Ahh, summertime…when Eau Claire breaks free of the winter shackles and floods the parks with concerts galore!  Here’s a rundown.

On Monday nights, grab a blanket and take a stroll down to the UWEC Campus for Music on the Mall.  Acts range from folk to blues to some very talented singer songwriters.  Get the complete line up at www.uwec.edu/centers/community/summer/musicMall.htm).

Every Tuesday night you can head down to Owen Park and get your blues fix.  The Chippewa Valley Blues Society is the proud proprietor of the “Blues on the Chippewa.”  This weekly event is the group’s answer to a one day blues festival that seemed to have made an enemy of Mother Nature.  After a few years of fighting with the rain they decided to make a shift to a weekly event and they haven’t looked back since.  There’s also plenty of food to keep your energy up for all of the toe-tapping!

At noon on Wednesdays, head back down to the UWEC Campus Mall to catch some live jazz.  Eau Claire has a rich jazz scene and this is your chance to catch some of the area’s best in their own backyard.  Many of these performers take part in the Eau Claire Jazz Festival in April.  No need to pack a lunch…the grill is always fired up.

Is it Thursday already?  Excellent!  Your family has two GREAT options for outdoor music.  The Eau Claire Municipal Band had been an Eau Claire institution for over 75 years.  Their concerts include show tunes, marches, light classical, and novelty pieces.  If you are looking for more contemporary music on a Thursday night, you can take a walk up the river to Phoenix Park and join the Volume One crew for their “Sounds Like Summer” concert series.This weekly event is fast becoming an Eau Claire tradition as well, so be sure to show up early!

It doesn’t get much better than a warm summer evening and some cool local music.  I’ll see you at the concerts!