The Eau Claire Area is home to many great sporting events that generate millions of dollars in revenue for the area.  Listed below are the 2010 events, dates, and estimated economic impact of each: 

Amateur Athletic Union Midwest Elite Exposure Showcase/Boy’s Great Lakes Shootout
April 16-18, 2010
$162,000
For 2010 the Midwest Elite Exposure Showcase (Girl's) and Spring Great Lakes Shootout (Boy's) were held April 16-18 at UW Stout. These events drew in 73 of the top AAU Basketball Clubs from; Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Amateur Athletic Union Memorial Day Classic
May 28-31, 2010
$405,000
The WI Viking Club AAU program hosted a Memorial Classic for boy's & girl's basketball. A total of 126 teams in age groups ranging from 10 to 18 years old competed.

Amateur Athletic Union Great Lakes Summer Showcase
July 9-11, 2010
$189,000
This event was held at UW Stout and the Johnson Fieldhouse and 93 total teams attended (both boys and girls teams).

Northwoods League All-Star Baseball Game 
July 20, 2010   
$121,500
This was the first year the Eau Claire Express hosted the All-Star Game. The game included All-Star performers from both the North and South divisions of the Northwoods League. The South team was coached by the Express’ Dale Varsho, and the North team was coached by Ryan Ruiz. Eau Claire had six players on the South Division roster.

Babe Ruth Ohio Valley Regional Baseball  
July 29-August 3, 2010 
$213,300
The Babe Ruth Ohio Valley Regional tournament brought in 10 teams for 5-1/2 days of competition, with the champion earning the right to compete in the Babe Ruth World Series. The event was held at Mt. Simon Park in Eau Claire.

National Boomerang Championship   
August 5-8, 2010  
$26,250
Nearly 50 boomerangers from around the country participated in this event at the Eau Claire Soccer Park. The National Championship included competition in six different individual events: accuracy, Aussie round, fast catch, trick catch, endurance, and maximum time aloft (MTA).  Competition ran from 10am-6pm daily.

Chippewa Valley Chase Bicycle Race & Festival  
August 14, 2010  
$20,000
The Eau Claire Area Sports Commission, along with the Overdrive Cycling Club and the Eau Claire YMCA organized this bicycle festival to showcase the Chippewa Valley as a destination for biking. The event featured a Time Trial (racer competing against the clock) in Menomonie, a Criterium (racers competing in a pack on a one mile urban course) in the Randall Park Neighborhood, vendors, food, drink and entertainment (in Owen Park). The event featured four competitive race classes and a kid's race.

American Strongman Competition   
August 14, 2010  
$16,200
Approximately 20 amateur and professional competitors from five states competed for a spot at the National Competition. This was a North American Strongman sanctioned platinum level event.  Three professionals, including Dave Ostlund, World's 3rd Strongest Man, were at the event for demonstrations and photo opportunities.
 

The Eau Claire Area Sports Commission was established in 1999 to facilitate sporting events in the Eau Claire area for public participation and spectatorship.  Since its inception, the Commission has brought 38 events to the area resulting in an economic impact in excess of $30.4 million. 

For more information on how these events impact the area, please contact Kristen Hartzel at 715-831-2345.

Eau Claire - More than 400 “sun and fun lovers” in more than 200 convertibles of all makes and vintages will begin arriving in Eau Claire today. The group will spend four days in Wisconsin’s historic and scenic Chippewa Valley as the Fifth Annual OpenAir Classic Tour visits Northwest Wisconsin and the Great River Road August 19-22, 2010. The tour will cruise scenic back roads, river valleys and country lanes, stop at dozens of shops, scenic overlooks and historic sites and enjoy a Classic Rave-On Concert (sorry – for the participants only) on Aug. 21 featuring award-winning Buddy Holly impersonator, Mark Surilla of Milwaukee. 

The public is invited to see the cars on Saturday, Aug 21 at the parking lot bordered by Farwell, Dewey, Gray and Lake Streets – near the Schlegelmilch House.

Additional opportunities to see the cars as they tour the area will be:

FRIDAY: (Times approximate)
- Leaving Carson Park 8-10AM
- DURAND: At the Travel Mart and Rolling Hills Golf Course 10-1PM
- WABASHA & RED WING MN – 11:00AM to 3:00PM
- STOCKHOLM, WI: 10:00AM-3:30PM
SATURDAY
- EAU CLAIRE – Water Street (8:30-Noon)
- MENOMONIE – (9:30 AM -2:00PM)
- COLFAX – (10:00 AM-2:20 PM)
- EAU CLAIRE – Concours as noted above 3:00-5:00PM

This is the second year in a row that the OAC has been based in Eau Claire, the first time the OAC has used the same headquarters city two years in a row. Tour founder and co-director Gary Knowles of Madison, WI, said, “This is one of the most beautiful areas of the Midwest. Eau Claire and the Chippewa Valley have spectacular back roads, friendly communities, excellent hotels and fine dining and performance venues close at hand. Throw in the outstanding support of the professional staff at “Visit Eau Claire” and it’s a superior destination.”

Mike Peroutka of Green Bay, co-director, added, “This is auto fun at its best. Convertible owners love to explore out-of-the-way places, see new scenery, drive twisty roads, get out and experience the full grandeur of the natural world from horizon to horizon. They get more pleasure per gallon and enjoy every moment of this good life.” 

The OAC welcomes any convertible of any make or vintage. The non-competitive OpenAir Classic tour requires no prior touring or cruise experience. Though the 2010 tour is now filled convertible owners are welcome to become members of the group and tour in 2011. The 2011 dates will be August 18-21 and the destination headquarters will be announced in January 2011. The number of entries is always limited to around 200 to ensure all participants have a top quality experience.

“The OpenAir Classic is intentionally limited to just about 200 convertibles and some 400 drivers and navigators to ensure everyone has the ultimate touring experience,” Knowles said. “We love to lead our participants into spectacular nooks and crannies and discover ‘hidden gems’ that give the Great Lake States such extraordinary charm and character. 

Full details are at www.OpenAirTours.com   Organizers note that the grid always fills quickly with members so anyone interested in joining the tour in 2011 is strongly encouraged to download membership materials and sign up now. A winter gathering-party for members called “The OpenAir Conditioner” is held in Madison on the non-NFL playoff weekend in January. The next August tour destination is announced at that event.

Eau Claire – Nearly 100 boomerangers from around the country will converge on Eau Claire this week for the 2010 National Boomerang Tournament & Expo.  The four day tournament begins Thursday, August 5 and runs through Sunday, August 8.  All competition takes place at the Eau Claire Soccer Park, located at the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Craig Road in Eau Claire.

The National Championship will include competition in six different individual events: accuracy, Aussie round, fast catch, trick catch, endurance, and maximum time aloft (MTA).  Competition runs from 10am-6pm daily.

Included in the field of competitors will be the 2010 US Boomerang Team, fresh off their win at the World Boomerang Championships in Rome, Italy.  One member of the team, Dan Johnson, is an Eau Claire native and 2001 Eau Claire North High School graduate.  Johnson began throwing boomerangs during middle school and has been competing in the sport for 5 years. 

In addition to the world-class competition, the US Boomerang Association uses their annual tournament to raise awareness of the boomerang sport.  The week’s event will be spectator friendly and includes a small expo with boomerang vendors including many hand-made boomerangs available.  Admission is free.

This event is sponsored locally by Festival Foods.

The Eau Claire Area Sports Commission participated in a competitive bid process to secure this event and won the right to host the tournament in Eau Claire.  This event was last here in 2007.  The Eau Claire Area Sports Commission was established in 1999 to facilitate sporting events in the Eau Claire area for public participation and spectatorship.  Since its inception, the Commission has brought 33 events to the area resulting in an economic impact in excess of $29.9 million. 

The estimated economic impact of hosting this event in Eau Claire is $47,250.

For more information contact Don Monroe at (520) 975.7371.

Eau Claire – The National Association of Show Trucks (NAST), in conjunction with Photo Card Specialists, Inc. is bring a big rig truck show to Eau Claire Friday, August 20 through Sunday, August 22.  The first annual Eau Claire Big Rig Truck Show will be held in the Oakwood Mall parking lot.  The event will feature approximately 75 gorgeous trucks from across the country, including award-winning show trucks, vendor booths and live music on Saturday by Joey Holiday.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit United Cerebral Palsy of West Central Wisconsin and the Eau Claire County Humane Association. 

As a great new addition to this event, Alex Debogorski of "Ice Road Truckers" fame will be on site signing autographs Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

This event is open to the public and admission is free.  Come and see the trucks, talk with the operators and support great local charities! 

Estimated economic impact to the Eau Claire area is $72,000. 

For more information, visit www.eauclairebigrigtruckshow.com or contact Terry Biddle at 715-839-8666.

Menomonie – Whispering Emerald Ridge Game Farm in Menomonie will host the annual Wisconsin State Sporting Clays Championship August 4-8, 2010.  This tournament – the largest State Championships outside of Texas – will feature 600-700 competitors from around the country. 

More than 18 states will be represented, including: Texas, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.  Competitors will compete in one of seven classes (AA, A, B, C, D, E, Master) for the title of WI State Champion (for WI residents) or Non-Resident Champion. 

Shooting will begin Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8:00am, and Saturday and Sunday at 9:00am.  Competition will continue until 5:00pm daily. 

Among the competitors this year will be Steve Greene from New Richmond, WI.  Steve began competing at age 8 when his dad began taking him to trapshooting events.  His sporting clays career started in 1991 when he was exposed to the sport and he was instantly hooked on this new shooting game.  His first competition took place shortly after this introduction and he finished first in his class.  Since then he has had the opportunity to compete in 26 states at over 100 different clubs.  He has won numerous awards including; high over-all champion 4 times and high all-around champion 3 times at the Wisconsin State Shoot.  He is carrying on the shooting tradition in his family with his son Bryan, and his proudest shooting moment came at a Wisconsin State shoot where he was in a shoot-off with Bryan and others for the championship.  Steve was inducted into the Wisconsin Sporting Clays Hall of Fame in 2009.

Also competing this year is a family with four generations represented.  Percy Gunderson has been shooting as long as anyone can remember, and the 2010 State Shoot may be his last.  Joining him at the event will be his son Larry Gunderson from Lake Preston, SD; grandson Daniel Gunderson from Lake Preston, SD; and great-grandson Levi Smith from Brookings, SD.

Whispering Emerald Ridge Game Farm & Sporting Clays was founded by Bruce Olson and Mike Kettner  in 1988.  Their sporting clays course opened in 1992 and has developed into two challenging and scenic courses which are altered every two weeks.  The outstanding setting at the game farm guarantees interesting and challenging clay targets that shotgun shooters are sure to enjoy. 

Admission to this event is free and open to spectators.  There will be many opportunities to view the competitions and shooting games.  Concessions, merchandise, fun shooting games and on-site camping is available to all. 

The estimated economic impact of hosting this event in Menomonie is $238,500.

For more information contact Bruce Olson at 715.233.1281.

Eau Claire – The 44th Annual Eau Claire Classic Fastpitch Softball Tournament will be held at Carson Park in Eau Claire July 17-18, with a new twist for 2010.  In the past, adult men’s teams have competed in the tournament, but this year’s event will feature top-level girl’s fastpitch teams from around Wisconsin and Minnesota. 

28 teams in three age groups (10U, 12U, and 14U) will be competing throughout the weekend.  Games will be played at Bollinger Fields and Gelein Field in Carson Park.  The tournament will begin Saturday and Sunday at 8:00am with championship games taking place in the afternoon on Sunday. 

Admission is free and concessions are available, including the famous “Fury Gyro!”

The estimated economic impact of hosting this event in the area is $108,000.

For more information contact Jodi Thesing-Ritter at 715.828.7221or ecfastpitch@gmail.com.

Eau Claire – Boyd Park will host the U.S. National Kubb Championship July 17th, 2010 put on by Wisconsin Kubb.  This tournament – the largest of its kind outside of Europe, and the fifth largest in the world – will feature a full field of 64 teams (approximately 140 people) from eight states.  Games will begin at 9:30am with round robin matches, with a single elimination round starting at 1:30pm.  All teams are guaranteed five matches with the top teams competing for the championship beginning at 4:30pm.  Awards will be presented to the top three. 

The yard game Kubb was born in Sweden and is played throughout Europe. Played primarily in the Nordic countries, Kubb can now be found around the world with tournaments in Europe and now in the U.S.A. The two goals of Wisconsin Kubb are to unite and foster better and more meaningful relationships in our communities and spread Swedish and Nordic culture.

All proceeds from this tournament will benefit the Girls on the Run program in Eau Claire County and refugees from Darfur, Sudan through USA for UNHCR which provides survival kits for refugees from Darfur, Sudan.

This is a spectator friendly event will also feature food, music and entertainment.  Event t-shirts will also be available for $10. 

The estimated economic impact of hosting this event in Eau Claire is $40,500.For more information contact Eric Anderson at 715.830.0122.

The 12th Annual Chippewa Valley Volkswagen Classic will be held on June 18th-19th, 2010 at the Eau Claire County Expo Center.  This show will feature approximately 100 vehicles.  On Friday night at 7:00 PM there will be a car cruise throughout the area beginning at the Expo grounds for those participating in the event.  Saturday morning registration will be held from 9:00 AM to noon, with the show and swap meet from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM.  Awards for the top 25 cars will take place at 2:00 PM.   

Spectators are welcome with a minimum $2.00 donation – all proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society.  This event will include vendors selling VW products.  Concessions, contests, door prizes, and kids games will also be available throughout the day.

The estimated economic impact of hosting this event in the Eau Claire area is $40,500.

For more information contact Larry Simmons at 715-878-4835, or cvvwclub@yahoo.com.

Rome, Italy – The US Boomerang Team, featuring Dan Johnson from Eau Claire, WI recently competed in the World Boomerang Championships in Rome, Italy.  The group, which competed from May 28-June 7, 2010 won first place in the team competition, and claimed the Boomerang World Cup for the first time in the history of the US Boomerang Association, formed in 1980.

From the crudely built non-returning hunting wooden stick to the fast-paced, carbon fiber returning boomerangs of today, boomerang throwing has come a long way. Modern day boomerang throwing as a new age American sport was born after Ben Ruhe began to lead boomerang throwing workshops in conjunction with the work he was doing with the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and National Museum of Natural History in 1969.  The sport is practiced worldwide, with team and individual world championships held every two years.

The World Championships (referred to also as the World Cup) competition is the ultimate tournament that brings together teams from across the world to compete in team and individual competitions.  Recent World Championships have been held in Japan, France, Australia, New Zealand, and Germany.

The World Champion US Boomerang Team will be in Eau Claire August 5-8, 2010 as the Eau Claire Area Sports Commission hosts the US Boomerang Association National Tournament & Expo at the Eau Claire Soccer Park.

Individual competition consists of the following events:

Accuracy, Trick Catch, Fast Catch, Endurance, Maximum Time Aloft (MTA), Australian Round, and Long Distance.

Team competition consists of the following events (4 players per team):

Team Relay, Team Endurance Relay, Team Supercatch, Team Accuracy, Team Trick Catch, Team MTA, and Team Australian Round.

For more information contact Don Monroe at 520.975.7371.

Eau Claire, WI – The Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association will be hosting the 73rd Annual Wisconsin State Truck Driving Championships at Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire on Friday, June 11th and Saturday, June 12th.

Approximately 75 drivers will participate in the written and on-course competitions. The written test will be given on Friday evening and evaluates their knowledge of the industry, regulations pertinent to safe driving, and the facts of first aid and firefighting. The six-problem obstacle course run on Saturday will test drivers in backing, parking, turning and stopping maneuvers.

The driving competition begins at 7:15 a.m. The classes of competition are the Twin Trailer Class, 5 Axle Tank, 5 Axle Sleeper Flatbed, 5 Axle Sleeper Birth, 5 Axle Van, 4 Axle Van, 3 Axle Van, Straight Truck and Step Vans. The contestants will also compete in a pre-trip inspection competition that shows a driver’s experience in detecting planted defects on equipment.

Winners will be announced at an awards banquet at the Plaza Hotel & Suites at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Awards will be given for the first, second and third place in each class of competition. The winners in each class will go on to compete in a national truck driving competition. Awards for Rookie of the Year and Pre-trip Inspection also will be presented. Companies with two or more driver contestants will compete for a Team Trophy.

All contestants who compete must have worked for their company for at least one year and be clear of accidents for 12 months prior to the competition.

For more information contact Susan Webb at 608-833-8200, ext 12.

Tourism continues to provide a significant economic benefit to the Chippewa Valley. In 2009, visitors spent $317 million in the region. Visitors include those traveling to the area for pleasure, on business, or for meetings and sporting tournaments.

The visitor spending breakdown for the three counties comprising the Chippewa Valley is: Chippewa County - $94 million; Dunn County - $49 million; and Eau Claire County - $174 million. Of the 72 Wisconsin counties, Eau Claire County is ranked 19 highest in visitor spending. 

Visitor spending benefits many Chippewa Valley businesses and retail shopping continues to represent the largest expenditure category. In 2009, the breakdown by category was: shopping – 30%; food – 27%; recreation – 22%; lodging – 13%; transportation – 8%.

Since 2000, visitor spending in the Chippewa Valley has increased 12%, from $284 million in 2000 to $317 million in 2009.

Statewide, visitor spending generated $12.092 billion in 2009. 

The tourism industry in the Chippewa Valley also directly supported 4,354 jobs and generated $38.89 million in State Government Revenue in 2009, providing additional economic impact through employment.

Tourism economic impact statistics are taken from the annual Economic Impact of Expenditures by Travelers on Wisconsin report compiled by Davidson-Peterson Associates for the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.

For more information, contact Visit Eau Claire at 715-831-2345.

Visit Eau Claire will hold a press conference on Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 10:00 AM to announce the 2009 Visitor Spending Numbers for the Eau Claire Area.  The press conference will be held at the Visit Eau Claire office at 4319 Jeffers Road in Eau Claire. 

Visit Eau Claire will also be unveiling their Mobile Visitor Center at that time.  In early 2009 Visit Eau Claire closed their walk-in visitor center, due to trends of online research prior to traveling to a destination.  Visit Eau Claire chose to shift their resources away from the traditional walk-in visitor center model into a series of strategies targeted at reaching visitors where they are; online and at area festivals, events and attractions.  The Mobile Visitor Center will be manned by Visit Eau Claire staff and interns.  These individuals will be available to answer questions, hand out maps and information, and run contests and giveaways.  Inside, there will be flat screen TVs running videos about the area, as well as laptops for visitor use.  The Center will be at many events this summer including the Chippewa Valley Air Show, Country Jam, Gus Macker, the downtown Farmer’s Market and more!

Visit Eau Claire will also be hosting an open house for the public on Wednesday, May 12 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.  Local residents and visitors are encouraged to stop by and tour the Mobile Visitor Center, which will be set up on the west side of the building, on the southeast corner of Highway 312/North Crossing and Jeffers Road.

For more information, contact Kristen Hartzel at 715-831-2345.

The National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) held its annual Sports Event Symposium on April 13-15, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio.  The conference included the recognition of 27 graduates of the Certified Sports Event Executive (CSEE) Program.

The Certified Sports Event Executive (CSEE) Program, open only to NASC members, is a continuing education program providing participants with cutting edge knowledge increasing their efficiency and effectiveness in the sports event industry while enabling them to earn the designation of “Certified Sports Event Executive”.

Michael Strubel, of Visit Eau Claire and the Eau Claire Area Sports Commission recently completed this program. 

The National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) is non-profit, 501(c)3, membership based association and the sports event industry’s leading networking organization.  Founded in 1992, the NASC represents nearly 500 organizations, including 350 cities across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.  The NASC provides networking and professional development opportunities to sports industry leaders and executives. 

Members include organizations that attract sporting events to their community (i.e. sports commissions and convention and visitors bureaus), event owners, and vendors and suppliers to the sports event industry. 

For more information, contact Pam Haller at 715-831-2345.

As part of our always growing online marketing initiative, Visit Eau Claire is now offering a unique and innovative program for our members; the Treat + Tweet.  A Treat + Tweet is an electronic Open House featuring a Treat (food and beverages) and a request to Tweet (post a review on twitter) about the amenities of the sponsoring business refreshments, setting, ambience, staff and more.  There is no cost for to attend these events… just provide your electronic review during the event.  The Treat + Tweet is a great opportunity for the community to become familiar with a business and for a business to promote themselves through a different medium!

Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?  Receive updates to your email or by text message to your phone.  According to online statistics, Twitter has grown year-over-year by 500% and is in the top three social networks used on mobile phones.   

Visit Eau Claire is a regional destination marketing and management organization dedicated to the recruitment of visitors to the Eau Claire Area. In 2008, tourism generated $329 million and 4,432 full-time equivalent jobs in the Eau Claire area with spending supporting multiple area businesses including shopping, recreation, food, lodging and transportation.

For more information, contact Pam Haller at 715-831-2345.

The Eau Claire Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is accepting grant applications from non-profit organizations through the semi-annual Tourism and Cultural Arts grant programs. 

The Tourism Grant is intended to encourage tourism development and promotion through events that will generate overnight stays and/or extend visitor stays while creating a positive image of the Eau Claire area. It is appropriate for new and expanding festivals, sports tournaments, conventions, or other special events.

The Cultural Arts Grant is intended to enhance the enjoyment and understanding of arts and culture in the region. Proposals may include performing arts, visual media, literary arts, folk art, festivals, artist series, cultural programs for grades K-12, cultural traditions, or public art programs. 

Grant applications are accepted twice each year on April 15 and November 15. 

Complete grant guidelines as well as application forms for both Tourism and Cultural Arts grants are available by calling the Eau Claire Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at (715) 831-2345 or by clicking HERE!

Fish Farmers from Wisconsin and around the Midwest will be coming together for the 15th Annual Wisconsin Aquaculture Conference to share ideas – “We’re Fresh and Local” on March 19-20, 2010 at the Ramada Inn in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. With the current economic strains on businesses, Wisconsin aquaculturists are meeting to help each other solve problems and promote aquaculture.

The 15th Annual Wisconsin Aquaculture Conference will feature sessions on aquaponics, marketing, pond management, research, health/fish management, regulations, and species breakout groups. Returning again will be Dani Klontz for the ever popular Fish Cooking Demonstration. Included will be a Trade Show for vendors to show off the newest and latest in aquaculture equipment and services, displays of aquaculture research projects and the Third Annual Wisconsin School Aquaculture Poster, which will be judged on Friday afternoon. Cheryl O’Brien, the 62nd Alice in Dairyland, will give a talk on Wisconsin Aquaculture. There will also be a Silent Auction with proceeds going for Future Farmers of America SAE Aquaculture Grant, Aquaculture School Poster Contest and support of the Aquaculture industry. One of the highlights each year is the time participants spend networking and gaining insight from one another and experienced farmers.

The two-day event will be held at the Ramada Inn, 205 South Barstow Street, Eau Claire, WI. This is the largest aquaculture conference in the region and more than 125 people are expected to attend this year’s conference, coming from not only Wisconsin but surrounding states as well. Members of the public who are interested in aquaculture are also encouraged to attend. There will also be a preconference workshop on Regulatory Rules - at the same location on March 18 at 1:00 pm. 

Sponsors of the Wisconsin Aquaculture Conference 2010 include Wisconsin Aquaculture Association, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility, University of Wisconsin – Madison/Aquaculture Program, University of Wisconsin Extension, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection.

Who should attend: Current and prospective fish farmers with an interest in finding answers to questions concerning business operations and issues, culture techniques, and aquaculture research, people who want to learn about aquaculture, aquaponics, aquaculture researchers, veterinarians, extension agents, agriculture and natural resource technicians and any member of the public interested in Wisconsin aquaculture. 

Cost: Conference registration is $100 per person ($130 for non-Wisconsin Aquaculture Association members), $85 for additional person same organization, $65 for spouse of an attendee, and $65 for students. The daily rate is $70 for Friday or Saturday. There is an additional $25 late fee after March 4, 2010. There is a separate charge for the Regulatory Rules Workshop on March 18th of $15.

Location: Ramada Inn 205 South Barstow Street, Eau Claire, WI 54701. To make reservations call the Ramada Inn directly at 800-950-6121 with booking code – Aquaculture Conference.

Contacts: To register for the conference and for a conference brochure with lodging information, contact Cindy Johnson, Wisconsin Aquaculture Association, 715-373-2990 or email Cindy@WisconsinAquaculture.com. You may also register online at www.WisconsinAquaculture.com, and click on “Shop Now”, “Product Category”, “Events and Seminars”. For additional conference information contact Ron Johnson, Aquaculture Outreach Specialist at 715-779-3189.

Interviews: There will be photo opportunities and time available for an interview with Cheryl O’Brien, the 62nd Alice in Dairyland, following her talk on Friday, March 19.  Interviews with WAA officers and industry leaders can be arranged.

More than 500 figure skaters, ranging in age from 5 to 55 years, will be participating in the Eau Claire Figure Skating Competition March 12-14 at the newly renovated Hobbs Ice Arena in Eau Claire.

The competition is hosted by the Eau Claire Figure Skating Club and will include skaters from Minnesota and Wisconsin, including 35 entrants from the Eau Claire club.

Competition on Friday and Saturday will include individual events in Free Skating, Short Program, Compulsory Moves, Jumps, Spins, and Artistic Skating. It also includes Championship events in the Intermediate division. Medals for first through fifth place will be given in all events.  

Competition on Sunday is the Synchronized Team Skating. This is the fastest growing figure skating event and is expected to become a new Olympic event. The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Goldenettes and the Eau Claire FSC The Golden Edge will both be competing in the Synchronized Team Skating.

Event times are Friday from 2:00– 7:30 pm; Saturday from 8 am – 7 pm; and Sunday from 9:00 am – 12:30 pm.

Admission is free on Friday and Saturday. Admission for Sunday’s Synchronized Team Skating competition is $2.00 for adults and free for children 12 and under. Concessions will be available.

The Eau Claire Area Convention & Visitors Bureau estimates the economic impact of this event at $135,000.

The Eau Claire Figure Skating Club was founded in 1978 to encourage instruction, practice and advancement in all types of figure skating. Club members can compete in state, regional, sectional, national and international competitions throughout the year.

The Eau Claire County Expo Center and Lowes Creek County Park will host the 4th Annual Rumble in the Jungle Snowshoe Race.  New this year, the United States Snowshoe Association (USSA) has named this event a Regional Qualifier for its national event series.  This race will be one of five regionals in the North Central Region in 2010 and participants will be competing for a chance to qualify for the National Championships.  Event Organizers expect approximately 200 participants.  The single-track course at Lowes Creek County Park will be used for competitive and non-competitive races of varying lengths.  The race will begin and end at the Eau Claire County Expo Grounds.

Registration will run from 9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.  The Mascot & Children’s Race will begin at 10:45 a.m. with the 10K beginning at 11:00 a.m. and the 5K beginning at 11:10 a.m.  Entry Fee is $15/advance, $20/race day for adults and $5.00 for children 12 and under.  Registration can be done online at www.active.com or at www.visiteauclaire.com.

Estimated economic impact to the Eau Claire area is $54,000. 

For more information, contact Mark Blaskey at 715-829-8700.

The 25th Northern Wisconsin Deer Classic & Ice Fishing Show will be held January 29-31 in Eau Claire at the Eau Claire Indoor Sports Center, 3456 Craig Road.

The three day show features events for hunting and sporting enthusiasts of all ages.  Popular family activities will include an electronic shotgun trapshooting game, trout fishing pond, laser shot shooting gallery, archery instruction and shooting for kids, a fish filleting demonstration and contest and much more.

Seminars are free and offered all three days. Topics will include: hunting, ice fishing, turkey hunting, food plot development and much more. Featured speakers include Pat Reeve and Nicole Jones, stars of the TV show, “Driven 24/7”, Jim Hudson from the Ice Team Pro Staff and Rick Koziel, Director of Beaver Creek Reserve in Fall Creek and many others.  Also appearing and entertaining with his amazing archery skills will be the man known as “The Aspirin Buster”, Frank Addington. 

Attendees are encouraged to bring their Whitetail antlers, shed antlers, or bear skulls to be measured and scored. Trophies and ribbons will be awarded in 33 classes in a ceremony on Sunday beginning at 2 pm. All antlers and skulls must be registered before noon on Sunday. 

Friday night is family night with door prizes for the first 100 families, free admission for children age 12 and under, and discounted adult admission of $9.  The show is also offering $1.00 off the ticket price all weekend for anyone bringing at least two cans of food for the Salvation Army Food Shelf.  The food shelf discount is good all three days of the show.

Saturday and Sunday admission is $10 for adults, $6 for children 6-12 years, and free for children under five years of age.  Hours are 3:00 pm – 10:00 pm on Friday; 9:00 am – 6:00 pm on Saturday; and 10:00 am – 4:00 pm on Sunday.

For more information on the Northern Wisconsin Deer Classic and Sport Show, including a complete list of seminars, visit www.deer-expo.com or call Hugh Price at 763-746-2656.

The Eau Claire Ski Club invites you to join them for two K90 ski jumping tournaments on Friday, January 22nd and Saturday, January 23rd at Silver Mine Hill in Eau Claire.  Both events are USSA sanctioned and part of the “Five Hills Tour”.  Athletes from Norway, Finland, Poland and Russia will join US Jumpers in this series of Tournaments at Eau Claire, WI; Ishpeming, MI; Chicago, IL; Minneapolis, MN; and Westby, WI.  Also expected are members from the USSA Women’s Ski Jumping Team including reigning Women’s World Ski Jumping Champion, Lindsey Van from Park City, Utah.  Also enjoy two bonfires, a beer tent, Flying Eagles concessions, $1 snowmobile rides and the Hall of Fame Dance at America's Best Value Inn Saturday at 8:00 p.m.

Advanced admission buttons are available at Airtec Sports, Bridge Stop Convenience Stores, Dooley’s Pub, Eau Claire Energy Cooperative, Festival Foods, Prestige Auto, Ray’s Place, Spring Street Sports and Visit Eau Claire until Friday, January 22nd at noon.  Admission for the weekend is $6.00 in advance and $10.00 at the gate; age 12 and under are free.

For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit www.ec-skiclub.com or call Dan Mattoon at 715-577-4114.

The 2010 Eau Claire Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Dinner will be held on Monday, February 1st at The Florian Gardens in Eau Claire. Silent auction and social will begin at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 7:00 p.m.  The guest speaker will be Harmon Killebrew.  Killebrew "Killer" is second only to Babe Ruth in American League home runs & retired as the career leader in home runs by a right-handed batter.  He hit an astounding 573 career round-trippers.  Killebrew is also a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

This event includes a silent auction, raffles, baseball memorabilia and displays.  Hall of Fame Inductees include: Andy Pafko and Eau Claire Natives in Minor Leagues.

Tickets are available at EC Parks & Recreation at Hobbs Ice Center, 915 Menomonie Street in Eau Claire.  Tickets are $55.00 per person or $440.00 per table. 

For more information or to purchase tickets, call Patti Keske at 715-839-5032.

The Eau Claire Chamber Orchestra will present its annual free Family concert at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 23 at Memorial High School, 2225 Keith Street.

The concert will feature the world premiere of My Name is Pinocchio by Michael Cunningham, professor emeritus of music at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.  ECCO will also perform Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Peter Hesterman, based on the book of the same name by Verna Aardema.

The Memorial High School Orchestra will also perform with ECCO as part of the program.  Soma Pierce-Smit directs the high school orchestra and is also ECCO’s principal second violinist.  

Members of the Eau Claire Children’s Theatre will provide animation for the Hesterman piece, according to Ivar Lunde, ECCO’s music director.  “This piece was first presented by ECCO in 2003, and we are repeating that successful performance this year,” Lunde said.

The Cunningham world premiere will be narrated by Ryan Liddell, a student at North High School. Paul Gilbertson, choir director at North High School for the past 19 years, will narrate the Hesterman piece. Dan Julson, a member of ECCO’s trumpet section, will conduct the Cunningham and Hesterman compositions. 

Lunde said that “ECCO is particularly pleased to present the world premiere of Michael Cunningham’s new version of the Pinocchio story, originally made so famous by Walt Disney’s film.  This is a piece that will be enjoyed both by the young and by older audience members.”

Lunde also noted that “the collaboration between the Memorial High School Orchestra and ECCO illustrates the chamber orchestra’s outreach philosophy.  For this program, the entire Memorial Orchestra will join ECCO in performing the first movement from Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2.”

Cunningham, who retired from UW-Eau Claire in 2006, is the former coordinator of the theory division in the Music and Theatre Arts Department.  Hesterman has been on the music faculty at Eastern Illinois University since 1978 and is currently director of the Music Theory and Composition division and coordinator of the M.A. in Music program.

Admission to the concert is free, as part of ECCO's service to the Chippewa Valley community.  The concert is underwritten in part by Xcel Energy, RBC Wealth Management and Visit Eau Claire, with additional contributions by the Clear Water Kiwanis Club of Eau Claire and the AnnMarie Foundation. 

The chamber orchestra is featured on Community Television’s analog Channel 96 and digital channel 993 in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls (and many other area communities) each Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., and at 6:30 p.m. on Fridays.  The current program previews the Jan. 23 Family Concert and features a conversation with Cunningham and Lunde.  The CTV program is hosted by Tom Barland.  

The next performance of ECCO’s 12th season will be on Feb. 20th, and will feature collaborative participation by musicians from Grace Lutheran Church, commemorating the church’s 100th anniversary.

For more information, please contact Ivar Lunde, Jr. at 838-8890. 

Visit Eau Claire is accepting grant applications from non-profit organizations through the semi-annual Tourism and Cultural Arts grant programs. 

The Tourism Grant is intended to encourage tourism development and promotion through events that will generate overnight stays and/or extend visitor stays while creating a positive image of the Eau Claire area. It is appropriate for new and expanding festivals, sports tournaments, conventions, or other special events.

The Cultural Arts Grant is intended to enhance the enjoyment and understanding of arts and culture in the region. Proposals may include performing arts, visual media, literary arts, folk art, festivals, artist series, cultural programs for grades K-12, cultural traditions, or public art programs.

Grant applications are accepted twice each year on November 15 and April 15. November grant awards will be determined and grantees notified by December 15. Since November’s date falls on a Sunday, applications will be accepted through Monday, November 16.

 
Complete grant guidelines as well as application forms for both Tourism and Cultural Arts grants are available by calling Visit Eau Claire at (715) 831-2345 or at www.visiteauclaire.com by clicking “Living Here”.

Visit Eau Claire’s website, www.visiteauclaire.com has won a 2009 WebAward for Outstanding Achievement in Web Development by the Web Marketing Association in the Travel category.  Risdall Marketing Group, Visit Eau Claire’s design agency, submitted the website to the competition, which included entries from around the world.  The website was a collaboration between Visit Eau Claire, Risdall Marketing Group and Eau Claire, WI based website development company, SitePro.com.  Risdall Marketing Group did the design work for the website and SitePro.com provides the content management system and programming. 

More than 300 travel websites competed in this category, with www.visiteauclaire.com receiving Outstanding Achievement in Web Development along with Explore Georgia, Travel Juneau and others.  Visit Eau Claire beat out websites such as Travel Hong Kong, Visit London and Triporati, Inc.

According to www.webaward.org, since 1997 the Web Marketing Associations annual WebAward Competition has been setting the standard of excellence for website development.  The WebAward Competition is the premier award recognition program for web developers and marketers worldwide.  

For more information, contact Pam Haller at 715-831-2345

Eau Claire, WI – As a continuing part of Visit Eau Claire’s online marketing initiative, www.visiteauclaire.com is going mobile!  You can now access the website from any handheld device (i.e. Blackberry, iPhone) quickly and easily at www.visiteauclaire.mobi.  According to MobiManage.com “More Internet enabled mobile devices will be sold this year than PCs and Laptops combined. According to Microsoft, by 2011 the average person’s first experience with the internet will be on a mobile device”.  As more and more people are using their handhelds to get information, it is important to connect with the visitor.  This new, additional site will bring tourist information directly to the traveler quickly and conveniently.  VisitEauClaire.mobi will bring the information to them in a more data driven format to help locate hotels, restaurants and things to do in a quick and efficient manner.

For more information, contact Pam Haller at 715-831-2345.   

Chippewa Valley, WI – Tourism continues to provide a significant economic benefit to the Chippewa Valley. In 2008, visitors spent $329 million in the region. Visitors include those traveling to the area for pleasure, on business, or for meetings and sporting tournaments.

The visitor spending breakdown for the three counties comprising the Chippewa Valley is: Chippewa County - $99 million; Dunn County - $53 million; and Eau Claire County - $177 million. Of the 72 Wisconsin counties, Eau Claire County is ranked 19 highest in visitor spending. 

Visitor spending benefits many Chippewa Valley businesses and retail shopping continues to represent the largest expenditure category. In 2008, the breakdown by category was: shopping – 30%; food – 27%; recreation – 22%; lodging – 13%; transportation – 8%.

Since 2000, visitor spending in the Chippewa Valley has increased 16%, from $284 million in 2000 to $329 million in 2008.

Statewide, visitor spending generated $13.116 billion in 2008. 

The tourism industry in the Chippewa Valley also directly supported 4,432 jobs and generated $40.2 million in State Government Revenue in 2008, providing additional economic impact through employment.

Tourism economic impact statistics are taken from the 20th annual Economic Impact of Expenditures by Travelers on Wisconsin report compiled by Davidson-Peterson Associates for the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.

For more information, contact Visit Eau Claire at 715-831-2345.

As part of an online marketing initiative, Visit Eau Claire is now on  Twitter!  What is Twitter?  Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co-workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question:  What are you doing?  Receive updates to your email or by text message to your phone.  Visit Eau Claire joined Twitter a week ago and is now being followed by 50 people.  You too can follow Visit Eau Claire by clicking here!

According to online statistics, in the United States 72.5% of the population uses the internet.  This number has grown 130.9% from 2000-2008.  By utilizing this popular social media site, Visit Eau Claire has the opportunity to reach out to a larger number of visitors.

Visit Eau Claire is a regional destination marketing and management organization dedicated to the recruitment of visitors to the Eau Claire Area.  in 2007, tourism generated $315 million and 6,806 full-time equivalent jobs in the the Eau Claire Area with spending supporting multiple area businesses including shopping, recreation, food, lodging and transportation. 

For more information, contact Pam Haller at 715-831-2345.

The City of Eau Claire has been chosen as one of Ten Affordable Places to Retire, according to US News and World Report.  To find affordable places to retire US News and World Report used their Best Places to Retire search tool, www.usnews.com/directories/retirement.  According to writer Emily Brandon, the most weight was given to affordable housing.  Every city on the list has a median home price below $150,000.  They also chose places that offer access to arts and culture, sports, health care and other amenities that retirees want and need in a retirement location.  College towns like Eau Claire generally offer a lot of amenities for the money.

To view the article, visit www.usnews.com/articles/business/retirement/2009/03/26/10-affordable-places-to-retire.html.

For more information, contact Pam Haller at 715-831-2345.