I attended the inaugural Eaux Claires Festival, curated by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, and it has…read morealready earned it spot as an annual must-do event in my book. It was affordable (~$90 for 2 full days), and within a good driving range where you feel like you're embarking out of the Twin Cities, but you're not really going too far. It's a fun state of mind that's easy on the mileage. I'll get right to the point. My favorite sets: Bon Iver, Sylvan Esso, Policia, Doomtree, Lizzo. There were plenty of porta potties, which were also kept clean and stocked. The scenery was just dreamy - rolling hills, trails through the trees, light-up color-changing forests, and cool art installations. Depending on the times of the sets, I was able to grab drinks at the right time without crazy lines. I loved the local artists and stores that were in the "village" there. I think each of my friends and I ended up buying something. Some cons though: the food, or lack there of. There was like 20,000 people and like 10 vendors. Lots of people waited in lines over an hour long, only for the vendors to run out of food. A lot of the merch sold out quick too. And the crowd leaving at the end of the last set was not managed well, because thousands of people were forced down this one narrow roped off path.

Improvements The first of hopefully many Eaux Claires…read morefestivals, they definitely had some kinks to work out. The first night food ran out and wait lines were 20 minutes or more. Water stations were spaced throughout but only in the main areas and not in the second staging area by the Dells. With some miscommunication on what could be brought into the campsites and festival, lots of folks had to throw out glass bottles and blankets. I hope the communication around camp ground and festival rules is made clear next time. Positives The music itself however was phenomenal. It was amazing having so many folks in one space and a wide variety of music at that. My favorites were Bon Iver, Lizzo, Poliçia, The Staves, and Charles Bradley. I loved the collaborations and how many folks were new to the music festival scene. The bathrooms were also kept extremely clean with the company cleaning bathrooms out at least once a day. A saving grace given the reputation most port-a-potties have. Art installations! Who knew how great they would go with music. Well...the organizers did. It was amazing that the shirt printing was done in Eau Claire and a lot of the artists were Midwest based. I almost wished there had been more art. It was great to see visuals while waiting for the next set to begin. I hope they bring this back for next year. Overall a great lineup and festival. Will attend again if planned.

Me and two other of my friends went to country jam. My boyfriend and I won VIP tickets and got…read morewristbands for all three days. The last day was Justin Lynch (one of my favorite artists). My wristband fell off half way through his set, a security guard came up and asked for my wrist band, I showed him my wrist and he said "come with me", I noticed my wristband fell off and told him it did and said it was probably sitting right next to where I was standing (which was 10 ft away) he then said "no it isn't" I kept talking saying that I was being honest and if he checks and it is not there then whatever but he instead escorted me out and flashed another security guard saying "this is another one". Both of my friends got escorted out the other two nights for things they did not do. I am not impressed.

I have attended country jam about 5 times and let me tell you its really been going down hill…read more 1. They dont keep up-to-date acts and if they do they only book 1 or 2 of them and the other head liners are should playing around 7pm. 2. They give away a lot of free tickets when you purchase a case of beer so DO NOT go one of these days because it will be extremely Packed (One year it was so full people were sitting and standing around the vendor) 3. You have to pay $5.00 to park when you have to walk literally a half mile to get to the concert area. 4. This is more of a laid back adult country concert and less of a party. This is still a really good concert but if your looking for a better party, acts, parking, and less crowed i would attend Country Fest.

We try to come every year for the Barrels and Bluegrass festival and this year was a blast!!…read more The festival always has several bluegrass bands, which adds to a perfect setting to kick back enjoy the music while sipping on a cocktail or some whiskey neat. There are usually two or three food vendors and a kettle corn tent. This year the food options included pizza and pulled pork sandwiches. As far as the drinks go, 45th Parallel always has a cocktail tent and of course the whiskey tasting, which includes a plastic tasting shot glass(the cost for tasting is a few dollars, which gets you entered into the raffle as well). 45th Parallel has greatly expanded the property, so the festival now includes their newly constructed bar if you would like a brew along with your whiskey.

We have visited here a few times and played in the casino. There seems to be construction here…read moreconstantly on the casino floor (over the last 3 years) that it just always feels like its in a remodeling phase that they can not figure out. With the smoking now being limited to a specific area, that room if you walk through is VERY potent) and in a middle section so if you are walking on the back part, you have to go through it or take a large detour. This casino used to be a little looser but is not showing those signs which is a bummer. It has expanded as they now have even more hotel towers so I guess it is a supply and demand thing. This last weekend we stayed in the buffalo tower. The room was very new and in excellent condition. HOWEVER, the walls were very thin. We woke up to a toddler (?) laughing in the room next to us and it sounded as if the toddler were standing right next to our bed. There was also a good inch gap under the doors so that made us realize the privacy was not as private as you would hope. Overall the dining is a bit disappointing as well, but there are a lot of bars and the drinks are totally reasonable which I can appreciate. My husband went down to the front desk on the morning of our departure and asked about late checkout. He also asked what time the lagoon opened. He asked if the swim up bar is open at the same time as when the lagoon opens and the attendant said she didn't know because she isn't a alcoholic. I found that to be a odd statement for someone at the front desk to say. A simple "oh i'm not sure" would have been way more appropriate...

My aunties had a weekend getaway at Treasure Island Casino and invited us to join. I was actually…read moremore interested in the Lagoon than gambling. We parked near the hotel side and walked to the hotel tower my aunts had a room. Once we changed clothes we walked downstairs towards the sign that says lagoon. Check in at the desk and walk through the glass door. First thing you'll see is the lockers and towels. Change room is on the otherside. Walk little further you'll see the lazy river. Then on the left side is the adult section. There's a swim up bar, indoor and outdoor pool and couple of hot tubs. We hungout at the swim up bar until near closing time. I didn't have time to go down the water slide. Bowling is on the otherside of hotel lobby and restaurants throughout the casino. I'm amazed this casino has become more family friendly.

My Gosh!!!! Travelled from Tucson to Warrens, Wi to check…read moreout this cranberry festival. What fun...so much food, crafts and anything cranberries you'll find that you just can't "live without". A whole lot of Badgers and Packers paraphernalia. Buy you a shirt , pot holders and other souvenirs here cuz your local Walmart ain't gonna have it. TIP. Come early it starts at 7 Parking on the road is free along the 2 lane highway, already has cars lined up to get in, bring cash, vendors do take cards but some have surcharge...they do have ATM., wear comfy shoes lotsa walking. Gotta take a picture with rubber waders/bibs for $10

What an event 14500 people in a town of normally under 600. Miles of food crafts and STUFF…read more prepare to walk and bring a wagon or backpack, you will find something"s" to buy. Visit the craft/handmade area for items you dont see else where. Make sure to book as close to 1 yr ahead as possible rooms are at a premium, and be ready for more than 1 day to see everything. There are ALOT of "girls weekend out" groups shopping, shopping and more shopping. One of the few issues is finding a specific vendor or item, the maps are hard to follow if you are looking for a booth number or vendor by name. You will pay to park but there are constant shuttles for you and your stuff. They have over 800 Arts & Crafts booths, 300 Flea & Antique booths, 100 Farm Market booths, and food food and food, (the whole thing is bigger than some state fair's) I recommend you give it a try

What a neat place. Admission into this light display is a donation of food or money for food…read morepanties in the area. I love the light display. We choose to walk which was cool but, you can not get to all the lights. Next time we will have to do the driving experience to see some of the things we missed. It would be cool if the path had arrows to follow as it's kind of a free for all. It was hard with so many ppl there, and they were stopping and don't keep moving or walk at you and wont move. They should have lanes to make the experience more jolly! Awesome idea for an awesome cause though

We heard about the Rotary Winter Wonderland Christmas light display both in the media and from…read morepeople we know. This is the sixth season. We learned that they how have over 1 million lights covering a big part of the Wildwood Zoo in Marshfield. It started this year in mid November. New Year's Eve is the last night. We decided to check it out. The part of me that has seen some artful light displays says give it 4 stars. That's because some parts of the display consist of some decorated trees. And some displays are fairly static and two dimensional. But the explosion and variety of lights over a large area is impressive. Some displays are fun and whimsical. A few are quite dynamic. We noticed that one zoo animal was pacing its cage: the mountain lion. So the kid in me says: Five Stars! This is a nonprofit event. Attendees are asked to bring some nonperishable items for the local food shelves.

Eau Claire, Wi. The…read moreBlue Ox people really do a good job attracting top of the line talent and organizing the number of festivarians in a streamlined fashion. They even handle the intense rain storms fairly well. This festival is geared toward making money from reserved camping. It appears that some of these reserved entry people forego their reserved spot and head off to the unreserved sections and rope off an acre of land, denying later participants a chance at any of those sites. The reward for reserving is an entry a day early so you aren't scrambling for a good camp site. The fee for a pre pitched tent is an astounding $1900! I'm one of the common folk who enter with the masses on Thursday. The first thing I noticed after staking a claim to a small parcel of real estate is the huge number of smoldering campfires. Everyone seems to be burning smoky wet wood. The family camp area has the most unhealthy air throughout the festival, and these folks are inviting their children to inhale this crap. Half of the people here smoke cigarettes even in the concert areas. They have no clue or don't care about the affect on others. Of course the butts end up on the grass. There is a designated line for lawn chairs, as In don't go beyond this line. This means nothing, people just plop their chairs down right in front of you even if you're on the line. Why no pizza this year Blue Ox? Porta potties are kept clean throughout the festival. Sound is good except when singers belt out a loud burst and over drive the speakers. If the smoke was not such issue I'd give this festival a 4.5.

This is by far the best music festival I have ever been to in Wisconsin. The staff is great, the…read moregrounds are kept immaculate, the Porta potty's are cleaned three times a day every day!! (Even in the middle of torrential downpours they are out cleaning!) Everyone that comes here is of the same mindset, enjoy some bluegrass - spend time in the woods- And overall be really good to one another. The tickets might be considered a bit pricey compared to other festivals, but the way it's put together is by far worth every penny!

I went to Rock Fest in Cadott, Wisconsin this year really hoping for that classic, high-energy,…read moreshared experience that a rock festival is supposed to deliver. Instead, I walked away feeling completely disconnected, frustrated, and honestly let down. From the moment we arrived, it just felt... off. Crowd Energy? Basically Nonexistent There was almost no crowd engagement. It felt like most people weren't even there to move or enjoy the music -- they were just... present. Rows of seats and benches lined up right to the stage, making it incredibly awkward to stand up, let alone get into the music. Everyone seemed glued to their chairs. The energy just wasn't there, and it was hard to feel any kind of connection -- to the bands, the crowd, or the music. Pit Pass Isn't Worth It I paid extra for a pit pass, expecting to be in the action -- but the pit was shockingly small and way too regulated. The second anyone tried to mosh or even move a little too enthusiastically, security shut it down. You can't even jump around without being watched. It's like they want the pit to exist on paper but not in practice. Buying Drinks Was a Hassle The drink system is super outdated. You can't just pay at the beer stands. You either have to: * Buy drink tickets at a separate booth, or * Pre-register your card online ahead of time. It's clunky and inconvenient, and there were long lines at the ticket booths. It felt like they went out of their way to make the process more difficult than it needed to be. Layout & Vibe Killed the Energy The layout of the entire venue just felt... sterile. It's structured in a way that separates people rather than bringing them together. GA has poor visibility and no vibe. VIP areas are up front and almost always half full. The bands are up there giving it their all, and the crowd is either seated or quietly watching from a distance. It didn't feel like a festival. It felt like watching a concert from a parking lot. Final Thoughts I really wanted to enjoy Rock Fest. The lineup was solid on paper. But the way the whole event is run now -- with overregulation, awkward layouts, and a lack of real crowd energy -- makes it hard to feel like you're part of anything. There's no connection. No spontaneity. No feeling that you're in a crowd of people who love this music the way you do. I don't know if this is just how big festivals are going now, but it's a shame. I thought rock fest would be raw and intimate between the bands and the fans-- now it feels more like a corporate-controlled picnic with guitars.

I am loving this experience! We traveled from Colorado to get to Wisconsin. This is the first time…read morein this part of the country. The town is beautiful and the people are amazing. Since Static X released Wisconsin Death Trip, I have always imagined the men out here to be big hot dudes with big beards. Turns out, that was factual. The dudes are smoking and extremely nice. The music has been great. We were able to have great views in most of the field. We enjoyed the side stages and the set up for music rotation. The security is super chill. I thought I would be sitting in a grass field all week long. Thankfully we found a store that sells lawn chairs. I never thought we would be able to bring in the chairs. Super cool. We did get that crazy storm. Being from Florida I was thinking there was some over reaction. But, about 15 minutes after we got to our car, I could see the massive storm rolling in. It was smart that the festival organizers gave several updates throughout the day. It made the evacuation feel more real. Once the storm hit and our car was rocking, I was extra happy. Due to the warnings, we did not drive out; instead we stayed in the parking lot. I really look forward to coming back. I am not sure how this year could be surpassed with Static X, Manson, and Rob Zombie playing. But we will see!

This was my first Renaissance Festival experience. I was told it was smaller then the on in…read moreMinnesota, so I thought it would be a good tryout for me. I know I have been wanting to go to the Renaissance Festival in Minnesota. I go to the State Fair every year. This location is in Glenwood, Wisconsin. The drive was nice, mostly because I didn't have to do it, so I got to look out the window as we passed fields and little towns and cows, etc. When we arrived, I was a little confused, because we had to drive up someone's driveway. Then we parked in a field next to the house. and in the way back was the entrance. Again, I've never been to a Renaissance Festival so I don't know if that is normal. But going to this place, was anything but normal. Not that it's a bad thing. I went with TT and JT. It was one of the first times, I thought TT was in her element. She fit right in with her parasol and outfit that day. She looked good as usual, but more in her element. Anyway, there were a lot of things to see for someone like myself who has never really seen it before. Lots of booths, food, beverages, and entertainment. I sat down and watched a Belly Dance they were good. I was fascinated by some of the things they could so. I took a picture of the lady balancing a blade on her head. That was cool. JT also got picked for a friendly contest because he was told he was a good looking dude. That was hilarious! Overall, it was an experience. I spent $10 to get in, which I thought was a decent price. I do know I don't feel the need to experience a Renaissance Festival again. It smelt like manure and at times, strong BO (it was hot and the outfits they wear-no thank you). There were too many bare feet, and some of the people were clearly very comfortable with their bodies (more power to them), however, it just made me super uncomfortable. If you are a renaissance person, definitely check it out. I heard a positive about it, was that it is way less muddy then the Minnesota RenFest. Which, if I had experienced that one, I would have definitely been a negative for me. So, go and enjoy, or don't go, either way do you!

Wow. What a great experience this Faire provides. Run entirely by volunteers, it's truly a labor of…read morelove. If you're looking for a big Faire like Minnesota or Bristol, this is not like those. It's very intimate and, most importantly, AFFORDABLE! For example, at Bristol, a turkey leg costs $9. At Ren in the Glen it's only $4. Tickets at the gate are just $10, not $30. You can even bring your dog with proper documentation of shots. The performers are all very approachable and eager to interact with guests. The Royal Court is very adept in their roles and clearly love what they do. And the Vikings are so into what they do they cook over an open fire and actually sleep in their encampment tents! The only thing that would make Ren in the Glen better is if it were longer. One weekend a year is fine but TWO would be better!!