options of launching a professional acting career in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles, ultimately making the move to New York. While the stage always was and remains his strongest passion in acting, Narciso’s resume includes roles in TV shows like Law & Order, Blue Bloods, The Good Wife, Blacklist, and Homeland –Denise Olson/UWEC

Music

EXPERIMENTAL JOURNEY

LORDS OF APRICITY RELEASE DEBUT EP

SOME OF THE BEST THINGS ARE BORN OUT OF HAPPY ACCIDENTS – just ask Lords of Apricity songwriter and musician David Koenig, who was behind the band and its debut EP.

What began as weekly studio sessions turned into a much more expansive project when Koenig, formerly of the Eau Claire band Green Mountain Rebels, realized that there was something bigger behind the songs he was making. As a classic ’70s-style rock ’n’ roll musician, Koenig wanted to create some of the music he felt was missing from current tracks. He reached out to old bandmates, friends, and

even some new creatives he had never met before to help him with this project – and they all agreed.

The EP was engineered/co-produced by Brian Joseph, a notable Eau Claire producer (Bon Iver, Phil Cook Sufjan Stevens, and many more), and two tracks were co-written by Jered Shaw, an old bandmate of Koenig. The EP was recorded at The Hive in Eau Claire in late January 2022. Eau Claire’s influences are all over this EP with lead vocals by Susan Renee Thiede, percussion by Joe Gunderson, co-production by Matt Tiller, saxophone by Sue Orfield, and

lead guitar by Lucas Fischer.

“I shared the material with everyone ahead of time and everybody worked on it in their own time,” Koenig said. “We all met in Eau Claire to record it and that was the same day we all met each other. None of us had played together before. It was a total experiment.”

There are three songs on the EP – “Victory Song,” “What It Takes,” and “Planet Planet” – each with its own unique journey to production.

The EP was released July 22 and is available to stream everywhere. Koenig said that the experience was so enriching that everyone is itching to do it again.

While the Lords of Apricity isn’t a band in the traditional sense, their work together felt like apricity, which is the warmth of the sun in winter.

Learn more about the band at lordsofapricity.com. Read the full article at VolumeOne.org.

SUNSHINE IN THE COLD. David Koenig and lead vocalist Susan Thiede worked closely to make this EP a reality.

words by sawyer hoff • photo by kyle lehman

HOLE LOTTA ROCK

words by thomas delapp

A LOCALLY BASED BAND POPULAR AT EVENTS AROUND THE CHIPPEWA VALLEY, Through the Kitchen Hole, is known for its rock covers, as well as some original tunes. Now, they are releasing their first full album, titled Snake Eyes. Zach Menter, guitarist, described the band’s sound as a crosshatch of classic rock, hard rock, and metal.

“Our original songs are a mix of metal and progressive metal, probably,” Menter said. “With random bits of whatever else we are thinking at the time.”

Through the Kitchen Hole

was formed back in 2018 for a Memorial High School variety show. Since then, the lineup has changed a bit, but the band of friends stuck with making music and having fun. Since high school, Toby Moszer, guitarist, said, the group has grown both individually and as a band.

“I think we’re all in general just a lot better,” he said. “I’ve been playing guitar in the band almost as long as I’ve been playing guitar outside the band, now.” Menter agreed, and said as a cohesive group, they’ve developed immensely.

“We’ve learned to work better

with each other,” Menter said. “At first it was just having fun, and we still are having fun. But we can communicate and play better together now.”

Their new album, Snake Eyes, will be released on Aug. 8 and will be available to stream everywhere. Although Snake Eyes is their first all-original album, it’s not Through the Kitchen Hole’s first rodeo. A self-titled EP was released in 2018 featuring covers and one original track, “Transitions,” after their 2018 runner-up performance at Rockonsin, part of Milwaukee’s Summerfest.

Though the band’s members are now scattered across the

state, several of them recently graduating from college, that isn’t stopping them quite yet. Menter and Moszer said they’re determined to keep writing and playing together when they can.

Alongside Menter and Moszer, lead vocalist Abby Moszer and bassist and vocalist Kate Seeger are all original members of the band. Their drummer, Braedon Laundrie, has been playing with the band for more than two years.

Next up for the band, besides their album, are live shows in August in Menomonie and A gig in November in St. Paul.

Keep up with Through the Kitchen Hole on their Facebook, @ttkhband.

EAU CLAIRE’S THROUGH THE KITCHEN HOLE SET TO RELEASE FIRST ALBUM

AT FIRST IT WAS JUST HAVING FUN, AND WE STILL ARE HAVING FUN. BUT WE CAN COMMUNICATE AND PLAY BETTER TOGETHER NOW.

–ZACH MENTER, THROUGH THE KITCHEN HOLE

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Film

BLOSSOMING TALENT

E.C. FILMMAKER TIM SCHWAGEL’S LATEST WORK WILL MAKE ITS WAY TO MILWAUKEE FESTIVAL SCREEN

words by mckenna scherer

CHIPPEWA VALLEY FILMMAKER TIM SCHWAGEL IS NO STRANGER TO HAVING HIS FILMS ON THE FESTIVAL CIRCUIT, and his latest short film earned him his first-ever spot in the Milwaukee International Short Film Festival.

Schwagel has worked on various film projects, not just as director, but also as editor and writer, stretching outside his own work and even outside traditional film, directing Them Coulee Boys’ “Midnight Manifestos” music video, among other things.

His latest, Blossom and the Decrepit Man, stars Eau Claire natives Reanna Madson and Ben Schmitz, focusing on a crisp, daunting ticking noise and what it could lead to as Madson’s character faces it – literally – in a gloomy forest. Clocking in at just under three minutes, the short shutters with suspense and adds a Schwagel twist at the end.

Unlike his other work, this short was shot in just a handful of hours, all in one day, with little pre-production work in order to challenge himself and those part of the film’s crew.

“A bunch of us (who worked on the short) learned how to do film stuff at the 48-Hour Film Festival at (UW-Eau Claire), so we did things really fast then and didn’t think too hard,” Schwagel explained. “We wanted to do that again, where you just have an idea and go.”

Taking on the task of a one-day film shoot would have been challenge enough, but of course, Mother Nature had to chime in as well. It rained on and off most of the day, pushing back the crew’s start time by several hours, and there was a downpour as they captured their final shots.

Schwagel described how lucky he and the crew know they are, in the way they seem to have skirted around the typical conflicts most crews come across. When the Punch Me crew went to the

Beloit Film Festival several months ago, they got the chance to mingle and talk with other crews. A Chicago-based crew around their age pointing out that unique characteristic.

“One (crew) from Chicago, which has a much bigger film community, said ‘How do you guys deal with egos and stuff?’ And that was a really good question, so we thought about it,” Schwagel recalled. “We were like, ‘We literally have never had an issue when it comes to arguing or credits about who did what, or things getting inflated.’ You hear about (those things) all the time in film, but it’s just never been an issue for us. We’re very lucky, and all happy to work on each other’s stuff.”

Madson and Schmitz have regularly appeared in Schwagel’s previous work: Madson is easily recognizable as the lead character in 2020’s Punch Me, which did its share in the short film circuit and walked away with a Judge’s Choice Award. Schmitz has been in a lot of Schwagel’s work too.

Written and directed by Schwagel and starring Madson and Schmitz, the short was produced by Zach Staads with cinematography by Nick Houchin, and music by Jasmine Janaé Charleston, the only non-local of the bunch: Her work has appeared in the likes of Lizzo’s new reality show, Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.

The Milwaukee International Short Film Festival will be held at the Avalon Atmospheric Theater on Aug. 10 and Sept. 10. Blossom and the Decrepit Man will be screened Sept. 10 alongside a dozen other shorts.

Visit Tim Schwagel’s official website to watch Blossom and the Decrepit Man and view his other work, timschwagel.com.

BEST OF DESIGN JURIED EXHIBITION + STUDENT ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE SHOW

UW-STOUT | uwstout.edu

UNTIL SEPT. 10

Best of Design Juried Exhibition features student work from all programs in the department of design. In the south space, find student artists in-residence Ezra Brey and Kayla Haugen

REFLECTED LIGHT

THE PLEIN AIR ART OF GO PAINT!

PABLO CENTER | pablocenter.org

UNTIL AUG. 7

Artists of GO Paint! have painted various local landscapes to bring the outdoors in, and light up the Brady and Jeanne Foust Gallery in a burst of spring colors.

BOLD & BEAUTIFUL – PATRICIA MAYHEW HAMM

HEYDE CENTER FOR THE ARTS | CVCA.NET

JULY 7 - AUG. 17

Patricia Hamm is an award-winning experimental artist who has developed her own style through more than 50 years of study with the use of dramatic color, strong contrasts, and sound composition.

IN BY 10 ART BY 5 – LARRY STARK

PABLO CENTER | PABLOCENTER.ORG

UNTIL AUG. 28

The conceptual work of Larry Stark observes both the beauty and homogenization of the American landscape. Highways, bridges, barges, landscapes, maps, people, fish, and even spam emails have been the center of his work.

“COLORFUL CHAPTERS” PAINTINGS BY LESLIE SNYDER

ARTISAN FORGE STUDIOS

UNTIL JULY 30

Leslie paints subjects including rural landscapes, farm animals, florals, and abstracts in an impressionistic, expressive, fresh style.

Blossom and the Decrepit Man is a suspenseful, not-what-you-think-will-happen short film directed by and starring a couple of locals.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Chapbook Written by Poets with Aphasia

words by barbara arnold photo by sawyer hoff

BRUCE WILLIS. SHARON STONE. GABBY GIFFORDS. TRACY MORGAN. These are the names of famous people – an actor recently diagnosed with aphasia, a disorder that affects the ability to express and understand written and spoken word; an actress who survived a stroke, a retired politician with aphasia after an assassination attempt, and a stand-up comedian who experienced a traumatic brain injury after a semi-truck crashed into his tour bus.

Rochelle M. Anderson, Laurel Blackstone, Douglas Kidd, Lisa Monopoli, Audrey Nelson, Sheree Nelson, and Kathryn Paulson. These are the names of the Chippewa Valley’s Thursday Night Poets group who just happen to have aphasia or brain injuries and began meeting in the middle of the pandemic and found their voice writing poems about their experiences.

The words were there in their brain, and they just couldn’t get them out … until now … overflowing. The result is a 54-page chapbook of poems titled I don’t think I did this right. The title came from their first sessions together, according to world-renowned Los Angeles-based poet Brendan Constantine, who led the group.

He started poetry workshops for people with aphasia in 2017 and is known for posting photos on his Instagram account as writing prompts.

Words

TAILSPIN: THE STORY OF A WISCONSIN WWII GUNMAN

In the book’s forward, he shared that he would assign a new writing project and the next time they met, someone would disclaim their work by saying “I don’t think I did this right.” And nothing could have been further from the truth.

The poetry group was an outgrowth of a Tuesday night support group – the Blugold Brain Injury Group – formed by UW-Eau Claire speech and language pathology professor Jerry K. Hoepner who had

met Constantine at an aphasia camp. Hoepner shares that through this creative process, the participants shared their healing and gained a greater sense of self-worth and identity.

Even the cover art of a robin pulling a worm from the ground is by Clare Sierra, an artist who used painting with her left hand as rehab after a stroke and aphasia in 2002.

The book is available for $10 at The Local Store.

DESCRIBED AS “BIGGER THAN LIFE BUT NOT FANTASTICAL,” AND AN “EXTRAORDINARY, MOVING ACCOUNT OF SURVIVAL AND ENDURANCE” by Kirkus Reviews, Tailspin by John Armbruster tells the true story of a World War II tail gunman from Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin, who survived a four-mile fall without a parachute after it was shredded by enemy fire, falling into Nazi hands. Chippewa Falls’ Heyde Center for the Arts will be hosting a presentation of the novel on Aug. 8 at 7pm in collaboration with the Chippewa Valley Cultural Assocation and the Chippewa Falls Public Library as part of the Chippewa Valley Book Festival. Armbruster was a close friend of the Moran family and initially refused to write Gene’s story, for its utterly powerful significance felt too much for a 20-years-removed journalism degree holder. But, after one of Gene’s daughters told Armbruster her father would only tell his story if Armbruster were the one to write it, he took on Gene’s story. For more than 60 years, Gene said next to nothing of his story, Armbruster’s learning of it all becoming a story of its own too. Learn more about Gene and Tailspin on Aug. 8 at the Heyde Center at 7pm. –McKenna Scherer

Sky Island Journal Hits 5-Year Milestone

SKY ISLAND JOURNAL, A FREE-ACCESS, INDEPENDENT LITERARY JOURNAL WITH AN INTERNATIONAL REACH, PUT DOWN ITS ROOTS IN 2017, CO-FOUNDED BY CHIPPEWA FALLS NATIVE JEFF SOMMERFELD AND EAU CLAIRE’S JASON SPLICHAL. Just this month, Sky Island celebrated its five-year anniversary. More than 20 issues published by the five-year milestone on July 14, Sky Island has published nearly 700 writers from across the globe and has garnered 115,000 readers in 145 countries. “We both have other full-time jobs, and we both have families, but this is our passion,” Sommerfeld said. “We’re constantly learning from each other, our readers, our contributors, and the editing process itself.” Sky Island is freshly distinctive in numerous ways, specifically compared to other publications, perhaps its largest stand-out differences being its accessibility and Sommerfeld and Splichal’s genuine communication with submitters. While each issue is different, Sky Island’s acceptance rate for work is around 3%, though it has always fallen between 1.5-5.5% after their initial two issues. To put those percentages into more tangible numbers: for Sky Island Issue 21 – their summer issue that just dropped – they received 1,549 individual pieces, and the issue ending up with 60. “We’ve earned a reputation from readers and writers alike for quality, professionalism, respect, kindness, attention to detail, and one of the fastest response times on the planet,” they said. “We’ve carved a clear path for ourselves in the world of literary journals by always placing the interests of readers and writers at the core of everything we do.” Pausing or scaling back is not an option for the pair, they said, as they believe the power of the written word can truly change lives, and the world, for the better. Visit skyislandjournal.com to view all issues.

–McKenna Scherer

THEY DID THIS RIGHT. New Poetry Chapbook comes together during a Tuessday Night Poets group.

PHOTO BY ANDREA PAULSETH

Food+Drink

New Stuff

THE WHIRLYBIRD GETS THE WORM

WHIRLYBIRD COFFEE OPENED ITS DOORS IN CHIPPEWA FALLS

words by sawyer hoff • photos by andrea paulseth

THERE’S A WHOLE LATTE LOVE BREWING AT THE NEW WHIRLYBIRD COFFEE SHOP IN CHIPPEWA FALLS. What started as a long-time dream between Liz Van Aarde and her mom, Loralie Wallerius, is now a reality, and they get to work together with Liz’s sister, dad, and husband.

When they went to the old Lake Wissota Bakehouse inside Dove Healthcare to purchase a commercial dishwasher for Loralie’s other business, they discovered that not only was the spot exactly what they were looking for, but the business was selling all of its equipment in the space.

“I’m a foodie, I like to cook and try new things,” Van Aarde said. “The coffee shop part of it is about the people. We love people and we want to make their day. Coffee is just something that does that.”

Whirlybird’s coffee menu isn’t your average Joe. They brew Wonderstate Coffee, an all-organic brand from Viroqua, Wisconsin, that uses solar power energy and ethical business practices. They have your lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, smoothies, teas, and much more, but it’s their coffee

specials that have people flocking back.

One of their Whirlybird Specials, called the Knee High, is particularly unique. Why? ’Cause it’s a corn latte. Whitney, Liz’s sister, came up with the idea for a corn-flavored latte, and while Liz was hesitant at first, it has quickly become a favorite among their customers.

“We were making the menu and I kept saying, ‘We should add corn to that’, for everything because I love corn and I think it improves things,” Whitney Wallerius said.

“I saw this other coffee place in Indiana and they had a corn latte and I knew we needed something like that.”

They will be selling coffee flights in the very near future, too, so you can try all of their specialty drinks. Coffee flights have become a huge trend on social media and Whirlybird will be one of the few places in the area to sell them.

They also have a breakfast and lunch menu with things for everyone, including wraps, sandwiches, salads, and rice and quinoa bowls.

Whirlybird is all things that give Liz and Whitney nostalgia for their

childhood, which is why some of their menu items have nostalgic names. Their 2007 latte on their summer specials menu has little flowers on top to represent a bedspread set that Liz had when was she was little. Even the name Whirlybird is full of nostalgia.

are maple trees and those whirlybirds fall everywhere. It’s like it was meant to be.”

WHIRLYBIRD

COFFEE @whirlybirdcoffeeco

They are very excited about where Whirlybird could go in the future and all of the people they’re going to meet.

hello@whirlybirdcoffee.com

“We grew up out in the woods and had maple trees everywhere, and we would always play with the little whirlybird seeds,” Van Aarde said. “After we had decided on the name and chose this location, we realized that all of the trees in the parking lot

“We want to know our customers, we want to know their names, know their orders. Just love on people and have good food and drinks to go along with that.”

You can learn more about them at whirlybirdcoffee.com and visit them at 2829 County Hwy. I, Chippewa Falls.

I’M A FOODIE, I LIKE TO COOK AND TRY NEW THINGS.

– LIZ VAN AARDE, OWNER OF WHIRLYBIRD COFFEE

New Stuff

HOW THE COOKIE CRUMBLS: New Crumbl Cookie to Open Early 2023

words by sawyer hoff

IF YOU HAVEN’T HEARD OF CRUMBL COOKIE BY NOW, YOU HAVE TO DO BATTER. Since opening less than five years ago in 2017, Crumbl has already made quite a name for itself, and now, they’re opening three new locations in Wisconsin – and Eau Claire gets to claim one of them.

Rory and Connie Young, originally from Denver, were seeking a change in their work lives and wanted to hop on the Crumbl train. Pairing up with their friend, Karen French, they decided to take the leap. When deciding where to open

their store, they chose Eau Claire because they are often here visiting friends and family, and love the atmosphere.

After their interview with the company, they were offered two more locations in Wisconsin. Thus making the Wisconsin Crumbl trifecta – Eau Claire, Hudson, and La Crosse.

Crumbl was the fourth fastest-growing restaurant chain in the country last year, according to the Technomic Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report, and its sales are

up 500% since 2019.

Crumbl is unique because of its large cookie size and its weekly rotating flavors based on previous sales at each store, as well as a “mystery” cookie that is decided by the store itself.

Eau Claire’s Crumbl is likely to be the first of the Wisco trifecta to open, with a launch slated for January 2023. They will be setting up shop in the old Pier One Imports building at 4008 Commonwealth Ave.

To learn more about Crumbl Cookie, go to crumblcookies.com.

Open

COURT’N HOUSE REOPENS WITH NEW OWNERS

THE BELOVED AND HISTORIC EAU CLAIRE STOP, COURT’N HOUSE BAR AND GRILL, OFFICIALLY REOPENED under new ownership on July 11. First opened nearly 20 years ago in 2003, the Girolamo family said goodbye to their business at the end of June. Now owned by a group of local families, two of whom are also owners of Brackett Bar, as Court’N House (CNH) LLC. Though the new owners have assured locals their foodie favorites will still be offered, they’re aiming to jazz up the space and shift aspects of how the biz runs , including a new addition of a credit card sales system. “We wanted to keep all the fantastic things like the food, history, and vibe so many customers love! Changing too much would be a mistake, so we’re just improving on what’s there,” said Audrey Borcherding, one of the new owners. “We have a lot of ideas for the future but the painting, cleaning, new logos, more use of the second bar space, and upgrade of the point of sale systems were the main focus to start.” With a new logo, renovations and decor happening on the inside – including new hangings of old city photographs – plus additions to the existing menu , some changes may need some getting used to for regulars. However, the new owners said they appreciate the folks who care deeply about the historic biz. “Things are great,” Borcherding said of the Court’n House’s first week since reopening. “There are wins and challenges just like any business. It’s been really busy and we’re feeling the awesome support of this community.” CNH knew taking on Court’N House meant much more than running just any restaurant or bar, and even through the ownership transition, the Girolamo family too were “very gracious throughout the process of the sale,” they said. Court’N House is open at 113 W Grand Ave., Eau Claire –McKenna Scherer

New Stuff

FINGER LICKIN’ GOOD: CHIPPEWA VALLEY ONE HANDERS

YOU THINK YOU LIKE EATING CHICKEN WINGS? Well, can you say you started a sauce company after years of dedication to group outings with the sole purpose of chowin’ down on some wings? Exactly. Well, Dan Barnum, the founder of Chippewa Valley One Handers, can – and did. C.V. One Handers is a sauce-making company right out of Eau Claire, born out of a true love for chicken wings and fine sauces. After being part of an area chicken wing-eating group founded in 2011, Barnum took things to the next level when he started churning out One Handers sauce in 2020. Regularly stocked by downtown E.C. store Tangled Up In Hue, a wide variety of freshly made sauces are created by One Handers for $10-$15. Flavors include Pineapple Habanero, Jalapeño Cilantro, Ghostberry, Scorpion Red, and more, with short ingredient list shown right on the bottle. If you haven’t had a chance to snag a bottle or two for yourself from Tangled Up In Hue, you’re in luck: Tangled Up is presenting a One Handers hot sauce sampling pop-up on Saturday, July 30, from 10am-2pm. Even better, they’ll also be putting on the One Hander Challenge: at 1pm during the pop-up, the One Hander Chicken Wing Challenge will serve each contestant a variety of sauced wings they must eat using only one hand, right down to a “clean bone.” The first person to “clean bone” every wing will win a limited edition bottle of One Handers sauce. Check One Handers out on their Facebook page or stop by Tangled Up In Hue (505 S Barstow St. B, Eau Claire) to buy a bottle! –McKenna

Scherer

COURT’N HOUSE BAR & GRILL

PHOTO BY ANDREA PAULSETH

Leisure

At Elmwood UFO Days, the Truth is Out There

words by mckenna scherer

THE 43RD ANNUAL UFO

DAYS FESTIVAL IN ELMWOOD IS FLYING IN FOR THE

final weekend of the month, July 29-31

One of three annual UFO festivals in the state – all of them in towns gunning for the “UFO Capital of Wisconsin” title – Elmwood UFO Days is the longest running of the bunch, first celebrating in 1978. In fact, there’s signage at an intersection on County Road S with several dates and witnesses of area UFO sightings dating back to 1975, marking it a “multiple sighting location.”

Whether or not you believe in aliens and UFOs, the UFO Days Festival in Elmwood brings in more than just extraterrestrial-centered events, including a classic car show, craft and vendor fairs, live music, and more.

While July 29-31 are the official festival days, events ramp up earlier in the week, beginning Tuesday, July 26, with Citizens State Bank’s kick-off customer appreciation dinner from 4:30-7pm. On Thursday, July 28, community-wide garage sales will go on from 8am-4pm with directories available on the 27th, only at Alcivia in Elmwood, plus alien mask-making kits being given out at the Elmwood Public Library, live music, and more.

Saturday will hold the bulk of the UFO-focused events, including free UFO Sighting Bus Tours throughout the afternoon, the ‘UFOS & Elmwood: A Legacy” presentation by retired UW-Stout Professor Bill Johnson at 1pm, and a talk about Elmwood encounters at 5pm

See the full list of events and more information on the UFO Days’ Facebook, @UFODAYSELMWOOD.

Recreation

PINBALL EVANGELISM

EAU CLAIRE WRITER LAUNCHES NEW PINBALL MAGAZINE, NUDGE

words by thomas delapp

STROLL INTO A CHIPPEWA VALLEY HANGOUT SPOT EQUIPPED WITH A PINBALL MACHINE, and you might just run into Ian Jacoby racking up high scores with gusto.

Jacoby, a writer, musician, and cre ative, bursts with unbridled enthusi asm for all things pinball. He’s a certified Pinball Wizard, but with the amount of pinball knowledge Jacoby holds, he might as well be called the Pinball High Priest. Or the Pinball Jedi. He would humbly deny these titles, but you get the idea.

Among Jacoby’s many passions is talking to people about pinball (he’s really good at it). In fact, his dad gave him the best title of all: Pinball Evangelist. Taking evangelization to heart, Jacoby is celebrating the launch of the first issue of Nudge, his magazine dedicated to pinball. After operating Nudge as an online venture for about a year, the first print issue is jam-packed with articles, art, and pinball content galore.

Of all the pinball content out there, most of it, he said, wasn’t the right vibe. It wasn’t what Jacoby wanted to be reading. His solution? Make his own magazine.

Nudge, though about pinball, aims to be appealing to many audiences, not just pinball pros. It’s for people who appreciate writing, for artists, photographers, and creatives of all kinds. His goal was for it to feel like an art piece, something you’d want on the coffee table as a conversation starter.

Nudge isn’t pretentious about pinball. It’s not ashamed, either, of pinball’s grungy, almost counterculture vibes.

“Pinball, for me, has the vibe of skaters. A little bit dirtier, a little more subversive,” he said. “Like, these people are kinda freaks, right? There’s just something wrong and obsessive with how society views skaters and pinballers.”

“Who cares?” Jacoby said. “What is the thing that says what is import-

ant and what isn’t important? Who’s to say what’s high art and what’s low art? It’s all art. And that’s the stuff that went into Nudge.”

Often, people will ask Jacoby if he is worried that he’ll run out of things to write about. The answer: nope. Never. Pinball is an entire world, he said, and as long as people care about it and its many intricacies, there will be things to write about.

Pinball Evangelist that he is, when I confessed my recent pinball attempt (it was pitiful) on The Mandalorian machine at The Joynt, Jacoby immediately offered solace.

“Oh man, that’s a rough machine,” he said comfortingly. “Don’t beat yourself up too much. There’s a really nice Mandalorian at The View in Chippewa Falls. I have the high score on that right now, so let people try to beat it.”

If that doesn’t prove Jacoby knows his stuff, check out what he and his team are doing at Nudge, making strides in the pinball world and bringing pinball love to the masses. Of course, Jacoby is humble about that, too.“I just want to make good art with people who care.”

Visit Nudge online at nudgepinball.com and @nudgemagazine on Facebook. You can also find Jacoby’s Volumn One feature article about the local pinball scene at VolumeOne.org.

THIS IS THE WAY. The Mandalorian at The Joynt, one of many pinball machines chronicled by writer Ian Jacoby, who launched a magazine, Nudge (below).

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Recreation Recreation

RAMPIN’ UP

LOCAL SEEKS SUPPORT FOR MORE SKATE FEATURES IN TOWN

WITH THE NEW SKATE PARK IN BOYD PARK BEING CONSTRUCTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THERE IS NOW ANOTHER SKATING FEATURE IN EAU CLAIRE. Chris Johnson, owner of Passion Board Shop and a member of Eau Claire’s Parks and Waterways Commission, helped put a small skate bank along the bike path near the Eau Claire Police Department – but he isn’t done just yet. Back in 2013 when the Lakeshore Skate Park opened, there were also conversations with the then-Eau Claire Parks and Recreation about installing 10-12 small skate parks spread all over town. The idea was to ensure that no matter where you live, you’d have access to a skate park. That conversation unfortunately never came to fruition due to budgeting issues. Johnson figured that if the city couldn’t have skate parks all over, it could at least get some things people could skate on. This sparked his idea for the skate feature on bike paths. “My idea was inspired by a mix of the Sculpture Tour and the workout stations based around town,” Johnson said. “I figured if we could have pull-up bars and stuff right off the bike path, why couldn’t we add some skate features as well?”

The first bank installed across from the police station is a “guinea pig” of sorts for this idea. Since there are no concrete plans to produce more features, this was a way to show the city how much citizens appreciate the idea. Johnson hopes that these features will be a safer and legal way for skaters to get together to “street skate,” which is finding an obstacle like a ridge, stairs rails, or street obstacles to skate and do tricks on. “This first one is just a plain bank because I wanted to pick something to be super low-budget where we can hire local concrete workers to complete it,” Johnson said. “These things are small budget, but still good for wheel sports, and can be accessible for everybody.” Johnson wants these features to feel sort of like the Sculpture Tour by painting each one with a different mural, giving each community a feeling of ownership and pride for their feature. “This is a progressive idea for this city,” Johnson said. “Eau Claire is a progressive city, but we typically look at an example of what other cities are doing, and then we follow suit. We don’t tend to be the first ones to do things. But in this case, we actually are the first ones.” Johnson said the best way to get more of these features is to reach out to City Council members and the Parks and Recreation Department about how much citizens use and appreciate the piece. –Sawyer

Hoff

Hot Girl Walk?

words by sawyer hoff

YOU’RE PROBABLY WONDERING, WHAT IS A “HOT GIRL WALK?”

While there isn’t a concrete definition, it involves walking with a certain confidence and swagger. There is a new trend on TikTok to do “hot girl walks” with friends to get outside and meet new people This is what prompted Sammi Costello, GM of the Eau Claire Express, to start a new walking group called “Eau Claire Girls Who Walk.” The group only started a couple of weeks ago, but they’ve already had two “hot girl walks,” and will have more every Wednesday until cold weather hits. “I saw a TikTok of these girls in Hoboken that just wanted to get people in their 20s and 30s together and outside walking,” Costello said. “I was like, ‘Oh we can definitely do that in Eau Claire.’” Their goal is to walk around different parts of Eau Claire since there are many trails and outdoor spaces to explore. They’ll announce on Instagram where they will be walking before each group meet-up. While it may seem like only women can go on “hot girl walks,” that’s not necessarily the case. As long as you show up with no judgment and with a fun vibe, Costello said anyone is invited to walk. Check out their Instagram, @eauclairegirlswhowalk.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

PHOTO BY ANDREA PAULSETH

Discovery

Education

A BUTTERFLY’S BEST FRIENDS

RAISING MONARCHS OFFERS KIDS LESSONS ON BIOLOGY AND MORE

MY FAMILY ALREADY HAS TWO CATS AND A DOG, BUT THE NUMBER OF “PETS” IN OUR HOME INCREASES DURING THE SUMMER.

The additional critters don’t stay in the household long: They are monarch butterfly caterpillars, harvested from the milkweed plants in our yard and carefully raised through the stages of their lives, from caterpillar to chrysalis to adult butterfly ready for release.

Ideally, within a few weeks, the tiniest of caterpillars become fullgrown adults ready to go forth, pollinate plants, and lay eggs of their own.

Besides keeping our young children busy and away from a screen during the long days of summer vacation, raising butterflies offers numerous lessons and benefits. There are the biological lessons, of course: Raising butterflies teaches kids about the life cycles of insects. Each life stage and transition offers an opportunity for education and wonder. Children can also learn about the monarch’s role as a pollinator of plants and about how its unique diet helps protect it from predators (all that milkweed fills their bodies with icky-tasting toxins). Fostering butterflies also teaches kids the responsibility involved in caring for another living thing, as well as about life and death on a small scale.

At first we kept the caterpillars in glass jars with holes poked in their lids. Soon, my wife purchased a small, clear plastic cage with a ventilated lid and a feeder window, which made caring for the growing insects easier.

We’re lucky enough to have milk weed growing in our yard thanks to the foresight of our home’s previous owner. Monarch populations have plunged in recent years, a trend that has been attribut ed to habitat loss: There simply isn’t as much land filled with native plants –including milkweed – as there used to be.

Milkweed is essential to the monarch’s life cycle: It is where they lay their eggs, which with in a few days hatch into tiny, translucent caterpillars. Milkweed also provides the caterpillars with their food. Every day in summer, my children carefully inspect each plant, searching for newly hatched caterpillars. They also pluck a handful of milkweed leaves to feed to our caterpillars. It’s

amazing to see a full-sized caterpillar – which can be 2 to 5 centimeters long – eat its way through a sizable leaf over the course of a day. All that eating means a lot of excreting, too, so be sure to carefully clean your monarch container every day or two.

Carefully remove the leaves and sticks, then dump out the critter droppings. (It helps to line the bottom of your container with paper.)

My son says the most difficult part of cleaning is taking care not to disturbed chrysalises. He also advises to carefully count your caterpillars before and after you clean their container to avoid accidentally throwing any out with dried-up, munched-on leaves.

After nine to 14 days, the caterpillar – which until this point has done almost nothing but eat and grow – is finally ready to just hang out (literally) and complete the

final stage of its metamorphosis. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to watch as the caterpillar selects a place to “pupate,” spins a little silky patch to hang from upside-down in a “J” shape, then sheds its skin for the last time to reveal a blue-green pupa or chrysalis. (Technically speaking, this isn’t a cocoon because it lacks a silky wrapper.)

Within another week or two of waiting, the adult butterfly emerges from its now-transparent chrysalis. After a few hours, its delicate wings have unfurled enough to fly. At this point, we typically coax the butterfly onto a stick and gently take it outside to fly free. For my kids – as well as for my wife and I – this is the most exciting part of the process. Watching a butterfly re-enter the natural world makes those weeks of leaf-picking and cage-cleaning worthwhile.

With any luck, the butterfly will survive to continue the species’ life cycle. In early summer, the butterflies may live only a few weeks. If they’re born later, however, they may be lucky enough to be part of the generation that migrates to Mexico and overwinters in massive, magical butterfly clusters. In any case, the butterflies you raise will be tangible examples of the beauty – and fragility – of the natural world.

words by tom giffey • photos by conrad leighton

Play

Activities

BIG RIGS, BIG DEAL

TRUCK SHOW HAS HOT NEW ATTRACTION

THE 12TH ANNUAL BIG RIG TRUCK SHOW IS COMING BACK TO EAU CLAIRE AUG. 19-20, and the newest attraction will be smokin’.

The Big Rig Truck Show will have semi-drag racing, a light parade, a trade show, food vendors, show trucks you can climb inside, and a brand-new feature, the AFTERSHOCK Jet Truck. What is an AFTERSHOCK Jet Truck, you may ask? It’s a 1940 Ford Fire Truck with

24,000 horsepower and can get up to 407 mph – and yes, fire shoots out of it.

You can also camp on the grounds of the Rock Falls Raceway, just outside Eau Claire, and visit the kids zone with your little truckers. This fun family weekend will get you all fired up and radiator to go!

To learn more and to buy tickets, visit bigrigtruckshows.com.

PHOTO BY ANDREA PAULSETH

Kid List

CHIPPEWA VALLEY EVENTS

JULY 28 – AUG. 14, 2022

KIDS PICK

28TH ANN. NATIONAL NIGHT OUT

CARSON PARK

5:30-8PM • EAUCLAIREWI.GOV/RECREATION/FAMILY-FUN

Family friendly event that promotes crime & drug prevention. Kids activities, carnival games for kids, mascot dance-off, bike raffle, food, beverages, music, vendors, emergency vehicle visit, and more.

Teen Night at Evolving Wellness Every Thursday until Dec. 29, 3-7pm • Evolving Wellness, 2711 Pleasant Street, Eau Claire • FREE • Ages 12-17 • (715) 514-4233 • evolvingwellness.org/ A place of compassion, understanding, and kindness for teens. Taco bar at 4:30pm, and wellness activities at 5:30pm

Kids Kraft Tuesdays Every Tuesday until Aug. 23, 10-11:30am • Valley Art Gallery & Gifts, 304 N. Bridge St, Chippewa Falls • $2 • Ages 4+ Create fun kids kraft summer projects with instruction. Young children must be accompanied by an adult.

Mystery & Magic Aug. 2, 10:30am-noon • Chippewa Valley Museum, 1204 E. Half Moon Dr., Eau Claire • $13/youth; $5/museum member • 6-12 year-olds • cvmuseum.com View rarely seen objects “hiding” in our collections. Dazzle your family and friends with a replica thaumatrope and some fun take-home tricks.

Mommy & Me Mondays at Eau So Fun Parties Mondays • Eau So Fun Parties, 2230 EastRidge Center, Eau Claire • $10 per person • Children Ages 2+ • eausofunparties.com Party activities are opened up for parents and kids to enjoy together while building a stronger connection. A fun, indoor space and activities for parents and children to play together. Reservations required.

Teen Anxiety Group Every Thursday from Aug. 4 to Aug. 25, 6-7pm • 1813 Brackett Ave, Eau Claire • $30/meeting • Ages 12-17 • genuinewayfamilytherapy.com/events This group is for tweens/ teens ages 12-17 who may be struggling with the various changes that life may be presenting.

Daisy and Brownie Day at Girl Scout Camp

Jul. 26, noon-5pm; Aug. 11, noon-5pm • Camp Nawakwa, 25336 Cty Hwy E, Cornell • $25/child • Girls entering K-3rd grade as of fall 2022 • Join GS Cadette Troop 3055 for a taste of Girl Scout Camp at Camp Nawakwa, Cornell. Take a tour, learn camp songs and games, make crafts, experience nature, swim in Picnic Lake and more.

Stanley Play & Learn Aug. 8, 9:30-10:30am • Chapman Park, 117 N Broadway, Stanley • FREE • Ages 0-5 • (715) 720-1841 • playgroup@fsccf. org • RiverSourceFamilyCenter.com Interactive outdoor playgroup. Meet new friends, make parent connections, story time, crafts & snacks.

UWEC Summer Cinema Jul. 27, 8pm; Aug. 10, 8pm; Aug. 24, 8pm • Haas Fine Arts Center, West Lawn, 121 Water Street, Eau Claire • FREE • uwec.edu Movies screened outdoors in the Haas Fine Arts Lawn.

Baby & Me Walk & Talk Jul. 27, 10-11am; Aug. 10, 10-11am; Aug. 24, 10-11am • Irvine Park (by the duck pond), Chippewa Falls • FREE • 0-11 months • (715) 720-1841 • RiverSourceFamilyCenter.com This group is for parents and their babies (0-11 months of age), older siblings are welcome. Meet at Irvine Park (by the Duck Pond picnic tables) and take a walk in the park. Stroll along, connecting with other parents/caregivers and their babies.

River Prairie Movie Nights Jul. 22, 9-11pm; Aug. 5, 9-11pm; Aug. 19, 9-11pm • River Prairie Park, 1419 Front Porch Place, Altoona • FREE admission • facebook.com Movies begin at sunset (aprox 9pm). 8/5 Raya & the Last Dragon, 8/19 Clifford the Big Red Dog/Jungle Cruise.

Movin’ & Groovin’ at Riverfront Park Aug.

1, 9:30-10:30am; Aug. 15, 9:30-10:30am • Riverfront Park, 12 S Bridge Street, Chippewa Falls • FREE • 0-5 years • (715) 720-1841 • RiverSourceFamilyCenter.com Meet River Source Family Center in the park for singing and dancing. No registration required.

28th Anniversary National Night Out Event Aug.

2, 5:30-8pm • Carson Park, 100 Carson Park Dr., Eau Claire Family friendly event that promotes crime & drug prevention. Kids activities, food, beverages, music, vendors, and more.

Summer Park Tours: Riverview Park Aug. 3, 9:30-10:30am • Riverview Park, Hwy 27, Cadott • FREE • Ages 0-5 years • (715) 720-1841 • RiverSourceFamilyCenter.com Meet at parks throughout the Chippewa County. Enjoy outside play with a scavenger hunt and a snack.

ECCT Presents “Disney The Lion King Jr.” Aug. 6, 11am-noon, 1:30-2:30pm • The Oxford, 1814 Oxford Ave., Eau Claire • All Seats $5 • All Ages • (715) 839-8877 • ecct.org The final summer performance class presents Disney The Lion King Jr., based on the classic Disney cartoon.

Children’s Program: Garden Party Aug. 9, 10:30am-noon • Schlegelmilch - McDaniel House, 517 South Farwell Street, Eau Claire • $13/youth; $5/museum member • 6-12 year-olds • (715) 598-2660 • cvmuseum.com Go on a home and garden tour of this old house. Nibble on fresh fruit & veggie creations on our wrap around porch. Play classic lawn games in the backyard and make a re-useable flutterfly craft to take home.

Dinosaur Dimensions Aug. 10, 4pm

• Augusta

Lions Hall, 200 E. Lincoln St., Augusta • FREE

All events are subject to change; call ahead for details. For full event descriptions and details, visit our online calendar at www.volumeone.org/ events. Listings in the calendar are free. If you have an event that you would like included in an upcoming issue, go to our website at www.volumeone. org or call (715) 552-0457 . For any event related questions, contact Listings Editor James Johonnott at james@volumeone.org.

• Ages 5+ • augustalibrary.org Showcases four realistic looking animatronic young dinosaurs (a baby triceratops, velociraptor, pterodactyl, and a baby t-rex just hatching from his egg.)

Disney’s Beauty & The Beast JR. Aug. 12, 7pm; Aug. 13, 2pm, 7pm; Aug. 14, 7pm • Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, 205 Main St. E, Menomonie

• $12, $8 Students • (715) 231-7529 • menomoni-

etheaterguild.org The classic story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity There will be fun Beauty and the Beast themed activities downstairs at the Mabel prior to show.

Hillside Dental

ARCHIVE DIVE. It’s hard not to feel a bit nostalgic after 20 years, but we swear our eyes are only red because we’ve been digging through two decades worth of dusty back issues (453 and counting!) to assemble the timeline of V1 and community history that starts on page 40.

Features

It’s true. Volume One just turned 20 years old. We can’t believe it either! For two decades now we’ve been doing our ever-evolving thing in this community with just one strategic plan: It’s called Doing Things Things we think might be fun. Things we think the community needs. And things we think could play a role in moving this place forward.

With that in mind, over these twenty years we’ve become a media company with publications, websites, social media feeds, video and marketing capabilities, and more. We’re an event production company creating hundreds of community happenings for thousands of locals and tourists alike. And we’re a downtown retailer with our placebased shop, The Local Store, featuring thousands of products from local makers and beyond. So we’ve changed a lot since that first black-and-white zine came out in 2002. But we’re not the only thing that has evolved over these two decades. Obviously a lot can change in any community in the span of twenty years. (Or at least one would hope so.) And in the case of Eau Claire and the broader Chippewa Valley, that is absolutely the case. And we’re thankful for that. Most would take that to mean physical changes –

new neighborhoods, businesses, amenities, and more. The stuff that literally makes up the community around us. In that regard we’ve seen truly incredible changes – developments and redevelopments, parks and trails, streets and plazas –with more on the way. But perhaps more importantly to any meaningful place, are the changes you can’t see – things like attitudes, mindsets, ideas, and collaborations.

When we first launched, we were surrounded by a lot of people complaining “there was nothing to do here,” that many good ideas “would never work here,” or even that they “couldn’t wait to get out of this place.” Thankfully, we’ve seen this community’s attitude toward itself completely transform over these last two decades as so many people, organizations, and businesses have worked together to redefine what’s possible here. And we’ve felt very lucky to be here to help tell some of those stories along the way.

Today, while there’s still plenty of work to be done, this is truly a bustling, growing, and evolving community with a very bright future. Thank you for letting us be a part of it for these last twenty years, and for your generous support along the way.

NICK MEYER PUBLISHER // CO-FOUNDER

BUT PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY TO ANY MEANINGFUL PLACE, ARE THE CHANGES YOU CAN’T SEE –THINGS LIKE ATTITUDES, MINDSETS, IDEAS, AND COLLABORATIONS.

CH-CH-CH-CHANGES: A TWENTY YEAR TIMELINE

Far too much good has happened in the community over the past two decades to list it all here. So the timeline here – in selfish recognition of our own anniversary – is mostly made up of Volume One’s own history of modestly notable moments. But along with those we’ve included a handful of Chippewa Valley milestones that have impacted the broader community and adjusted our collective trajectory in one way or another. Did we miss some? Absolutely. Do we care? Well, yeah, but only so much. Please don’t come at us, we’re short on time and on deadline (just as we have been for twenty years)!

2002

JANUARY

Downtown Eau Claire Inc., a new nonprofit city-affiliated organization meant to create economic development and events downtown, is created.

MARCH

Seeing a need for increased attention to the community’s growing cultural scene, Nick Meyer and Dale Karls publish the first issue of Volume One. “While planning the premiere issue of Volume One, we came across a common misconception about art and entertainment in Eau Claire — many people believe they don’t exist. You’re holding in your hands our 24-page argument to the contrary.”

JUNE

Jamf Software is founded in Eau Claire. The company creates software to help organizations manage Apple devices.

NOVEMBER

Beginning a tradition that continues to this day, Volume One publishes contributors’ bios and photos for the first time.

DECEMBER

The Eau Claire City Council approves a plan for Royal Credit Union to build a new corporate headquarters downtown, across from the future Phoenix Park. The office building becomes a catalyst for the transformation of the North Barstow Redevelopment Area.

2003

MARCH

Volume One announces its first-ever fiction contest. Winning entries are published in later issues.

MAY

For the first time, the magazine is divided into sections, such as Music, Literature, Art, Film, and Theatre.

SEPTEMBER

The magazine is printed with a glossy cover for the first time. (Still black and white, though.)

SEPTEMBER

Volume One takes to the Interwebs at VolumeOne.org (VolumeOne.com was already taken).

2004

JULY

The Eau Claire City Council signs a lease with the Northwoods Baseball League, paving the way for a team to play at Carson Park the next summer. The team is later named the Eau Claire Express.

AUGUST

Volume One hits a milestone, publishing the work of its 100th contributor.

SEPTEMBER

Volume One moves into its first publicly accessible office at 17 S. Barstow St.

DECEMBER

The Children’s Museum of Eau Claire opens its doors at 220 S. Barstow St.

2005

APRIL 1

As an April Fools’ Day joke, Volume One reports that Oakwood Mall won a national contest and Hollywood stars Bruce Willis and Jessica Alba would visit to promote their new film Sin City (which opened on April Fools’ Day). It blew up in local media – both the rumor, and then the story that it was all just a joke. So the gang had to show up at the theater and apologize to anyone who was fooled. Not everyone thought it was funny.

APRIL

Royal Credit Union holds its annual meeting inside its new headquarters, 200 Riverfront Terrace, across from Phoenix Park.

JUNE

Volume One launches the Back Alley Summer Cinema Series: free Monday night community movie screenings in a previously forgotten alley along Graham Avenue. Roughly 200 people attended each week.

SEPTEMBER

Volume One’s Back Alley Sh-Bang Concert is held in the same Graham Avenue alley as the Cinema Series, featuring The Black-Eyed Snakes and others.

OCTOBER

Downtown Eau Claire Inc. gives out the first grants as part of its new Jump-Start Downtown competition for entrepreneurs.

2006

APRIL 1

Volume One hosts its first community-wide April Fools’ Day Pillow Fight on an empty lot on the corner of Barstow and Madison streets.

APRIL

Volume One publishes its first biweekly, tabloid-sized, full-color issue. Until this point, the publication had published once a month in a smaller, black-and-white format.

MAY

What was then known as the Sounds Like Spring Concert Series premieres in the newly opened Phoenix Park in downtown Eau Claire. As crowds grew week to week, the series was extended into the summer, becoming the Sounds Like Summer series that’s been held annually since.

JULY

The Downtown Eau Claire Farmers Market moves into a newly built pavilion on Phoenix Park. The market had previously been held in the Railroad Street parking lot.

AUGUST

The long-awaited U.S. Highway 53 bypass opens, diverting traffic around the city of Eau Claire.

SEPTEMBER

Volume One and Downtown Eau Claire Inc. host the first Idea Lounge, a laidback but inspiring forum series to discuss hot community topics. This one, “The Rise of the Creative Class and How It’s Shaping Our Lives Right Here in the Chippewa Valley,” draws an enthusiastic crowd of 140.

NOVEMBER

Volume One publishes its first Holiday Handbook. The guide eventually evolves into an annual Best of the Holidays issue.

2007

APRIL

Volume One publishes the first edition of the annual Eat Scene dining guide, which boasts more than 250 restaurant listings. Eat Scene expands over the years to include every restaurant and bar in the region.

MAY

Volume One publishes its first-ever Hot Spots summer guide. Eventually, the pull-out guide evolves into an annual Best of Summer issue.

MAY

Volume One celebrates its fifth anniversary by publishing its first (and last) book: The Best of Volume One, Vol. 1.

JULY

Eau Claire native Justin Vernon self-releases the first album from his new musical project, Bon Iver. For Emma, Forever Ago catches the ears of critics and fans, and launches Bon Iver to stardom.

AUGUST

Chalkfest, a sidewalk chalk-art festival, makes its debut in downtown Eau Claire’s Wilson Park. The annual event grows to include scores of artists and hundreds of visits, and moves to the UW-Eau Claire campus in 2015.

AUGUST

The first version of what will become the U.S. National Kubb Tournament is held in Eau Claire, drawing 35 players.

SEPTEMBER

Volume One publishes the results of its first-ever Best of the Chippewa Valley Reader Poll. There are results in about 100 categories. (By 2022, the number of categories has surpassed 350.)

SEPTEMBER

Volume One creates the Big Sh-Bang Music Festival, featuring 50 bands at eight venues over three days.

DECEMBER

The Eau Claire City Council approves an agreement with developers Michael Lander and Geoff Moeding to build a mixed use development worth $20 million called Phoenix Parkside. The project is a major anchor for the North Barstow redevelopment.

2008

MARCH

Volume One creates a profile on a new-ish social networking site called Facebook.

APRIL

Volume One’s cover art, a photo of a pair of tomato-splattered art students from a performance art piece titled “Slaptick,” stirs comment and criticism: Some see the image as artistic social commentary; others say it evokes violence and is in poor taste.

JULY

Clear Vision Eau Claire, a community-wide planning process, produces a report outlining the community’s needs and potential partnerships. In the ensuing decade, projects like the Pablo Center at the Confluence, Sculpture Tour Eau Claire, community gardens, and more are inspired by this process.

AUGUST

VolumeOne.org is totally revamped, transforming from a relatively simple blog to a complete online version of the magazine, including the events calendar.

OCTOBER

Just Local Food Co-op expands, moving into a new location at 1117 S. Farwell St., Eau Claire.

OCTOBER

Volume One’s “Tunnel of Terror” debuts, welcoming more than a thousand kids through the office – completely transformed into a makeshift haunted house – as a part of downtown Eau Claire’s Trick-or-Treating event.

DECEMBER

For the first (and so far only) time, Volume One features a cover interview. The subject is Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.

2009

MAY

About 200 runners compete in the first Eau Claire Marathon in recent years, which begins and ends in Carson Park.

MAY

Tuesday Night Blues debuts at the Owen Park Bandshell.

JUNE

In a journalistic coup, Volume One interviews Ray Szmanda, the legendary “Menards Guy.”

JULY

A community garden is proposed along Forest Street in downtown Eau Claire. It opens in 2010, and is now called the Forest Street Community Garden.

OCTOBER

A collaboration between the State Theatre and Volume One creates the first season of the Back Stage Concert Series, bringing performers and the audience together behind the curtain right on stage for an intimate and unique music experience.

2010

JANUARY

In collaboration with the Eau Claire Curling Club, Volume One launches a beginner’s curling league to introduce newbies to the icy Olympic sport.

JANUARY

The first Winter After Hours is held in Boyd Park near downtown Eau Claire. The outdoor winter social includes ice skating, snow sculpting, a fire pit, hot beverages, and more. The annual wintertime event relocates to Pinehurst Park in January 2019.

MAY

Volume One publishes its first-ever theme issue, “Reinventing Our Streets,” dedicating to reimagining the community’s street infrastructure as the city plans redevelopment of Barstow Street and Hastings Way.

MAY

The inaugural Chippewa Valley Rock-n-Roll Kickball Classic draws 16 teams and more than 1,000 attendees to Altoona for a tournament and concert by the Shouting Matches.

SEPTEMBER

Lazy Monk Brewing in Eau Claire and Lucette Brewing in Menomonie become the vanguard of a new wave of craft breweries in the Chippewa Valley.

SEPTEMBER

Volume One’s classic 1967 red van makes its debut at the International Fall Festival Parade with an “Action Squad” of red jump-suited, sparkly-helmeted staffers shooting mini teddy bears into the crowd.

NOVEMBER

A small-scale, “test” version of The Local Store makes its debut inside the Volume One office, 17 S. Barstow St.

2011

FEBRUARY

Construction begins on the new $48.8 million Davies Student Center at UW-Eau Claire. This is the first in a series of new campus buildings in the next few years, including Centennial Hall, which opens in 2014.

MAY

Installation starts on 27 street-side works of art as part of the first-ever Sculpture Tour Eau Claire.

MAY

Luther Midelfort officially changes its name to Mayo Clinic Health System.

AUGUST

Volume One explores the growing river tubing scene in a feature titled “Tube Town.”

DECEMBER

The Eau Claire City Council officially declares Eau Claire to be the Kubb Capital of North America.

2012

FEBRUARY

Bon Iver wins two Grammy awards, including Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album for Bon Iver, Bon Iver.

MARCH

The long-running Eau Claire Jazz Festival creates 52nd Street – now known as the Eau Claire Jazz Crawl – which transforms multiple venues in downtown Eau Claire into swingin’ jazz clubs.

MARCH

OakLeaf Surgical Hospital announces plans to build in Altoona’s River Prairie, touching off a flurry of development in the largely undeveloped district.

MAY

The Confluence Project, a multimillion-dollar plan to build an arts center and a mixed-use private development at the confluence of the Eau Claire and Chippewa rivers, is announced. The effort is a collaboration among UW-Eau Claire, Commonweal Development, Market & Johnson, and the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center.

JUNE

Volume One and The Local Store relocate into a newly remodeled “World Headquarters,” 205 N. Dewey St. The move allows for a big new store, a gallery and event space, and new magazine offices.

SEPTEMBER

Volume One publishes a theme issue, “Rethinking Our Rivers,” intended to spark conversations about how the Chippewa Valley can better use its waterways and riverfronts.

SEPTEMBER

Barstow Street and Graham Avenue in downtown Eau Claire switch from one-way to twoway traffic. Chaos does not ensue

2013

MAY

Volume One publishes the Chippewa Valley Report Card, an extensive feature that rates the region in everything from education to economics.

JULY

James C. Schmidt, vice chancellor at Winona State University, becomes chancellor of UW-Eau Claire.

AUGUST

Jamf breaks ground for a new office building across from Phoenix Park next to the Royal Credit Union headquarters.

SEPTEMBER

Efforts to turn Eau Claire’s Pinehurst Park into a winter wonderland get a boost when the City Council OK’s an improvement plan. Donations and city funds will pay for infrastructure for sledders, skiers, snowboarders, and skaters.

2014

JANUARY

Volume One holds its first-ever Contriby Awards, a gala ceremony (complete with red carpet!) to honor the magazine’s contributing writers, artists, and photographers.

FEBRUARY

Voices for Growth, a political action committee to advocate for the Confluence Project, is formed.

APRIL

The Confluence Project wins big at the ballot box. Local voters approve a referendum to commit $3.5 million from Eau Claire County to the project; voters also reject a simultaneous referendum that would have required another binding referendum for any City of Eau Claire expenditure on the Confluence Project. (The Eau Claire City Council had already pledged $5 million to the project.)

JUNE

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker pledges to support the Confluence Project in the state budget.

AUGUST

UW-Eau Claire alumni John and Carolyn Sonnentag announce they are donating up to $10 million in land and funds to the UWEC Foundation to build a new multipurpose venue on Menomonie Street to replace Zorn Arena.

SEPTEMBER

Volume One publishes its third-ever theme issue, “Rebuilding Our Neighborhoods,” which focuses on strengthening a sense of community close to home.

OCTOBER

Ground is broken in the northwest quadrant of Altoona’s River Prairie, which will soon be the site of businesses, apartments, a park, an amphitheater, and much more.

2015

APRIL

The Brewing Project opens its taproom on Oxford Avenue after a years-long bureaucratic saga. An expanded brewing and taproom opens across the street in May 2019.

JUNE

Blue Ox Music Festival, which is devoted to roots, bluegrass, and Americana, debuts at Whispering Pines Campground outside Eau Claire.

JULY

Volume One launches a new family oriented bimonthly publication, Chippewa Valley Family.

JULY

The newly restored High Bridge, a former railroad bridge over the Chippewa River, opens for pedestrians and bikers.

JULY

Volume One publishes a special issue, “Music Capital of the North,” focusing on the importance of music to the region’s culture, history, economy, and identity.

JULY

The Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival premieres at Foster Farms outside Eau Claire. The fest, created by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Aaron Dessner of The National, features their bands plus Lizzo, Sufjan Stevens, Indigo Girls, and many more.

OCTOBER

The Local Store launches the first Night Market, a recurring event series featuring local makers, live music, a food truck, samples, and more.

2016

MARCH

The Eau Claire City Council votes to allow food trucks to operate on most city streets and in certain parks, marking the beginning of the local food truck boom.

APRIL

Volume One is named Small Business of the Year by the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce in the 1-25 employee category.

MAY

The Lismore Hotel opens in downtown Eau Claire in the former Ramada Inn, which had been sold in a sheriff’s sale two years earlier after falling into disrepair.

JUNE

Eau Claire’s revival is featured as one of “240 Reasons to Celebrate America” in a special issue of Time magazine.

OCTOBER

The Oxbow, downtown Eau Claire’s first boutique hotel, opens in the former Green Tree Inn in downtown Eau Claire.

OCTOBER

Ground is broken for the Confluence Arts Center, beginning a nearly two-year construction project.

2017

JUNE

The first Oxbeaux Street concert is held outside the Oxbow Hotel and Volume One office with 2,000 attendees. Headlined by The Shouting Matches, the event is a collaboration between The Oxbow, Volume One, and the Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival.

SEPTEMBER

The first-ever Chippewa Valley Restaurant Week is launched by Volume One with the First Taste Culinary Crawl at Banbury Place. Over the coming week, more than 40 local restaurants take part in the celebration, offering special deals to patrons.

SEPTEMBER

Volume One launches an event ticketing service, Volume One Tickets, an online portal dedicated exclusively to Eau Claire area events.

NOVEMBER

Volume One begins offering professional (and award-winning!) video production services on a word-of-mouth basis to area businesses and organizations.

2018

FEBRUARY

Volume One holds its first ever Best Night celebration at the Lismore Hotel, which coincides with the release of the annual Best of the Chippewa Valley Reader Poll results. The gathering features food, music, a comedy club inside the V1 van, and much more.

FEBRUARY

Volume One unveils its first-ever Chippewa Valley Vanguard Award winners. The awards honor up-and-coming local leaders in a variety of fields, including the arts, education, business, government, and social action.

FEBRUARY

The Confluence Arts Center will officially be named the Pablo Center at the Confluence. A newly formed philanthropic group, the Pablo Foundation, secures naming rights with a $5 million donation.

MAY

Volume One’s Food Truck Friday debuts in the “Railroad Lot” in downtown Eau Claire. The monthly event brings hundreds of hungry locals and a rotating lineup of food trucks. The following year, Food Truck Friday finds a permanent home in Phoenix Park.

JUNE

Chippewa Valley Family launches the Saturday Morning Hullabaloo, a kid-oriented music series in Phoenix Park.

JUNE

An artist-in-residence program at the Oxbow Hotel brings Chicago artist Molly Z to town. With the help of local artists, she creates a mural on building on the corner of North Farwell and Galloway streets, fueling a new downtown mural trend.

JULY

Volume One’s sister publication, Chippewa Valley Family, announces its first 10 Under 10 honorees: 10 Chippewa Valley kids under the age of 10 who demonstrated unique accomplishments and abilities.

JULY

A steel pedestrian bridge is installed over the Eau Claire River between Haymarket Plaza and Phoenix Park.

AUGUST

The State Theatre closes after 30 years as the home of the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center. The theater was original built in 1926 for vaudeville and silent movies.

SEPTEMBER

A grand opening is held for the Pablo Center at the Confluence.

NOVEMBER

In partnership with Volume One, the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce launches Think Eau Claire, a community campaign designed to attract young talent to the community.

NOVEMBER

Volume One holds a live event, “True North: Real Wisconsin Stories Unfolding Live On Stage,” at the Pablo Center. Two sold-out shows run Nov. 16-17, and include live readings, original musical performances, and multimedia.

2019

FEBRUARY

Volume One cracks 100 pages for the first time with a mega version of its annual Best of the Chippewa Valley issue.

JUNE

Volume One and Chippewa Valley Family host the Great Big Hullabaloo, a huge family-themed event that fills the entire Pablo Center with music, technology, science, art, theater, dance, and more.

JUNE

A ribbon-cutting is held for Riverfront Park in downtown Chippewa Falls, a cornerstone for downtown revitalization.

JUNE

The Chippewa Falls City Council approves completion of the final segment of the Old Abe Bike Trail. Starting in 2020, the Red Cedar, Chippewa River, and Old Abe trails will run for 80 continuous miles.

DECEMBER

Volume One celebrates longevity with its 400th issue.

2020

MARCH

Amid the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Volume One produces the first of two special issues. For the first time in its history, the magazine also launches a membership program, ultimately receiving support from nearly 1,000 individuals and families.

APRIL

Voters overwhelmingly approve a $48.8 million referendum for Chippewa Valley Technical College, which will pay for a variety of projects.

MARCH

Katherine P. Frank becomes the first female chancellor in UW-Stout history.

APRIL AND MAY

Because most businesses are closed because of Wisconsin’s “Safer at Home” order, Volume One staffers hand-deliver issues to readers who sign up online.

SEPTEMBER

Volume One unveils a top-to-bottom redesign of its print magazine for the first time since 2006. The look, content, and size of the magazine are refreshed, and the website gets an upgrade, too

SEPTEMBER

The first episode of the Volume One Podcast is released, marking the organization’s first official foray into podcasting.

OCTOBER

Volume One releases a video, print, and online feature, “Outbroken: A Pandemic’s Impact on Wisconsin Farms and Food,” which is supported in part by the Facebook Journalism Project.

The feature goes on to win a host of awards, including from the Association for Alternative Newsmedia, the Local News Association, and the Milwaukee Press Club.

2021

APRIL

The L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library breaks ground for an $18.5 million expansion and renovation projects the biggest in the institution’s 45-year history. The library is slated to reopen in September 2022.

JULY

Sunem Beaton-Garcia becomes the first Latina and first female president of Eau Claire-based Chippewa Valley Technical College.

JULY

Huntsinger Farms outside Eau Claire hosts an estimated 52,000 visitors to Wisconsin Farm Technology Days, the largest agricultural show of its kind in the nation. (Huntsinger Farms, the world’s largest grower and processor of horseradish, is best known for its Silver Spring Foods brand.)

AUGUST

Data released from the 2020 U.S. Census shows that Eau Claire is now the eighth-largest city in Wisconsin, with a population of 69,421.

SEPTEMBER

The merger of Menomonie Market Food Co-op and Just Local Food Co-op is approved. The following month, the combined co-op announces plans to build a newer, bigger store on Block 7 on North Barstow Street.

SEPTEMBER

Ground is broken on a new Children’s Museum of Eau Claire on the so-called “liner site” on North Barstow Street. The museum will open in late 2022.

SEPTEMBER

Ground is broken on a new Eau Claire Transit Center on South Farwell Street. The center will include parking, retail space, and affordable housing.

DECEMBER

John and Carolyn Sonnentag announce they are increasing their gift to the UW-Eau Claire Foundation to $70 million – covering the entire private philanthropy for what is now referred to the as the County Materials Complex.

2022

MARCH

Volume One adds a permanent Kids section to the magazine for the first time. The expanded coverage of family issues inside V1 coincides with sunsetting Chippewa Valley Family.

APRIL

Eau Claire native Stephanie Hirsch become the first female city manager in Eau Claire history.

APRIL

Ground is broken on the $107 million County Materials Complex, a multiuse public-private event center on Menomonie Street, which is expected to be finished by 2024.

JUNE

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Volume One’s special Eat Scene and Night Out dining and nightlife guides are published again.

JULY

Volume One celebrates its 20th anniversary with big bash at The Brewing Projekt, featuring a custom beer, lots of music, and summer vibes.

THE SOLAR SCENARIO

A LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY OF SOLAR POWER IN THE VALLEY WITH NEXT STEP ENERGY

WORDS BY JAMES JOHONNOTT • PHOTO BY ANDREA PAULSETH

AS SOLAR POWER

BECOMES

FAR MORE MAINSTREAM, and with a surging interest to remove dependency on fossil fuels, residential and business solar PV (photovoltaic) energy systems are becoming more common. But with conversations about solar come a number of recurring questions: “What about when the sun doesn’t shine?” and “Doesn’t it cost too much to install?” Hoping to get some practical answers to these persistent questions, I sat down with Jared Schroeder and Zeus Stark at Next Step Energy in Eau Claire to learn about solar power systems in the Chippewa Valley.

ON/OFF-GRID. While many consumers might dream of solar as a way to “get off the grid,” a truly offgrid system is among the biggest price jumps for your solar PV options. “It’s really not practical for most consumers,” Jared explained, “unless you’re powering a cabin, or something remote.” For urban residents of the Chippewa Valley, installing a streamlined solar PV system that’s still plugged into the grid is a more practical option.

PRICE DECLINE. Overall, the price of solar power installation has dropped considerably over the last 10-15 years. Zeus recalled times when solar panels were priced at $8/watt, and are now closer to $2.50/ watt. Due to the ever-present issues caused by the supply chain shakeup, prices have plateaued and may be on a momentary rise, but are still far lower than they were 10-15 years ago.

ANNUAL NET METERING. When asked about how seasonality and sunlight availability in the Chippewa Valley might affect how practical solar power is here, Jared explained a wonky yet important concept called Annual Net Metering used by Xcel Energy and a number of other utilities. Using this pricing system, any excess power your property produces is fed back into the electrical grid, and you receive a credit that goes toward the months where you use more than you draw from the sun. In practice, this means that what you don’t use on sunny days pays for what you do use on cloudy days. “Xcel’s policies have made solar power locally much more valuable for the homeowner,” Jared explained.

INCENTIVES. According to both Jared and Zeus, local utility and national policies make this a great time to get a solar PV system, but that could soon change. Currently, there is a tax credit valued at 26% of the installation cost on systems installed before the end of 2023, but that’s soon expected to drop to 22%, and may not see an extension beyond the next two years. “There’s really no way to predict where the national policies are headed,” Zeus said.

PAYOFF. Depending on your property and type of installation, Jared offered an estimation that in his experience, solar PV systems take 10-15 years to pay back their installation costs in saved energy

costs. While that might seem daunting, he also mentioned that in many cases local financing options exist for long-term loans for solar power with monthly payments lower than your former energy costs. Now that solar power is more mainstream, professionally installed systems generally increase the resale value for a property as well.

KEEPING IT LOCAL. A solar PV system isn’t inexpensive, so it’s important to be wary of markups and exploitative pricing. Zeus lamented the arrival of a number of out-of-state contractors that are advertising to the area via social media, with roughly 30% price markups.

“XCEL ENERGY’S POLICIES HAVE MADE SOLAR POWER LOCALLY A LOT MORE VALUABLE TO THE HOMEOWNER.”

–Jared Schroeder, Next Step Energy

SUSTAINABLE & QUALI-TEA

LOCAL BLACK KETTLE TEA SHOPPE’S LOOSE-LEAF TEA MADE WITH HOMEGROWN CARE

WORDS BY MCKENNA SCHERER

FIRST OPENING IN 2021, BLACK KETTLE TEA

SHOPPE OWNER BRIANNA VODVARKA created the organic loose-leaf tea biz out of a then-new passion: growing her own tea.

A one-woman show, Vodvarka runs Black Kettle herself, growing much of the product in her own backyard in E.C., including peppermint, lavender, lemon balm, basil, and more. What she doesn’t harvest from her own garden she sources from farmers she personally knows, and even from local farmers markets.

“Wild crafting is also a huge part of what I do,” Vodvarka explained. “A lot of plants we have right in our backyards that so many people use weed killer on or treat as a pest.”

Although she hopes to expand Black Kettle in the future, bringing product further into Wisconsin and into Minnesota and hiring folks to help with gardening work, harvesting and making the tea is fairly simple, she said. After harvesting the plant, she leaves enough to ensure it will still grow, then takes what she picks into her kitchen to let it dry,

oven-drying most of it. Then, she mixes specific herbs together to create Black Kettle’s unique blends and hand-packages it (among the blends is the comically named “Resting Witch Face”).

“There are obviously a few things I can’t grow in this climate but I source those from farmers I have personally spoken to and have the same vision for sustainability as I do,” she said. “I also get quite a bit from farmers markets in the Eau Claire

area and up to the Twin Cities, (and) source seeds from local garden centers like May’s Floral.”

Vodvarka began the tea journey organically, as it was purely a hobby in the beginning. After taking some classes, she began delving into her own research. “Honestly, it’s been a ton of research. Books upon books. I really think it’s important to always be learning even when you’re older.”

Currently, Black Kettle tea and merchandise –all of which are created locally, tops screen-printed at The Sticker Spot in Banbury Place, and beanies created by Pretty Cool Beanies up in Minneapolis – can be found throughout the Valley at Broom & Crow (1726 N. Clairemont Ave.), The Local Store (205 N Dewey St.), Lunchbox EC (800 Wisconsin St., Suite 210), Curvue Tree Farm (6760 Curvue Road), Menomonie Market Co-op (1117 S. Farwell St.), Wisconsin Makers Market Store (106 E. Grand Ave.), and Silver Creek Herbals in Turtle Lake (162 13 1/2 14th Ave., Turtle Lake) Check out blackkettleteashoppe.com or their Facebook, @blackkettletea, for more info.

VIA UNSPLASH

IF YOU’VE NEVER BEEN TO A ZERO-WASTE STORE BEFORE, YOU’LL GET YOUR CHANCE SOON! The Juggery is going to be poppin’ up – literally – by August in the Eau Claire area.

Greta Gunnarson, a La Crosse native who moved to Eau Claire in 2020 after graduating from UW-Platteville, is tackling small-biz life thanks to her growing passion for sustainably, which planted its roots after moving to the Valley, she said.

“(Sustainability) is something I’ve always sort of thought about in a health and going green way in general, but I didn’t do it very well for a long time because it’s just not something I was taught,” Gunnarson explained. “Really, when I moved here is when I learned more about it. I didn’t know all the ways you could do things that are better for the

NEW ZERO-WASTE SHOP COMING TO E.C. THE

JUGGERY WILL BE POPPIN’ UP SOON

WORDS BY MCKENNA SCHERER

Earth, more than just recycling.”

The Juggery will encourage a zero-waste lifestyle, even if done imperfectly. In Gunnarson’s view, approaching zero-waste living with the expectation of just doing what you can, is more than enough for those starting out.

In Wisconsin alone, nearly 750,000 tons of plastic were found in landfills during 2020-2021, with plastic bottles specifically making up a large amount of that, as reported by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

“There’s a whole phrase like, ‘We need more people to do it imperfectly than some people doing it perfectly.’ I’d rather have people pick and choose what they want to do with zero waste and find out what works for them,” Gunnarson said.

Essentially, The Juggery will begin as a one-

stop pop-up space for people to bring their own reusable containers and fill them up, paying just for the amount they pick up. Gunnarson said she will start out carrying essentials like various kinds of body soap, shampoo and conditioner, liquid and powder laundry detergent, lotion, and other reusable or biodegradable products.

“Part of the name, ‘The Juggery,’ is because a lot of the stuff is going to be sold in big jugs where you bring your own container and fill it with whatever you need,” she explained. “Kind of like a lemonade or drink container (with a faucet head).”

The Bridge Street and Mall Drive Festival Foods farmers market will be home to the first popups, hopefully by August, on Sundays and Mondays. Follow The Juggery on Instagram (@thejuggery) to keep up on their first pop-ups.

RASSBACH MUSEUM FUNDRAISES FOR SOLAR

INSPIRED BY WWII VICTORY GARDENS, MUSEUM RAISES MONEY FOR OWN VICTORY GARDEN

WORDS BY SAWYER HOFF

“THERE’S ALWAYS BEEN THE IDEA,” SAID MELISSA KNEELAND, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DUNN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. “Like, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to have solar panels?’ But it always seemed a little too big for us.”

That idea is now becoming a reality as the Rassbach Museum in Menomonie’s Wakanda Park edges closer to its monetary goal that will allow for solar panels to be installed behind the museum.

During a capstone class at UW-Stout, students brought proposals for ways the museum could be more sustainable and even suggested companies to get solar panel estimates from. This proposal showed the museum that not only was this possible but very much in their wheelhouse.

The City of Menomonie has set a goal to be completely carbon-free by 2050, and Kneeland said this project is the museum’s way of moving toward that goal.

The solar panels will be installed on the ground, instead of the roof, so people can learn more from them. The panels are also bi-facial, which means they can collect energy from light reflected off the snow in the winter. Hopefully, if all goes according to plan, the panels will be

installed by the end of this year.

The museum decided to name this project the Solar Victory Garden due to its parallels with the Victory Gardens grown during World War II.

“We’re connecting them to the Victory Gardens of World War II because those were all about the community coming together with a shared goal and doing something to affect larger change,” Kneeland explained.

“We’re not growing food, but we’re growing energy,” she laughed. “It’s our way of connecting the past to the present.”

Currently, the project has received $65,000 in grant funding and more than $50,000 in donations, but $40,000 is still needed to pay off the project, with an added stretch goal of $21,000 for added sensors.

Donations of any amount can be made on the Dunn Historical Society website.

The museum isn’t stopping here when it comes to sustainability: They are switching to LED lightbulbs, as well as making their landscape sustainable with three prairie gardens, a rain garden, and a butterfly garden – all to make Wakanda Park as Earth-friendly as possible.

Learn more and donate at dunnhistory.org.

GO GREEN & KEEP GOING!

THESE LOCAL & REGIONAL ACTI ON GROUPS & BUILDERS KEEPING THE VALLEY SUSTAINABLE

LISTINGS BY JAMES JOHONNOTT

GREEN-FOCUSED BUILDERS

Badger State Inc. (715) 874-7777 • info@badgerstateinc.com • badgerstateinc.com This plumbing and heating contractor now offers residential and commercial solar water heating, low water pressure solutions, high efficiency HVAC systems, and more for your green construction needs.

Heritage Builders Menomonie • (715) 2357910 • info@heritagebuildersmenomonie.com • heritagebuildersmenomonie.com Projects include home repair and new construction and green services include insulation, heat recovery, passive solar, locally supplied wood and rock, programmable thermostats, planted solar shading, green flooring, low-emissions windows and storms, and more.

MEP Associates (715) 832-5680 • info@mepassociates.com • mepassociates.com This consulting firm specializes in designing sustainable mechanical, electrical, plumbing, medical gas, and geothermal systems for commercial and industrial purposes.

Next Step Energy Systems Eau Claire • (715) 830-9337 • nextstepenergy.com A full service install-

er of renewable energy and solar HVAC systems, battery backups, on and off-grid systems, and EV charging stations.

Red Cedar Steel Menomonie • (715) 235-0618 • redcedarsteel.com/project/solar Red Cedar Steel does solar power assessments as well as installations across the Midwest.

SDS Architects Eau Claire • (715) 832-1605 • info@sdsarch.com • sdsarch.com This LEED-certified architectural firm offers consulting, design, and construction management services and specializes in buildings for school districts, universities, government facilities, and private businesses.

Solar Chippewa Valley (715) 720-5825 • solarchippewavalley.com Designs personalized solar solutions based off of your property, budget, and energy usage. Offers free analysis.

SpaceGrower Menomonie • (715) 231-6174 • info@spacegrower.com • spacegrower.com Provides interior and architectural green design services. Interior services include furniture, recommendations, lighting, and layout. Architectural services include drawing, modeling, site layout, space programming, design, documentation, sustainable material research, and more.

Water Source Heating & Cooling Eau Claire • (715) 833-9001 • watersourcegeothermal.com Services include geothermal heat pumps, radiant floor heating, solar PV systems, geothermal loop systems, and ductwork, air filters, and humidifiers.

SUSTAINABILITY FOCUSED GROUPS

Chippewa Valley Transit Alliance (CVTA) (715) 835-4835 • chippewavalleytransitalliance@gmail. com • facebook.com/chippewavalleytransitalliance CVTA is a united voice for transit riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians in Eau Claire and neighboring counties of West Central Wisconsin. Meets monthly.

Citizens Climate Lobby - Eau Claire Chapter (715) 829-8620 • eauclaire@citizensclimatelobby.org • citizensclimatelobby.org A non-profit, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies to address climate change. Trains and supports volunteers to reclaim their democracy and engage elected officials and the media to generate the political will for solutions that will stabilize the Earth’s climate.

Eau Claire Climate Action Now (CAN) (612) 2201970 • eauclairecan@gmail.com • facebook.com/ EauClaireClimateActionNowcan CAN’s mission is to organize to fight climate change through education, advocacy, and bold proposals that sharply reduce fossil fuel extraction and emissions by fostering a clean energy economy and creating sustainable communities. CAN takes on the moral responsibility to use their collective power to influence the city, county, state, nation, and world to respond appropriately and end climate change.

GreenSense connect.uwstout.edu/greensense/ home/ UW-Stout’s student environmental organization since 1990. GreenSense cleans up Galloway Creek, participates in an Adopt-a-Highway program, cleans up the campus, and manages annual events at UW-Stout including RecycleMania, Earth Week events, a film festival, and they sponsor environmental speakers.

Joining Our Neighbors, Advancing Hope (JONAH): Environmental Task Force jonahjustice. org JONAH’s Environmental Task Force aims to live together in a mutually sustaining relationship with the Earth so the integrity for all is preserved and honored. They educate and inspire others to get involved in preserving our quality of life in the Chippewa Valley.

Lower Chippewa River Alliance (LCRA) (715) 835-4829 • ellewolf1@hotmail.com • wisconsinrivers.org Supports the conservation, preservation and stewardship of the Lower Chippewa River and Lower Chippewa River Basin extending from the Dells dam in the City of Eau Claire to the Mississippi River. LCRA organizes two educational open-car train rides into the Tiffany Bottoms each year, the proceeds from which are donated to prairie and oak savanna restoration, invasive species eradication, and scientific research projects.

The Prairie Enthusiasts: Chippewa Savannas Chapter stahland@centurytel.net • theprairieenthusiasts.org/chippewa_savannas A chapter of The Prairie Enthusiasts, a non-profit grassroots conservation organization. Works throughout Dunn, Eau Claire, and Pepin counties, to restore remnants of prairie ecosystems still remaining in the Chippewa Valley that have not already been lost to development or habitat degradation.

River Country RC&D (715) 579-5229 • Info@ RiverCountryRCD.org • rivercountryrcd.org A Non-Profit Organization that brings people and resources together to address issues and opportunities in order to conserve our natural resources, provide sustainability and improve the quality of life for the people who live and work in the River Country Area.

Sierra Club - Chippewa Valley Group (608) 256-0565 • john.muir.chapter@sierraclub.org • wisconsin.sierraclub.org/chippewa This is a local chapter of the international environmental group based in San Francisco. Programs include slide presentations of trips, talks about environmental issues, guest speakers & seminars, and suggestions & campaigns for action.

Sustainable Dunn sustainabledunn.org This grassroots organization is devoted to promoting decisions that meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. Monthly programs are held covering a variety of sustainability topics. Its website includes green news, a discussion group, and more.

Tainter Menomin Lake Improvement Association, Inc. rverdon@att.net • tmlia.org Atively engaged in activities to promote Tainter Lake and Lake Menomin, along with those bodies of water which are immediate to the lake, namely the Red Cedar River and the Hay River. Their aim is to support the protection and improvement of Lake Menomin and Tainter Lake waters by providing educational information on water quality and environmental issues affecting these bodies of water and their corresponding watersheds.

Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters - Eau Claire (715) 225-3344 • info@conservationvoters. org • conservationvoters.org

A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to electing conservation leaders, holding decision makers accountable and encouraging lawmakers to champion conservation policies that effectively protect Wisconsin’s public health and natural resources.

Events+Guides

CHEERS TO 20 YEARS. Them Coulee Boys will headline the musical lineup on Saturday, July 30, at Volume One’s 20th Anniversary Party at The Brewing Projekt

Other acts include Lanue, Pit Wagon, Uncommon Denominator, and Sloslylove. Doors open at 4pm, and the show runs 5-11pm. Learn more at volumeone.org/ summerparty.

Rear End

PHOTO BY NATE NELSON

Events

CHIPPEWA VALLEY EVENTS

JULY 28 – AUG. 14, 2022

All events are subject to change; call ahead for details. For full event descriptions and details, visit our online calendar at www.volumeone. org/events. Listings in the calendar are free. If you have an event that you would like included in an upcoming issue, go to our website at www. volumeone.org or call (715) 552-0457. For any event related questions, contact Listings Editor James Johonnott at james@volumeone.org.

Thursday, July 28

FARMERS MARKETS

Chippewa Falls Farmers Market noon-6pm • Allen Park, Chippewa Falls • chippewafallsmainst.org

FITNESS

YMCA Fitness at the Riverfront - Strong Mind & Body 4:30-5:15pm • Riverfront Park, Chippewa Falls • A group fitness class that combines martial arts techniques with fast-paced cardio. FREE • 12+, Ages 8-11 w/adult • 723-2201 • ymca-cv.org

Yoga Flow 5-6pm • Lake Wissota Family Chiropractic Studio, Chippewa Falls • Feel refreshed and relaxed. $10 • lakewissotachiropractic.com

Prenatal Yoga 6:30-7:30pm • Lake Wissota Family Chiropractic Studio, Chippewa Falls • Reduce the discomforts of pregnancy, prepare for labor, and maintain tone. $15 • lakewissotachiropractic.com

FOOD & DRINK

Batter Box Food Truck noon-3pm • The Attic Home Consignment Store, Eau Claire • Food truck onsite at this consignment store. Batter Box serves your favorite game-time ballpark fare. All Ages • 225-9951 • facebook.com/theatticec

Burger Night on the Farm 4-8pm • Together Farms, Mondovi • A unique, casual night on a small Wisconsin family farm. Fresh, grilled 100% grass-fed beef burgers. togetherfarms.com

Pizza + Open Mic Nights 5-9pm

• Farm to Fork, Mondovi • Pizza and music night hosted by the Rock Creek Song Dogs. Open mic 6-9pm. FREE • All Ages • dancingyarrow.com

MOVIES

Red Cedar Film Festival Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, Menomonie • Four days of film screenings in Historical Mabel Tainter theater. International films, documentaries, family friendly features, student shorts, and more. $75-55 full pass, $10-7.50 per film • mabeltainter.org

MUSIC

Music on the Patio at Artisan Forge Studios

5-7pm • Sweet Driver Cafe & Chocolates, Eau Claire • Outdoor music at Artisan Forge. Dinner, beverages, and sweets available from Sweet Driver Cafe. sweetdriverchocolates.com

The Chippewa Valley Flute Choir at Vino Cappuccino 5:30-7:30pm • Vino Cappuccino,

Elk Mound • A relaxing evening outdoors surrounded by the beautiful sounds of the Chippewa Valley Flute Choir. FREE • All Ages • facebook. com

Sounds Like Summer Concert Series: Asparagus + Orchid Eaton w/ Sarah Ohr 6pm • Phoenix Park, Eau Claire • Asparagus is a four piece indie rock band that finds their sound in combining dreamy guitar tones with groovy drumbeats. Orchid Eaton calls back to ‘70s sunshine pop psychedelia with modern indie flavors. 6pm opening act: Sarah Ohr FREE • volumeone. org/sites/concerts

Music Over Menomin: Take2Day 7-8:30pm • Menomonie Public Library • Live music on the lawn, played over scenic Lake Menomin. FREE • menomonielibrary.org

NIGHTLIFE

DJ Trivia at Kat’s Pourhouse 7-9pm • Elk Mound • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/KatsPourhouse

Dj Trivia at the Chippewa River Distillery 7-9pm • Chippewa Falls • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+

Dj Trivia at the Sandbar & Grill 7:30-9pm • Chippewa Falls • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/SandBarandGrillLLC

DJ Trivia at the Maple Manor 7:30-9pm • Eau Claire • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/MapleManorEC

SPECTATOR SPORTS Races at Red Cedar Speedway 5pm • Red Cedar Speedway, Menomonie • Weekly stock car

races. $15 GA, $10 student/senior/military, FREE for kids • All Ages • 235-6318 • redcedarspeedway.com

Eau Claire Express 6:35pm • Carson Park, Eau Claire • An Eau Claire tradition, catch a ballgame in scenic Carson Park stadium. $9-28, season tickets availablre • northwoodsleague.com

STAGE

William Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors 7pm

• The Grand Theatre, Eau Claire • One of The Bard’s earliest plays, his shortest, and among his most farcical works. $5 • cvtg.org

ECCT Presents: The Little Mermaid 7:30pm

• Pablo Center at the Confluence, Eau Claire • Eau Claire Children’s Theatre presents this stage adaptation of the Disney animated classic. $24 adults, $10 youth, $15 students, $20 seniors • pablocenter.org

WELLNESS

Narcissistic Abuse Support Group 6-7:30pm

• Genuine Way Family Therapy, Eau Claire • A support group for those who have experienced psychological & emotional abuse from someone with narcissistic behavior or personality disorder.

$45 • 18+ • 737-9222 • genuinewayfamilytherapy. com

Qigong, Replenishing Your Energy 6-9pm • Blue Sky Retreat, Eau Claire • Practice Qigong by the pond, make a nature-inspired craft, and hike the trails. $50 • Ages 18+ • blueskyretreatec.com

Friday, July 29

FITNESS

YMCA Fitness at the Riverfront - Walk for your Wellbeing 10:45-11:30am • Riverfront

Park, Chippewa Falls • A 45-minute walk through Riverfront Park that will leave you feeling energized and excited to start your weekend. FREE • 12+, 8-11 w/adult • 723-2201 • ymca-cv. org/groupexercise

FOOD & DRINK

Food Truck Fridays at Ken Vance Hyundai and Chippewa Valley Mazda 11am-2pm • Every Friday is Food Truck Friday at Ken Vance Hyundai and Chippewa Valley Mazda

Leinie Lodge Food Trucks: Bubbles BBQ noon-7pm • Leinenkugel’s, Chippewa Falls • Leinie’s Lodge hosts food trucks from May through October, Fri & Sat. facebook.com/Leinenkugelsleinielodge

Burger Night on the Farm 4-8pm • Together Farms, Mondovi • A unique, casual night on a small Wisconsin family farm. Fresh, grilled 100% grass-fed beef burgers. All Ages • togetherfarms. com/calendar

GAMES & HOBBIES

Friday Night Games 7pm • Clairemont Comics, Eau Claire • Welcomes all board game players of all ages and skill levels. Games available, with people to teach you how to play. FREE • facebook.com/groups/ECBGG

MOVIES

Red Cedar Film Festival Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, Menomonie • Four days of film screenings in Historical Mabel Tainter theater. International films, documentaries, family friendly features, student shorts, and more. $75-55 full pass, $10-7.50 per film • mabeltainter.org

MUSIC

Onefest Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds, Chippewa Falls • The area’s annual Christian

PHOTO BY BRANDEN NALL

music festival, featuring Crowder, Matthew West, Sidewalk Prophets, Mac Powell, Maddie Rey, Tasha Layton, Eagle Brook Music, Austin French, and Tru-Serva. one-fest.com/home

Live Music at Vino Cappuccino: Wandarlie

5:30-7:30pm • Elk Mound • Live music on the patio. Enjoy authentic wood-fired pizza, local wines & beers, coffee, unique homemade desserts, and more. FREE • vinocappuccinobistro.com

Late Night Jazz at The Lakely: Gallagher, Delikowski, Boettcher Trio 8:30-11:30pm • The Lakely, Eau Claire • A swinging trio made up of Josh Gallagher on piano, Hunter Delikowski on drums, and Jeremy Boettcher on bass. FREE • All Ages • theoxbowhotel.com

SPECTATOR SPORTS

Races at Red Cedar Speedway 5pm • Red Cedar Speedway, Menomonie • Weekly stock car races. $15 GA, $10 student/senior/military, FREE for kids • All Ages • 235-6318 • redcedarspeedway.com

Eau Claire Express 7:05pm • Eau Claire Express Stadium - Carson Park, Eau Claire • An Eau Claire tradition, catch a ballgame in scenic Carson Park stadium. $9-28, season tickets availablre • northwoodsleague.com

STAGE

William Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors 7pm

• The Grand Theatre, Eau Claire • One of The Bard’s earliest plays, his shortest, and among his most farcical works. $5 • cvtg.org

ECCT Presents: The Little Mermaid 7:30pm

• Pablo Center at the Confluence, Eau Claire

•

Eau Claire Children’s Theatre presents this stage adaptation of the Disney animated classic. $24 adults, $10 youth, $15 students, $20 seniors • pablocenter.org

BEST BETS

JULY 28 – AUGUST 14

1. VOLUME ONE 20TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY

Jul. 30 • Brewing Projekt • 4-11pm

Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Volume One with a courtyard concert, food trucks, limited-edition beer release, kids play space, arcade games, live wood cut printing, and more. Music by Them Coulee Boys, Lanue, Pit Wagon, Uncommon Denominator, and Sloyslylove.

2. FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY

Aug. 5 • Phoenix Park • 11am-7pm

ONE LOVE.

OneFest, an annual Christian music fest, will run July 29-31 at the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds in Chippewa Falls. The family-friendly fest is a time to make connections with music, friends, and a higher power. Headliners include Crowder and Matthew West. Learn more at one-fest.com.

Saturday, July 30

FARMERS MARKETS

Menomonie Farmer’s Market 8am-2pm • Wilson Park • All Ages • menomoniefam.org

Cadott Farmer’s Market 9am-noon • Riverview Park located next to the Yellow River on Highway 27 • All Ages • facebook.com/CadottFarmersMarket

FOOD & DRINK

Leinie Lodge Food Trucks: Bubbles BBQ noon-7pm • Leinenkugel’s, Chippewa Falls • Leinie’s Lodge hosts food trucks from May through October, Fri & Sat. facebook.com/Leinenkugelsleinielodge

Burger Night on the Farm noon-8pm • Together Farms, Mondovi • A casual night on a small Wisconsin family farm. Fresh, grilled 100% grass-fed beef burgers. All Ages • togetherfarms.com

Farm Tour at Together Farms 2-3:30pm • Together Farms, Mondovi • Explore and learn about Together Farms, a small family operated farm. $5, children 5 and under free • All Ages • 210-4740 • togetherfarms.com/calendar

The Growler Guys Luau Party 5pm • The Growler Guys, Eau Claire • Hang out on the luau themed patio and enjoy tropical cocktails and beer, brisket pizza, and win prizes for best luau outfit. FREE • All Ages • 514-5140 • thegrowlerguys.com

MOVIES

Red Cedar Film Festival Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, Menomonie • Four days of film screenings in Historical Mabel Tainter theater.

Featuring Live Great Food, Smokestream, Holy Donuts, iPierogi, Far Breton Bakery, Tasty Trolley, Ohana Pizza, Davis Dogs, Guac & Roll, and Ramone’s Ice Cream.

3. INDIANHEAD CAR SHOW & SWAP MEET

Aug. 7 • N. WI State Fairgrounds • 7am-4pm

700+ antique, collector, custom cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more, 1985 and older. Camping, food, and refreshments.

4. CHAINSAW SCULPTURE CHAMPIONSHIP

Aug. 11-14 • Carson Park

The world’s best chainsaw carvers will compete for prizes creating unique works of art from 8-foot logs at the Wisconsin Logging Museum.

5. PURE WATER DAYS PARADE & RIVERFEST

Aug. 13 • Downtown Chippewa Falls • 1pm

The annual downtown Chippewa Falls parade at 1pm features 70+ parade entries. At 2pm, Riverfest features food trucks, beer tent, live music, inflatables, crafts vendors, and more.

PHOTO BY ANDREA PAULSETH

International films, documentaries, family friendly features, student shorts, and more. $75-55 full pass, $10-7.50 per film • mabeltainter.org

Movie Night at the Mansion 9pm • Wilson Place Mansion, Menomonie • Enjoy a local film under the stars. Watch the movie The Lumber Baron where it was filmed. Concessions for sale and mansion tours at 6:30pm & 7:30pm. FREE to attend

MUSIC

Onefest Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds, Chippewa Falls • The area’s annual Christian music festival, featuring Crowder, Matthew West, Sidewalk Prophets, Mac Powell, Maddie Rey, Tasha Layton, Eagle Brook Music, Austin French, and Tru-Serva. one-fest.com/home

Live Music: Sarah VanValkenburg 11am-8pm

• Dixon’s Autumn Harvest Winery, Chippewa Falls • Live music from Sarah VanValkenburg, beverages served by the winery, and a food truck on site. FREE • All Ages • 720-1663 • facebook. com/autumnharvestwinery

Live Music at Jeremiah’s Bullfrog Fish Farm 1:30-4:30pm • Menomonie • Fishing, food, and fun from 12-6pm. Music from 1:30-4:30pm. Family Friendly • eatmyfish.com

Volume One 20th Anniversary Party 4-11pm • The Brewing Projekt, Eau Claire • Celebrate 20 years of Volume One with an indoor/outdoor summer celebration at The Brewing Projekt. $20 adv, $25 door • All Ages • volumeone.org/summerparty

Live Music at Vino Cappuccino: Bluestem

5:30-7:30pm • Elk Mound • Live music on the patio. Enjoy authentic wood-fired pizza, local wines & beers, coffee, unique homemade desserts, and more. FREE • vinocappuccinobistro.com

Good Morning Bedlam 7pm • Brewery Nonic, Menomonie • A nationally touring folk band with contagious, get off your feet, energy. facebook. com/brewerynonic

Uncommon Denominator 8-11pm • River Jams, Chippewa Falls • Aprofessional cover band from Eau Claire, WI that performs nothing but the classics. FREE • 21+ • 861-3041 • river-jams.com

NIGHTLIFE

Tiki Dance Party 6-10pm • Artisan Forge Studios, Eau Claire • Art, food, music, and dancing on an outdoor tiki lit dance floor. $5 • All Ages • 215-0970

STAGE

ECCT Presents: The Little Mermaid 1:30pm, 7:30pm • Pablo Center at the Confluence, Eau Claire • Eau Claire Children’s Theatre presents this stage adaptation of the Disney animated classic. $24 adults, $10 youth, $15 students, $20 seniors • pablocenter.org

COMMUNITY

Praise in the Park 10-11am • Phoenix Park • Five ELCA churches in Eau Claire come together to lead outdoor worship and music. BYO coffee, blankets, and chairs. FREE • All Ages • facebook. com/praiseintheparkec

GAMES & HOBBIES

Sunday Pool Tournament 12:45pm • Zymurgy Brewing, Menomonie • Single 8-ball Valley Rules. Double Elimination. Payouts: Top two or three participants take money home depending on number of platers. $20 • 21+

MOVIES

Red Cedar Film Festival Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, Menomonie • Four days of film screenings in Historical Mabel Tainter theater.

The U.S. Open Chainsaw Carving Competition will be held at the Wisconsin Logging Museum in Carson Park, Aug. 11-14, where masterpieces will be carved from eight-foot logs.

International films, documentaries, family friendly features, student shorts, and more. $75-55 full pass, $10-7.50 per film • mabeltainter.org

MUSIC

Onefest Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds, Chippewa Falls • The area’s annual Christian music festival, featuring Crowder, Matthew West, Sidewalk Prophets, Mac Powell, Maddie Rey, Tasha Layton, Eagle Brook Music, Austin French, and Tru-Serva. one-fest.com/home

Live Music: Dominique 11am-6pm • Dixon’s Autumn Harvest Winery, Chippewa Falls • Live music from Dominique, beverages served by the winery, and a local food truck on site. FREE • All Ages • 720-1663 • facebook.com/autumnharvestwinery

Live Music at Jeremiah’s Bullfrog Fish Farm 1:30-4:30pm • Menomonie • Fishing, food, and fun from 12-6pm. Music from 1:30-4:30pm. Family Friendly • eatmyfish.com

Live Music: EC All Stars at River Jams 4-7pm • River Jams, Chippewa Falls • Blues, Jazz, Classic Rock Favorites. FREE • 21+ • 861-3041 • river-jams.com

Live Music at Wissota High Shores Supper Club 4pm • Wissota High Shores Supper Club, Chippewa Falls • Live music on the outdoor pavilion, at this supper club. FREE • wissotahighshores.com

NIGHTLIFE

Dj Trivia at the Brass Lantern 3-5pm • Chippewa Falls • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/brasslanternpubandgrill

SPECTATOR SPORTS

Eau Claire Amateur Soccer: Bateaux FC vs Union EC FC 2pm • Bollinger Fields, Eau Claire • Experience high level soccer at the second leg of the Eau Claire derby match. FREE • bateauxfc. com

STAGE

ECCT Presents: The Little Mermaid 1:30pm • Pablo Center at the Confluence, Eau Claire • Eau Claire Children’s Theatre presents this stage adaptation of the Disney animated classic. $24 adults, $10 youth, $15 students, $20 seniors • pablocenter.org

WELLNESS

Slow Down Sundays 10am-2pm • Farm to Fork, Mondovi • Peaceful yoga, breath or energy work, family friendly fun, and a plant-based food menu. Varies • farmtoforkretreat.com/pizza-nights

Exploring Rhythm - Medicine Drum Painting Workshop 3-6pm • Farm to Fork, Mondovi • Explore a deeper connection to your own innate rhythm and sacred sense of being through drumming. $150 • 18+ • calendly.com

Monday, August 1

FITNESS

YMCA Fitness at the Riverfront - Circuits

6-6:45am • Riverfront Park, Chippewa Falls • A fun, challenging and motivating way to start your week off strong. FREE • 12+ or 8-11 with adult • 723-2201 • ymca-cv.org/groupexercise

MUSIC

Kickin’ it Country Summer Concert Series

6:30pm • Prevea Amphitheater at River Prairie Park, Altoona • Country music, food trucks, art vendors, and more. Grab your lawn chairs and get ready to kick it. FREE • facebook.com/kickinitcountrysummerconcertseries

NIGHTLIFE

Dj Trivia at Dean & Sue’s Bar 7-9pm • Menomonie • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+

Dj Trivia at Bowl Winkles 7-9pm • Eau Claire • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/BowlWinkles

SPECTATOR SPORTS

Eau Claire Express 6:35pm • Eau Claire Express Stadium - Carson Park, Eau Claire • An Eau Claire tradition, catch a ballgame in scenic Carson Park stadium. $9-28, season tickets availablre • northwoodsleague.com

Tuesday, August 2

CAREER

CVTC Fast Pass 3-7pm • CVTC Business Education Center • A one-stop, in-person event will help you with everything you need to start

college at CVTC as soon as this fall. cvtc.edu/ events/fast-pass

COMEDY

The Lakely Presents: Clear Water Comedy Open Mic Night 8:30-11pm • The Lakely, Eau Claire • Welcoming musicians, comedians, improv, spoken word, and more. Hit the stage or watch. Show is free, but come thirsty. FREE • thelakely.com

FAIRS & FESTIVALS

Community Night Out 4-7pm • Augusta Bridge Creek Fire Station, Augusta • Live music, carnival games, and food. Meet your neighbors and learn about local businesses & organizations. FREE • All Ages • 286-2070 • augustalibrary.org

28th Anniversary National Night Out Event

5:30-8pm • Carson Park, Eau Claire • Family friendly event that promotes crime & drug prevention. Kids activities, food, beverages, music, vendors, and more.

FARMERS MARKETS

Eau Claire County Government Center Farmers’ Market 11:30am-3:30pm • Eau Claire County Government Center Outside Door C12E • Fresh produce, flowers, jam, jellies, breads, baked goods, and many others. FREE • eauclairewi.gov

FITNESS

YMCA Fitness at the Riverfront - Yoga

5:30-6:30pm • Riverfront Park, Chippewa Falls • Shed distractions and explore the essentials of breathing, posture, and basic yoga poses. FREE • 12+, or 8-11 w/ adult • 723-2201 • ymca-cv.org/ groupexercise

MUSIC

Tuesday Night Bues: Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal 6:30-8:30pm • Owen Park Bandshell, Eau Claire • Every Tuesday night in summer your favorite local and regional blues singers play at the Owen Park Bandshell. Free admission, family friendly. FREE • All Ages • chippewavalleyblues. com/tnb

NIGHTLIFE

Dj Trivia at 29 Pines 7-9pm • Eau Claire • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook. com/29PinesRestaurant

PHOTO BY MICHAEL BARTSCH

DJ Trivia at the Growler Guys 7:30-9pm • Eau Claire • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/TheGrowlerGuysEauClaire

Dj Trivia at the Sandbar and Grill 7:30-9pm • Chippewa Falls • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/SandBarandGrillLLC

Dj Trivia at the Stout Craft Company 7-9pm • Menomonie • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/StoutCraftCo

Wednesday, August 3

CRAFTING & MAKING

Paint Your Own Pet Class 5-9pm • The Brewing Projekt, Eau Claire • Painters of all ability levels how to paint their own pets. No art experience necessary. Painters submit a photo ahead of time. $65 • All Ages • eventbrite.com

FARMERS MARKETS

Menomonie Farmer’s Market 10am-6pm • Wilson Park • FREE • All Ages • menomoniefam.org

FITNESS

YMCA Fitness at the Riverfront - Cardio/Kick

9-9:45am • Riverfront Park, Chippewa Falls • Combines martial arts techniques with fast-paced cardio. FREE • 12+, Ages 8-11 w/adult • 7232201 • ymca-cv.org/groupexercise

Yoga Study: Asana/Postures 9am-12:15pm

• Latitude 44 Yoga Studio, Eau Claire • Learn information about inflammation. Understand its effects on your life and health. $420 • 828-3936 • latitude44yoga.com/events

Events

YMCA Fitness at the Riverfront - Zumba

6-7pm • Riverfront Park, Chippewa Falls • Mixing low-intensity and high-intensity moves for an interval-style, calorie-burning dance fitness party. FREE • 12+, Ages 8-11 w/adult • 723-2201 • ymca-cv.org

MUSIC

Music On The Plaza Concert Series 5:30-

6:30pm • River Prairie Park, Altoona • Before the Rock’n on the River Concert each night, enjoy another hour of music on Front Porch Plaza. FREE • visiteauclaire.com

Rock’n on the River Summer Concert Series: 2nd Time Around 6:30pm • River Prairie Park, Altoona • Rock’n live music, food trucks, and plenty of family fun. FREE • facebook.com/ rocknontheriversummerconcertseries

Fireside Tunes on The Lakely Patio with Emily Watkins, Maggie Sills, and Val Evans 7:309:30pm • The Lakely, Eau Claire • An emotive acoustic, folk, Americana musical experience by the Lakely outdoor firepit and patio. FREE • All Ages • theoxbowhotel.com

Lake Street Dive 7:30pm • Pablo Center at the Confluence, Eau Claire • This Boston-bred band also possesses a keen talent for combining sociopolitical commentary with immediately catchy pop gems. $51 and $151 • pablocenter.org

NIGHTLIFE

Dj Trivia at Westside Bar & Grill 7:30-9pm • Eau Claire • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/westsidebarandgrillec

DJ Trivia at the Market 7:30-9pm • Menomonie • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/themarket3

RECREATION

Pure Water Paddlers Wednesday Social Paddle 6:30-8:30pm • Different Locations Weekly • A social organize of paddling enthusiasts that hosts weekly boating outings for all level. FREE • All Ages • purewaterpaddlers.com

SPECTATOR SPORTS

Eau Claire Express 7:05pm • Eau Claire Express Stadium - Carson Park, Eau Claire • An Eau Claire tradition, catch a ballgame in scenic Carson Park stadium. $9-28, season tickets availablre • northwoodsleague.com

WELLNESS

Safety & Strength 1:30-3pm • Family Support Center • A confidential group that works to nurture connections between protective parents & youth affected by family violence. Pre-register. FREE • All Ages • 723-1138 • FamilySupportCenterCF.com

Thursday, August 4

CRAFTING & MAKING

Wax + Unwine Workshop 5-7pm • Wisconsin Makers Market, Eau Claire • An evening of fun, laughter, and creating your own signature candle while enjoying beverages. $45 • 514-4040 • wisconsinmakersmarket.com/collections/workshops

FARMERS MARKETS

Chippewa Falls Farmers Market noon-6pm • Allen Park, Chippewa Falls • All Ages • chippewafallsmainst.org

FITNESS

YMCA Fitness at the Riverfront - Strong Mind & Body 4:30-5:15pm • Riverfront Park, Chippewa Falls • Combines martial arts techniques with fast-paced cardio. FREE • 12+, Ages 8-11 w/adult • 723-2201 • ymca-cv.org/groupexercise

Yoga Flow 5-6pm • Lake Wissota Family Chiropractic Studio, Chippewa Falls • Feel refreshed and relaxed with this class. $10 • lakewissotachiropractic.com

Prenatal Yoga 6:30-7:30pm • Lake Wissota Family Chiropractic Studio, Chippewa Falls • Reduce the discomforts of pregnancy, prepare for labor, and maintain tone. $15 • lakewissotachiropractic.com

FOOD & DRINK

Burger Night on the Farm 4-8pm • Together Farms, Mondovi • A unique, casual night on a small Wisconsin family farm. Fresh, grilled 100% grass-fed beef burgers. All Ages • 210-4740 • togetherfarms.com/calendar

Pizza + Open Mic Nights 5-9pm • Farm to Fork, Mondovi • Pizza and music night hosted by the Rock Creek Song Dogs. Open mic 6-9pm. FREE • All Ages • dancingyarrow.com

MUSEUMS & HISTORY

Stepping Into Local History 6-7:30pm • Forest Hill Cemetery • Explore noteworthy families and individuals who lived in the Chippewa Valley. $10 adults, $5 student • ymca-cv.org/aoa

MUSIC

Sounds Like Summer Concert Series: Jerrika

COMEDIAN DINA HASHEM IS BRINGIN’ THE LAUGHS TO THE VIEW & THE BRICKHOUSE, AUG. 17-18

upcomingevents

VOLUME ONE 20TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY

Jul. 30 • Brewing Projekt • 4-11pm • $20 • Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Volume One with a courtyard concert, food trucks, limited edition beer release, kids space, arcade games, live wood cut printing, and more. Music by Them Coulee Boys, Pit Wagon, Uncommon Denominator, and more.

ZYMURDERFEST DEATH METAL FESTIVAL

Aug. 13 • Zymurgy Brewing • 6pm-midnight • $10-25

Zymurgy’s third annual death metal festival. Headlining is Glutton for Punishment. Featuring Pitlord, Ancient Entities, Coffin Rites, Dead Soul Symphony, Brodwar, and Torment.

STAND-UP COMEDIAN DINA HASHEM

Aug. 17 at The View & Aug. 18 at The Brickhouse • $10adv

Dina’s style involves a subdued delivery with dark observations about her life and Arab upbringing. She has performed on Comedy Central, CONAN, and a number of comedy festivals.

SCHUETZY’S MUSIC JUBILEE

Aug. 27 • Schuetzy’s Tavern • 1-11pm • $25 adv

Featuring Adam Pearce (as seen on NBC’s The Voice), Celebrating the Music of *PRINCE!* LIVE! with Chase & Ovation, and The Gators. Beer tent and bar. Event will be held rain or shine. Bring your own chair. Parking across the street. Camping available.

CHECK OUT THESE EVENTS AND MORE AT: VOLUMEONE.ORG/TICKETS

Events

Mighelle + The Woodland Spring w/ Sean Jordan 6pm • Phoenix Park, Eau Claire • Jerrika Mighelle is a singer/songwriter with a hauntingly beautiful voice. Woodland Spring is a toe-tapping, high energy bluegrass band.6pm opening act: Sean Jordan. FREE • All Ages • volumeone.org/ sites/concerts

Music Over Menomin: Cathy Reitz & the 7Swing 7-8:30pm • Menomonie Public Library • Live music on the lawn of the Menomonie Public Library, played over scenic Lake Menomin. FREE

Vinyl Nights: “80s Night” with the CookKats 7-10pm • The Lakely, Eau Claire • For this edition of Vinyl Nights, 1980s-born ladies spin nostalgic music from their childhood. FREE • All Ages • theoxbowhotel.com

NIGHTLIFE

DJ Trivia at Kat’s Pourhouse 7-9pm • Elk Mound • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/KatsPourhouse

Dj Trivia at the Chippewa River Distillery

7-9pm • Chippewa Falls • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com

Dj Trivia at the Sandbar & Grill

7:30-9pm • Chippewa Falls • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/SandBarandGrillLLC

DJ Trivia at the Maple Manor

7:30-9pm • Eau Claire • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/MapleManorEC

SPECTATOR SPORTS

your Wellbeing 10:45-11:30am • Riverfront Park, Chippewa Falls • A 45-minute walk through Riverfront Park that will leave you feeling energized and excited to start your weekend. FREE • 12+, 8-11 w/adult • 723-2201 • ymca-cv. org/groupexercise

FOOD & DRINK

Food Truck Fridays at Ken Vance Hyundai and Chippewa Valley Mazda 11am-2pm • Every Friday is Food Truck Friday at Ken Vance Hyundai and Chippewa Valley Mazda

Food Truck Friday 11am-7pm • Phoenix Park, Eau Claire • Featuring Live Great Food, Smokestream, Holy Donuts, iPierogi, Far Breton Bakery, Tasty Trolley, Ohana Pizza, Davis Dogs, Guac & Roll, and Ramone’s Ice Cream All Ages • volumeone.org/foodtruckfriday

Leinie Lodge Food Trucks: Bubbles BBQ noon7pm • Leinenkugel’s, Chippewa Falls • facebook. com/Leinenkugelsleinielodge

MORE EVENTS

Burger Night on the Farm 4-8pm • Together Farms, Mondovi • A unique, casual night on a small Wisconsin family farm. Fresh, grilled 100% grass-fed beef burgers. All Ages • 210-4740 • togetherfarms. com/calendar

FULL DETAILS

Eau Claire Express 7:05pm • Eau Claire Express Stadium - Carson Park, Eau Claire • An Eau Claire tradition, catch a ballgame in scenic Carson Park stadium. $9-28, season tickets availablre • northwoodsleague.com

Friday, August 5

COMMUNITY

Blood Drive 9am-4:30pm • Menomonie Public Library, Menomonie • Menomonie Public Library and the American Red Cross will be having a blood drive. FREE • 18+ • tockify.com

FITNESS

YMCA Fitness at the Riverfront - Walk for

GAMES & HOBBIES

Friday Night Games 7pm • Clairemont Comics, Eau Claire • Welcomes all board game players of all ages and skill levels. Games available, with people to teach you how to play. FREE • All Ages • (651) 230-0748 • facebook.com/groups/ECBGG

MOVIES

River Prairie Movie Nights: Pixar’s Soul 9-11pm • River Prairie Park, Altoona • Movies begin at sunset (aprox 9pm). FREE admission

MUSIC

Blues on the Chippewa Memorial Park, Durand • A free music event featuring area and regional blues favorites. Concessions, craft fair, small coolers allowed. FREE • bluesonthechippewa.com

Live Music at Vino Cappuccino: Bill the Thrill 5:30-7:30pm • Elk Mound • Live music on the patio. Enjoy authentic wood-fired pizza, local wines & beers, coffee, unique homemade desserts, and more. FREE • vinocappuccinobistro.com

Events

The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice 7:30pm • Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, Menomonie • Celebrate the iconic work of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice at the Mabel Tainter’s Summer Show. $20, $15 for 12 and under • mabeltainter.org/schedule/summershow

Late Night Jazz at The Lakely: Tim Sullivan and Shane Leonard 8:30-11:30pm • The Lakely, Eau Claire • Late Night Jazz on August 5th featuring favorites Tim Sullivan (saxophone, flute, vocals) and Shane Leonard (drums). FREE • All Ages • theoxbowhotel.com

SPECTATOR SPORTS

Eau Claire Express 6:35pm • Eau Claire Express Stadium - Carson Park, Eau Claire • An Eau Claire tradition, catch a ballgame in scenic Carson Park stadium. $9-28, season tickets availablre • northwoodsleague.com

Saturday, August 6

FARMERS MARKETS

Menomonie Farmer’s Market 8am-2pm • Wilson Park • FREE • menomoniefam.org

Cadott Farmer’s Market 9am-noon • Riverview Park located next to the Yellow River on Highway 27 • FREE • facebook.com/CadottFarmersMarket

FOOD & DRINK

Leinie Lodge Food Trucks: Live Great Food noon-7pm • Leinenkugel’s, Chippewa Falls • Leinie’s Lodge hosts food trucks from May through October, Fri & Sat. facebook.com/Leinenkugelsleinielodge

Burger Night on the Farm noon-8pm • Together Farms, Mondovi • A unique, casual night on a small Wisconsin family farm. Fresh, grilled 100% grass-fed beef burgers. All Ages • 210-4740 • togetherfarms.com/calendar

Farm Tour at Together Farms 2-3:30pm • Together Farms, Mondovi • Explore and learn about Together Farms, a small family operated farm. $5, children 5 and under free • All Ages • 210-4740 • togetherfarms.com/calendar

HOME & GARDEN

Indoor Plant Market and Trade Event

noon-3pm • The Brewing Projekt, Eau Claire • A plant sale & trade event. FREE • All Ages • thebrewingprojekt.com/events

MUSIC

Blues on the Chippewa Memorial Park, Durand • A free music event featuring area and regional blues favorites. Concessions, craft fair, small coolers allowed. FREE • bluesonthechippewa.com

Live Music: Tom Bentz Band 11am-8pm • Dixon’s Autumn Harvest Winery, Chippewa Falls • Live music with the Tom Bentz Band, beverages served by the winery, and a local food truck on site. FREE • All Ages • facebook.com/ autumnharvestwinery

Form Entertainment Summer Cookout

1-11pm • Zymurgy Brewing, Menomonie • Join Form Entertainment for some great music, great food, and lots of fun at Zymurgy Brewing Company. 9+ hip hop, funk, synth, and electro artists. FREE • 21+ • Formentertainment.com

Live Music at Jeremiah’s Bullfrog Fish Farm

Events

1:30-4:30pm • Menomonie • Fishing, food, and fun from 12-6pm. Music from 1:30-4:30pm. Family Friendly • eatmyfish.com

The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice 2pm • Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, Menomonie • Celebrate the iconic work of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice at the Mabel Tainter’s Summer Show. $20, $15 for 12 and under • All Ages • 235-0001 • mabeltainter.org/ schedule/summershow

Live Music at Vino Cappuccino: Wyblue 5:307:30pm • Elk Mound • Live music on the patio. Enjoy authentic wood-fired pizza, local wines & beers, coffee, unique homemade desserts, and more. FREE • vinocappuccinobistro.com

Uncommon Denominator 8pm • Thirsty Badger Sports Bar & Grill, Chippewa Falls • Thirsty Badger hosts local favorite cover band Uncommon Denominator. FREE • 21+ • uncommon-denominator.com/upcoming-shows

Late Night Jazz at The Lakely: Tim Sullivan

Trio 8:30-11:30pm • The Lakely, Eau Claire • EC native Tim Sullivan is joined by Jeremy Boettcher and Shane Leonard for an evening of re-interpreted jazz standards and Americana music. FREE • All Ages • theoxbowhotel.com

NIGHTLIFE

Bags and Beers Cornhole Tournament noon • The Growler Guys, Eau Claire • Get a partner for a cornhole bags tournament and beer. Sign up in store or via email. FREE • All Ages • 514-5140 • thegrowlerguys.com

SPECTATOR SPORTS

Eau Claire Express 7:05pm • Eau Claire Express Stadium - Carson Park, Eau Claire • An Eau Claire tradition, catch a ballgame in scenic Carson Park stadium. $9-28, season tickets availablre • northwoodsleague.com

STAGE

ECCT Presents “Disney The Lion King Jr.” 11am-noon, 1:30-2:30pm • The Oxford, Eau Claire • The final summer performance class presents Disney The Lion King Jr., based on the classic Disney cartoon. All Seats $5 • All Ages • 839-8877 • info@ecct.org

WORDS

Picnic, Plots & Poetry 1-3:30pm

• Lakeview

Cemetery, Eau Claire • Unplug and tap into your creativity for some creative writing in the cemetery. FREE • All Ages • (201) 485-6402 • kaleidoscopesoulbooking.as.me/PicnicPlotsPoetry

Sunday, August 7

CAR SHOW

Indianhead Car Show & Swap Meet 7am-4pm • Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds, Chippewa Falls • 700+ antique, collector, custom cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more, 1985 and older. Camping, food, and refreshments. $5/person, $2 parking • nwsfa.com

COMMUNITY

Praise in the Park 10-11am • Phoenix Park • Five ELCA churches in Eau Claire come together to lead outdoor worship and music. BYO coffee, blankets, and chairs. FREE • All Ages • facebook. com/praiseintheparkec

Cooke Out in Eau Claire noon-3pm • Owen Park, Eau Claire • Grab a bite, meet Rebecca Cooke and local supporters, and do some door knocking to get out the vote for the primary election on August 9th. FREE, RSVP online

GAMES & HOBBIES

Sunday Pool Tournament 12:45pm • Zymurgy Brewing, Menomonie • Single 8-ball Valley Rules. Double Elimination. Payouts: Top two or three participants take money home depending on number of platers. $20 • 21+

MUSIC

Blues on the Chippewa Memorial Park, Durand • A free music event featuring area and regional blues favorites. Concessions, craft fair, small coolers allowed. FREE • bluesonthechippewa.com

Live Music: Matt & Laurel 11am-6pm • Dixon’s Autumn Harvest Winery, Chippewa Falls • A husband & wife acoustic duo with smooth sounds and itty banter. Beverages served by the winery, and a local food truck on site. FREE • All Ages • 720-1663 • facebook.com/autumnharvestwinery

Live Music at Jeremiah’s Bullfrog Fish Farm 1:30-4:30pm • Menomonie • Fishing, food, and fun from 12-6pm. Music from 1:30-4:30pm. Family Friendly • eatmyfish.com

Live Music at Wissota High Shores Supper

Club 4pm • Wissota High Shores Supper Club, Chippewa Falls • Live music on the outdoor pavilion, at this supper club. FREE • wissotahighshores.com

NIGHTLIFE

Dj Trivia at the Brass Lantern 3-5pm • Chippewa Falls • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/brasslanternpubandgrill

SPECTATOR SPORTS

Eau Claire Express 2:05pm • Eau Claire Express Stadium - Carson Park, Eau Claire • An Eau Claire tradition, catch a ballgame in scenic Carson Park stadium. $9-28, season tickets availablre • northwoodsleague.com

WELLNESS

Slow Down Sundays 10am-2pm • Farm to Fork, Mondovi • Peaceful yoga, breath or energy work, family friendly fun, and a plant-based food menu. Varies • farmtoforkretreat.com/pizza-nights

Monday,

FITNESS

August 8

YMCA Fitness at the Riverfront - Circuits 6-6:45am • Riverfront Park, Chippewa Falls • A fun, challenging and motivating way to start your week off strong. FREE • 12+ or 8-11 with adult • 723-2201 • ymca-cv.org/groupexercise

MUSIC

Kickin’ it Country Summer Concert Series: Buffalo Ridge 6:30pm • Prevea Amphitheater at River Prairie Park, Altoona • Country music, food trucks, art vendors, and more. Grab your lawn chairs and get ready to kick it. FREE • facebook.com/kickinitcountrysummerconcertseries

NIGHTLIFE

Dj Trivia at Dean & Sue’s Bar 7-9pm • Menomonie • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+

Dj Trivia at Bowl Winkles 7-9pm • Eau Claire • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/BowlWinkles

STAGE

Matilda the Musical Auditions 6-8pm • MTG Studio, Menomonie • Preparation materials can be found online. Come prepared to sing one song cut, preform one monologue, and learn a short choreography routine. 231-7529 • menomonietheaterguild.org

WORDS

Tailspin by John Armbruster 7pm • The Heyde Center for the Arts, Chippewa Falls • Tells the story of Gene Moran, who survived a four-mile fall without a parachute during history’s greatest aerial conflict. FREE • 723-1146 • chippewafallslibrary.org

Tuesday, August 9

CAR SHOW

Culver’s Car Show 5-8pm • Culver’s West of Eau Claire, Eau Claire • Enjoy cars, custard, games, giveaways, music, and more. FREE • All Ages • culvers.com

COMEDY

The Lakely Presents: Clear Water Comedy Open Mic Night 8:30-11pm • The Lakely, Eau Claire • Welcoming musicians, comedians, improv, spoken word, and more. Hit the stage or watch. Show is free, but come thirsty. FREE • thelakely.com

Events

FARMERS MARKETS

Eau Claire County Government Center Farmers’ Market 11:30am-3:30pm • Eau Claire County Government Center Outside Door C12E • FREE • All Ages • eauclairewi.gov

FITNESS

YMCA Fitness at the Riverfront - Yoga 5:306:30pm • Riverfront Park, Chippewa Falls • Shed distractions and explore the essentials of breathing, posture, and basic yoga poses. FREE • 12+, or 8-11 w/ adult • ymca-cv.org/groupexercise

MUSEUMS & HISTORY

Virtual - Shipwrecks: Treasures of the Great Lakes 6-7pm • Hosted Online or at August Public Library, Augusta • Join award-winning shipwreck photographer Cal Kothrade for a virtual tour of ten Great Lakes shipwrecks. FREE • All Ages • 286-2070 • bit.ly/AMPLwi

MUSIC

Tuesday Night Bues: Stefan Geisinger Band 6:30-8:30pm • Owen Park Bandshell, Eau Claire • Every Tuesday night in summer your favorite local and regional blues singers play at the Owen Park Bandshell. Free admission, family friendly. FREE • All Ages • chippewavalleyblues.com/tnb

NIGHTLIFE

Dj Trivia at 29 Pines 7-9pm • Eau Claire • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook. com/29PinesRestaurant

DJ Trivia at the Growler Guys 7:30-9pm • Eau Claire • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/TheGrowlerGuysEauClaire

Dj Trivia at the Sandbar and Grill 7:30-9pm • Chippewa Falls • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/SandBarandGrillLLC

RECREATION

Bike with Leinie’s Scenic Ride 5pm • Leinenkugel’s, Chippewa Falls • Take a scenic bike ride through Chippewa Falls, ending at the Leinie Lodge for a cold beer. $8.53 • leinie. com/tours

Dj Trivia at the Stout Craft Company 7-9pm • Menomonie • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/StoutCraftCo

SENIORS

Learn How to Compare Medicare Plans

Online 10am • CVTC Chippewa Campus, and Chippewa Library (on 10/11 only) • Learn to navigate the medicare.gov website. FREE • Adults on Medicare or their Caregivers • hipaa. jotform.com

Learning about the ADRC 3-4:30pm • Chippewa Falls Public Library • Join the experts at the Aging and Disability Resource Center to learn more about local resources and services to help you age well. FREE • 723-1146 • chippewafallslibrary.org

STAGE

Matilda the Musical Auditions 6-8pm • MTG Studio, Menomonie • Preparation materials can be found online. Come prepared to sing one song cut, preform one monologue, and learn a short choreography routine. 231-7529 • menomonietheaterguild.org

Wednesday, August 10

BUSINESS

Build A Better Workplace Conference 8amnoon • CVTC Energy Education Center, Eau Claire • Break ground on this big project with three free discovery sessions and a half-day conference all aimed at building a better workplace. FREE • cvtc.edu

CRAFTING & MAKING

Fall Gnome Door Hanger Workshop 5-7:30pm • Wisconsin Makers Market, Eau Claire • A fun addition to any porch decor or hung indoors. Laser cut pieces make this easy to assemble. $55 • 5144040 • wisconsinmakersmarket.com/collections/ workshops

FARMERS MARKETS

Menomonie Farmer’s Market 10am-6pm • Wilson Park • FREE • menomoniefam.org

FITNESS

YMCA Fitness at the Riverfront - Cardio/Kick

9-9:45am • Riverfront Park, Chippewa Falls • Combines martial arts techniques with fast-paced cardio. FREE • 12+, Ages 8-11 w/adult • 7232201 • ymca-cv.org/groupexercise

YMCA Fitness at the Riverfront - Zumba 67pm • Riverfront Park, Chippewa Falls • Mixing low-intensity and high-intensity moves for an interval-style, calorie-burning dance fitness party. FREE • 12+, Ages 8-11 w/adult • 723-2201 • ymca-cv.org/groupexercise

MOVIES

UWEC Summer Cinema 8pm • Haas Fine Arts

Events

Center, West Lawn, UWEC • Movies screened on the Haas Fine Arts Lawn. FREE • uwec.edu

MUSIC

The Swampers: Curvin’ Thru Irvine noon • The Heyde Center for the Arts, Chippewa Falls • A unique blend of swampgrass harmony to lead folks on a winding musical journey through the history of Irvine Park. $25 lunch/show, $13 show only, $6 youth show only • cvca.net

Hans and Jan Duo 5-8pm • 200 Main - Art and Wine, Eau Claire • Hans and Jan Duo is brought to you by The Sessions hosted by Janny Trumpet. Listen and enjoy conversations while drinking the best wine in town. FREE • 200mainec.com

Music On The Plaza Concert Series 5:306:30pm • River Prairie Park, Altoona • Before the Rock’n on the River Concert each night, enjoy another hour of music on Front Porch Plaza. FREE • visiteauclaire.com

Live Music: Balterdash 6-9pm • River Jams, Chippewa Falls • Sue Orfield, tenor sax Dustin DeGolier, guitars & vocals John Utphall, fiddle & keys & vocals Randy Sinz, bass & vocals. FREE • All Ages • 861-3041 • river-jams.com

Rock’n on the River Summer Concert Series: City Lights 6:30pm • River Prairie Park, Altoona • Rock’n live music, food trucks, and plenty of family fun. FREE • facebook.com/rocknontheriversummerconcertseries

NIGHTLIFE

Dj Trivia at Westside Bar & Grill 7:30-9pm • Eau Claire • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/westsidebarandgrillec

DJ Trivia at the Market 7:30-9pm • Menomonie • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ •

facebook.com/themarket3

RECREATION

Pure Water Paddlers Wednesday Social Paddle 6:30-8:30pm • Different Locations Weekly

• A social organize of paddling enthusiasts that hosts weekly boating outings for all level. FREE • All Ages • purewaterpaddlers.com

STAGE

ECCT Presents “The Music Man in Concert”

7:30-9:30pm • Northern WI State Fairgrounds, Chippewa Falls • Meredith Wilson’s smash Broadway hit musical comes to the Leinenkugel’s stage in Chippewa Falls in a unique outdoor concert setting. $24/Adults; $20/Seniors; $14/ Students; $10/Youth • ecct.org/tickets

WELLNESS

Safety & Strength 1:30-3pm • Family Support Center • A confidential group that works to nurture connections between protective parents & youth affected by family violence. Pre-register. FREE • FamilySupportCenterCF.com

WORDS

Campfire Stories: A Night of Fact, Fiction, and Fire 8:30-11:30pm • The Lakely, Eau Claire

• Local writers, storytellers, and songwriters share an intimate taste of the local literary and music community around the Lakely patio & fire pits. FREE • All Ages • theoxbowhotel.com

Thursday, August 11

COMMUNITY

Beer Church 6:45-8:45pm • The Brewing

Projekt, Eau Claire • Low-key gatherings for the spiritually thirsty. Good beer, good people, and good news. FREE • 21+ • getjesusfit.com/ beerchurch

EDUCATION

Growing Up Transgender 8:30am-4:30pm • Online through UW-Eau Claire Continuing Education • In this single-day seminar, explore what it means to be transgender. $199 • All Ages • 836-3636 • ce.uwec.edu

FARMERS MARKETS

Chippewa Falls Farmers Market noon-6pm • Allen Park • chippewafallsmainst.org

FITNESS

YMCA Fitness at the Riverfront- Strong Mind & Body 4:30-5:15pm • Riverfront Park, Chippewa Falls • Combines martial arts techniques with fast-paced cardio. FREE • 12+, Ages 8-11 w/adult • 723-2201 • ymca-cv.org/groupexercise

FOOD & DRINK

Burger Night on the Farm 4-8pm • Together Farms, Mondovi • A unique, casual night on a small Wisconsin family farm. Fresh, grilled 100% grass-fed beef burgers. All Ages • 210-4740 • togetherfarms.com/calendar

Pizza + Open Mic Nights 5-9pm • Farm to Fork, Mondovi • Pizza and music night hosted by the Rock Creek Song Dogs. Open mic 6-9pm. FREE • All Ages • dancingyarrow.com

MUSEUMS & HISTORY

Stepping Into Local History 6-7:30pm • Forest

Hill Cemetery • Explore noteworthy families and individuals who lived in the Chippewa Valley. $10 adults, $5 student • ymca-cv.org/aoa

MUSIC

Music on the Patio at Artisan Forge Studios

5-7pm • Sweet Driver Cafe & Chocolates, Eau Claire • Outdoor music at Artisan Forge. Dinner, beverages, and sweets available from Sweet Driver Cafe. FREE • All Ages • 514-2883 • sweetdriverchocolates.com

Sounds Like Summer Concert Series: Orenda Fugue + Motherwind w/ DJ Harm 6pm • Phoenix Park, Eau Claire • Orenda Fugue is an ambient, alternative rock band. Motherwind is a high energy rock band, self-described “Wisco boy band.” 6pm opening act: DJ Harm FREE • All Ages • volumeone.org/sites/concerts

Music Over Menomin: North of Dixie 7-8:30pm • Menomonie Public Library • Live music on the lawn of the Menomonie Public Library, played over scenic Lake Menomin. FREE • All Ages

The Swampers: Curvin’ Thru Irvine 7:30pm • The Heyde Center for the Arts, Chippewa Falls • A unique blend of swampgrass harmony to lead folks on a winding musical journey through the history of Irvine Park. $25 lunch/show, $13 show only, $6 youth show only • cvca.net

NIGHTLIFE

DJ Trivia at Kat’s Pourhouse 7-9pm • Elk Mound • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/KatsPourhouse

Dj Trivia at the Chippewa River Distillery 7-9pm • Chippewa Falls • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com

Events

Dj Trivia at the Sandbar & Grill 7:30-9pm • Chippewa Falls • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/SandBarandGrillLLC

DJ Trivia at the Maple Manor 7:30-9pm • Eau Claire • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/MapleManorEC

STAGE

Arborophilia 7:30-9:15pm • The Grand Theatre, Eau Claire • A quirky little comedy play about a girl in unrequited love with a tree. Written by Jacob M. Appel and directed by Logan Toftness. $20 • 12+ • fb.me/e/3uEgRQPnv

ECCT Presents “The Music Man in Concert”

7:30-9:30pm • Northern WI State Fairgrounds, Chippewa Falls • Meredith Wilson’s smash Broadway hit musical comes to the Leinenkugel’s stage in Chippewa Falls in a unique outdoor concert setting. $24/Adults; $20/Seniors; $14/ Students; $10/Youth • All Ages • 839-8877 • ecct. org/tickets

VISUAL ART

US Open Chainsaw Sculpture Championship

10am-6pm • Carson Park, Eau Claire • The world’s best chainsaw carvers will compete for prizes creating unique works of art from 8-foot logs at the Wisconsin Logging Museum. $3.50-25 • visiteauclaire.com

WELLNESS

Strength In Numbers noon-1pm • Family Support Center • A virtual group for survivors of interpersonal violence. Email to learn more. FREE • 18+ • 723-1138 • FamilySupportCenterCF.com

Friday, August 12

FITNESS

YMCA Fitness at the Riverfront - Walk for your Wellbeing 10:45-11:30am • Riverfront Park, Chippewa Falls • A 45-minute walk through Riverfront Park that will leave you feeling energized and excited to start your weekend. FREE • 12+, 8-11 w/adult • ymca-cv.org/groupexercise

FOOD & DRINK

Food Truck Fridays at Ken Vance Hyundai and Chippewa Valley Mazda 11am-2pm • Ken Vance Hyundai and Chippewa Valley Mazda • Every Friday is Food Truck Friday at Ken Vance Hyundai and Chippewa Valley Mazda

Leinie Lodge Food Trucks: BF Street Kitchens

noon-7pm • Leinenkugel’s, Chippewa Falls • Leinie’s Lodge hosts food trucks from May through October, Fri & Sat. facebook.com/Leinenkugelsleinielodge

Burger Night on the Farm 4-8pm • Together Farms, Mondovi • A unique, casual night on a small Wisconsin family farm. Fresh, grilled 100% grass-fed beef burgers. All Ages • 210-4740 • togetherfarms.com/calendar

GAMES & HOBBIES

Friday Night Games 7pm • Clairemont Comics, Eau Claire • Welcomes all board game players of all ages and skill levels. Games available, with people to teach you how to play. FREE • All Ages • (651) 230-0748 • facebook.com/groups/ECBGG

MUSIC

Live Music at Vino Cappuccino: Jim Nelson 5:30-7:30pm • Elk Mound • Live music on the

patio. Enjoy authentic wood-fired pizza, local wines & beers, coffee, unique homemade desserts, and more. FREE • vinocappuccinobistro.com

Jazz at The Stones Throw 6-11pm • Stones

Throw, Eau Claire • The Groove Merchants

Present Jazz; Every month the second Friday and Saturday. $5 • 21+ • thesoundofeauclaire.com/ groove-merchants

Late Night Jazz at The Lakely: Tim Sullivan Trio 8:30-11:30pm • The Lakely, Eau Claire •

An evening of inventively re-interpreted jazz standards and Americana music. FREE • All Ages • theoxbowhotel.com

OPEN HOUSES & SHOPPING

Friends of the Chippewa Falls Public Library Book Sale 9am-7pm • Chippewa Falls Public Library, Chippewa Falls • Large book sale with fiction and nonfiction books for children to adults, AV materials including books on CD, DVDs. Bag sale on Saturday. Materials from 50 cents to $5, • All Ages • chippewafallslibrary.org

SPECTATOR SPORTS

Races at Red Cedar Speedway 5pm • Red Cedar Speedway, Menomonie • Weekly stock car races. $15 GA, $10 student/senior/military, FREE for kids • All Ages • 235-6318 • redcedarspeedway.com

STAGE

Disney’s Beauty & The Beast JR. 7pm • Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, Menomonie • The Disney animated classic brought to life on stage. Themed kids activities downstairs in the theatre prior to show. $12, $8 Students • 231-7529 • menomonietheaterguild.org

Arborophilia 7:30-9:15pm • The Grand Theatre,

Eau Claire • A quirky little comedy play about a girl in unrequited love with a tree. Written by Jacob M. Appel and directed by Logan Toftness. $20 • 12+ • fb.me/e/3uEgRQPnv

ECCT Presents “The Music Man in Concert”

7:30-9:30pm • Northern WI State Fairgrounds, Chippewa Falls • Meredith WIllson’s smash Broadway hit musical comes to the Leinenkugel’s stage in Chippewa Falls in a unique outdoor concert setting. $24/Adults; $20/Seniors; $14/ Students; $10/Youth • All Ages • 839-8877 • ecct. org/tickets

VISUAL ART

US Open Chainsaw Sculpture Championship

10am-10pm • Carson Park, Eau Claire • The world’s best chainsaw carvers will compete for prizes creating unique works of art from 8-foot logs at the Wisconsin Logging Museum. $3.50-25 • visiteauclaire.com

WELLNESS

Ecstatic Dance & Botanical Elixirs on the Farm 6:30-8:30pm • Dancing Yarrow Retreat, Mondovi • Make and enjoy a botanical elixir followed by a 60 minute guided Nia dance class, then some open grooving under the sun. $25 • RhythmicRenewal.com

Saturday, August 13

CAR SHOW

Chevytown Corvettes Car Show & Fundraiser

10am-2pm • Keyes Chevytown, Menomonie • Silent Auction & Raffle to benefit Boys & Girls Club of Menomonie. DJ & Food Trucks, Trophies & Door Prizes, Tech & Car Care Seminars. FREE • facebook.com

Cruise In Car Show Series 2-4pm • Downtown Chippewa Falls, Chippewa Falls • Check out vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles while enjoying music in historic downtown Chippewa Falls. FREE • All Ages • chippewafallsmainst.org

FAIRS & FESTIVALS

Pure Water Days Parade & Riverfest 1pm • Downtown Chippewa Falls • The annual downtown Chippewa falls parade at 1pm features 70+ parade entries. At 2pm, Riverfest features food trucks, beer tent, live music, inflatables, crafts vendors, and more. chippewafallsmainst.org

FARMERS MARKETS

Menomonie Farmer’s Market 8am-2pm • Wilson Park • FREE • All Ages • menomoniefam.org

Cadott Farmer’s Market 9am-noon • Riverview Park located next to the Yellow River on Highway 27 • FREE • facebook.com/CadottFarmersMarket

FOOD & DRINK

Leinie Lodge Food Trucks: BF Street Kitchens noon-7pm • Leinenkugel’s, Chippewa Falls • Leinie’s Lodge hosts food trucks from May through October, Fri & Sat. facebook.com/Leinenkugelsleinielodge

Burger Night on the Farm noon-8pm • Together Farms, Mondovi • A unique, casual night on a small Wisconsin family farm. Fresh, grilled 100% grass-fed beef burgers. All Ages • 210-4740 • togetherfarms.com/calendar

Belgian Beer and Oysters noon-8pm • K-Point Brewing at The Coffee Grounds, Eau Claire • Enjoy oysters on a half shell and a K-Point pint of Belgian beer (or beer of your choice). Price TBD • 21+ • 834-1733 • thecoffeegrounds.com

Wine and Snowie Snow Cones 1-4pm • Infinity Beverages Winery & Distillery, Eau Claire • Mix your favorite Infinity wine with a complimentary snow cone, provided by Snowie of Altoona. 21+ •

Events

255-0802 • infinitybeverages.com

Farm Tour at Together Farms 2-3:30pm • Together Farms, Mondovi • Explore and learn about Together Farms, a small family operated farm. $5, children 5 and under free • All Ages • 210-4740 • togetherfarms.com/calendar

MUSIC

Live Music: Sean Jordan 11am-8pm • Dixon’s Autumn Harvest Winery, Chippewa Falls • Live music from Sean Jordan, beverages served by the winery, and a local food truck on site FREE • All Ages • 720-1663 • facebook.com/autumnharvestwinery

Live Music by Matthew Griswold 5-8pm

• Ombibulous Brewing, Altoona • Talented singer-songwriter that plays acoustic covers and originals. FREE

Live Music at Vino Cappuccino: Steven John Rindt 5:30-7:30pm • Elk Mound • Live music on the patio. Enjoy authentic wood-fired pizza, local wines & beers, coffee, unique homemade desserts, and more. FREE • vinocappuccinobistro.com

Jazz at The Stones Throw 6-11pm • Stones Throw, Eau Claire • The Groove Merchants Present Jazz; Every month the second Friday and Saturday. $5 • 21+ • thesoundofeauclaire.com/ groove-merchants

ZYMURDERFEST Death Metal Festival 6pm

• Zymurgy Brewing, Menomonie • Zymurgy Brewing’s annual death metal festival. Headliner band is Glutton for Punishment, joined by others. $10 GA, $15 GA + Poster, $25 Bundle • 21+ • volumeonetickets.org

American Hitmen with Motherwind 8pm • Joel’s 4Corners, Chippewa Falls • American Hitmen as seen on America’s Got Talent rocks with regional touring act Motherwind. $5 adv $10 door • 21+ • 861-5766 • facebook.com/4corners4fun

Late Night Jazz at The Lakely: Tim Sullivan

Trio 8:30-11:30pm • The Lakely, Eau Claire • An evening of inventively re-interpreted jazz standards and Americana music. FREE • All Ages • theoxbowhotel.com

OPEN HOUSES & SHOPPING

Friends of the Chippewa Falls Public Library

Book Sale 9am-1pm • Chippewa Falls Public Library, Chippewa Falls • Large book sale with fiction and nonfiction books for children to adults, AV materials including books on CD, DVDs. Bag sale on Saturday. Materials from 50 cents to $5, • All Ages • chippewafallslibrary.org

Eau Claire Makers’ Market noon-7:30pm

• Owen Park Bandshell, Eau Claire • Local vendors selling their wares accompanied by local music. Fien art, ceramics, stickers, home goods, decor, and more. FREE • All Ages • ecmakersmarket.com

SPECTATOR SPORTS

Eau Claire Express 6:35pm • Eau Claire Express Stadium - Carson Park, Eau Claire • An Eau Claire tradition, catch a ballgame in scenic Carson Park stadium. $9-28, season tickets availablre • northwoodsleague.com

STAGE

Disney’s Beauty & The Beast JR. 2pm, 7pm • Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, Menomonie • The Disney animated classic brought to life on stage. Themed kids activities downstairs in the theatre prior to show. $12, $8 Students • 231-7529 • menomonietheaterguild.org

Wild West Murder Mystery 5-10pm • The Willow Events & Catering, Chippewa Falls • A night of mystery and murder at the Deadwood Saloon. Ticket price includes dinner, access to a cash bar, and the chance to catch a killer. $50 Per

Person • 21+ • 379-1245 • eventbrite.com

Arborophilia 7:30-9:15pm • The Grand Theatre, Eau Claire • A quirky little comedy play about a girl in unrequited love with a tree. Written by Jacob M. Appel and directed by Logan Toftness. $20 • 12+ • fb.me/e/3uEgRQPnv

VISUAL ART

US Open Chainsaw Sculpture Championship 10am-7pm • Carson Park, Eau Claire • The world’s best chainsaw carvers will compete for prizes creating unique works of art from 8-foot logs at the Wisconsin Logging Museum. $3.50-25 • visiteauclaire.com

WELLNESS

2022 Women’s Conference - Confidence and Empowerment 10am-1pm • Witt Park Pavilion, Bloomer • 3 hours of praise, worship, speakers, music, friendship time, and more. Lunch & snacks provided. Pre-register. FREE • 15+ • +7154040636 • bloomerumc.com/pow

Sunday, August 14

COMMUNITY

Praise in the Park 10-11am • Phoenix Park • Five ELCA churches in Eau Claire come together to lead outdoor worship and music. BYO coffee, blankets, and chairs. FREE • All Ages • facebook. com/praiseintheparkec

FAIRS & FESTIVALS

Carson Park Experience noon-5pm • Carson Park, Eau Claire • Summer fun and activities, museums, food trucks, music, beer gardens, Chippewa Valley Railroad, and Eau Claire Express games. 834-7871 • visiteauclaire.com/carsonpark

GAMES & HOBBIES

Sunday Pool Tournament 12:45pm • Zymurgy Brewing, Menomonie • Single 8-ball Valley Rules. Double Elimination. Payouts: Top two or three participants take money home depending on number of platers. $20 • 21+

MUSIC

Live Music at Wissota High Shores Supper Club 4pm • Wissota High Shores Supper Club, Chippewa Falls • Live music on the outdoor pavilion, at this supper club. FREE • wissotahighshores.com

NIGHTLIFE

Dj Trivia at the Brass Lantern 3-5pm • Chippewa Falls • General knowledge trivia. FREE • 21+ • facebook.com/brasslanternpubandgrill

STAGE

Disney’s Beauty & The Beast JR. 7pm • Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, Menomonie • The Disney animated classic brought to life on stage. Themed kids activities downstairs in the theatre prior to show. $12, $8 Students • 231-7529 • menomonietheaterguild.org

VISUAL ART

US Open Chainsaw Sculpture Championship 10am-4pm • Carson Park, Eau Claire • The world’s best chainsaw carvers will compete for prizes creating unique works of art from 8-foot logs at the Wisconsin Logging Museum. $3.50-25 • visiteauclaire.com

WELLNESS

Slow Down Sundays 10am-2pm • Farm to Fork, Mondovi • Peaceful yoga, breath or energy work, family friendly fun, and a plant-based food menu. Varies • farmtoforkretreat.com/pizza-nights

20 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP

Royal Credit Union has been one of Volume One’s biggest partners in boosting the communIty

One institution began nearly 60 years ago with just 100 members, employees from Eau Claire’s tire factory pooling their resources to form a credit union.

The other institution began 20 years ago with two twentysomething friends, eager to create a new way to highlight the Chippewa Valley’s burgeoning arts and culture scene.

Other than their shared point of origin in Eau Claire, there would seem to be little in common between Royal Credit Union and Volume One. Yet the two entities have found fertile ground in western Wisconsin, thanks to their individual missions and their desire to work together to better their communities.

Both are fully committed to the Chippewa Valley, and both have grown over the years through a consistent and dogged focus on building community – most notably in the heart of Eau Claire’s downtown.

Royal Credit Union was born in 1964 just blocks from downtown, having been founded by employees at Eau Claire’s Uniroyal tire plant. Over the ensuing decades, Royal grew consistently, adding members, branches, and geographic reach. The driving purpose for this growth is embodied in Royal’s Core Purpose: “Creating a positive impact in the lives we touch.” Over the decades, amid its continued growth to include 250,000 members in Wisconsin and Minnesota, this desire for positive impact has set Royal apart, making a difference for members and their communities.

One of the most tangible ways that Royal made a difference in the community was by choosing a previously neglected part of downtown Eau Claire as the home for its corporate center. After the

closure of the Uniroyal plant in 1992, the north side of downtown Eau Claire had fallen on hard times. Under the visionary leadership of then-CEO Charlie Grossklaus, in the early 2000s Royal announced plans to build its corporate center next to a blighted area that would later become Phoenix Park. Grossklaus could see past the neighborhood’s reputation toward its potential as a hub of economic development and community activity.

The corporate center opened in 2005, bringing a significant amount of attention to the North Barstow Street area. The revitalized neighborhood soon grew into a bustling area of apartments, restaurants, and other businesses all revolving around the new park, which sits at the confluence of the Eau Claire and Chippewa rivers.

At the same time, Volume One itself was growing: What was born in 2002 as a monthly arts magazine evolved to be a biweekly publication that covered a broad swath of culture, entertainment, and news, as well as a business with a retail store, a video production business, and a multifaceted event production company.

It was one of those events – Volume One’s Sounds Like Summer Concert Series – that helped activate the brand-new Phoenix Park not long after Royal’s corporate center opened. Royal was

an early, avid, and consistent sponsor of these Thursday night concerts, which are now in their 16th season.

And the two community focused entities have partnered on more than just Sounds Like Summer. Royal has been a major backer of numerous Volume One events, initiatives, and publications, from its Best Night event to Chalkfest to Food Truck Friday, and many more.

Now, as Volume One celebrates its own 20th anniversary, Royal Credit Union is looking forward to its 60th. Whatever the years bring, they will undoubtedly include more collaboration to enhance the lives of the people who make the Chippewa Valley a special place.

SOUNDS LIKE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

The Rear End

WHAT I’VE LEARNED ABOUT YOU

HERE’S WHAT I KNOW AFTER WRITING ALMOST 430 REAR ENDS

Well, golly. Volume One is 20 years old. And that’s great. It’s wonderful. But before you break out the ill-fitting party hats and the $10 Champagne, let’s not allow two decades of Eau Claire’s own arts-n-culture magazine (plus a website/events/retail store/video production/I can’t remember what else anymore) overshadow the real anniversary. This month, we salute 18 years of The Rear End – the column you are reading right now. Written by Mike Paulus. Who is me.

Volume One published the first Rear End in July 2004. While introducing this exciting new column, the editors called me a literary wildcard , which is mostly incorrect in absolutely every way. Besides holding a Bachelor’s Degree in English, I’m not all that “literary,” and apart from my love of black licorice ice cream, I’m not especially “wild.”

After 18 years of filling this page, I think we all know what I really am: chronic. My incredible ability to never leave has allowed me to write almost 430 personal

essays. And for whatever reason,* Volume One has been happy to keep publishing them.

But I’m also observant, and I’ve learned a thing or two over the years. About you. And this, dear reader, is that.

EVERYONE’S A GRAMMAR

EXPERT. Wow, some of you got straight As in high school English, and it shows. Great work! You did better than me. Today, I mak plenty o mistooks. Do some of them get published? Yes. Do I hear abut it? Oh, yes. Do I purposely use run-on sentences and intentionally break all the grammar rules my fine college professors so meticulously taught me? With glee. (See opening paragraph.)

YOU GUYS ARE USUALLY PRETTY FORGIVING. You seem just fine with reading my goofy rants about unimportant stuff or my nostalgic childhood stories sprinkled with local references. But a few times a year, I’ll toss out a column that’s basically a sketchy 600-word poem about walking through town on a chilly October

WOW, SOME OF YOU GOT STRAIGHT A s IN HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH, AND IT SHOWS. GREAT WORK! YOU DID BETTER THAN ME. TODAY, I MAK PLENTY O MISTOOKS. DO SOME OF THEM GET PUBLISHED? YES. DO I HEAR ABUT IT?

OH, YES.

night, or some crap like that, and no one ever complains. To my face.

Y’ALL LOVE A SELFDEPRECATING SMALL TOWN BUMPKIN WHO’S ABLE TO DROP A 25-CENT WORD INTO THE BACKEND OF A PARAGRAPH. And with good reason. The juxtaposition is a fun little surprise, and it makes the writer seem smart yet approachable. Sure, there are those who decry such officiousness, but it’s pert near guaranteed to tickle the local reader.

See also, you all love reading words people usually only speak. E.g., golldern, ope, dagnabbit, wilikers.

YOU LOVE THANKSGIVING. AND DECORATIVE HAY BALES. As breathtaking as it is issue after issue, The Rear End is not very controversial. But whoo boy, one time I expressed my dislike for Thanksgiving and was rewarded with a comment thread stuffed with … aggressive disagreement. It’s just a holiday. It’s not like I was promoting mandatory Critical Race Theory classes for toddlers.

The same thing happened when I put those little decorative hay bales you Midwesterners love on total blast (because they’re stupid), and people acted like I was arguing for federally funded drive-thru abortion clinics.

20 years.

See also, the time I made fun of our obsession with potholes and the city’s inability to fix them in a timely fashion, which you should never do, because apparently bitching about your city’s road conditions comprises 95% of some people’s precious little identities, and it’s hill upon which they’re very much excited to die.

MANY OF YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN “ARTICLE” AND A “COLUMN.”

Some of you read The Rear End expecting an attempt at wellstructured journalism, as opposed to a last-minute collection of opinions and observations clumsily strung together by a local white man in desperate need of attention and praise from total strangers. And you exclaim, “You call this an article, Volume One?”

The answer is “no.”

So … 430 columns. Eighteen years. After all that practice over all those years, am I a good writer yet? Well, I try to get a little better with each column. On good days, I’d like to think I’m not horrible. But does it really matter? I’ve learned that sometimes some of you like hearing what I have to say. That’s a lucky thing to have in your life.

Thank you. It’s much appreciated.

words by mike paulus • illustration by eva paulus

*The reason is blackmail. I’ve been blackmailing Volume One for almost