Blue Ox Music Festival

The first thing to keep in mind if you’re camping with your RV to Blue Ox is that you may have to level your site; those gorgeous views of the great outdoors have their downsides. Even if you’ve splashed out for an electric site, you’ll have to do without water hookups, but fortunately, all campsites have access to running water, and all, bar the unreserved tent camping area, have access to showers. RV sites at most campsites have a length limit of 30 feet; if your rig is longer than that, you’ll have to grab yourself an electric site.

The area around Eau Claire is famed for its forests, waterfalls, and lakes, and the hiking and fishing attract outdoorsy types year-round. This means that there are plenty of alternative camping options locally. You can choose anything from bare-bones sites surrounded by trees to full-service RV parks and cabin rentals.

Golf carts, bikes, and power scooters are all banned at Blue Ox, so the only real way to get around the festival is on foot. Fortunately, even with three stages, the site itself is pretty compact, and nothing is more than a quarter-mile distance away at any point. The festival considers the entire concert area to be ADA accessible, but wheelchair users should be warned that the ground can be rather bumpy.

When packing, keep in mind that June in Wisconsin sees all weathers. You’ll need to bring a waterproof jacket, shorts, sturdy shoes, a broad-brimmed hat, moisture-wicking socks, and sunglasses. You’ll also need to walk everywhere, and you may have to spend a while waiting in line at some point, so make sure the shoes you bring are comfortable as well as waterproof.

There’s no seating of any kind in the concert bowl itself, so a tarp or blanket is essential. You can also bring a lawn chair of any size. As contained fires are allowed in the campgrounds, a camp stove isn’t a necessity, but it never hurts to have one. Despite all the pine trees, shade can be scarce both in the campground and in the concert bowl, so a canopy of some kind is a good idea.

Bring plenty of sunscreen whatever the weather; it’s far better to be safe than have to scramble to find more. Whispering Pines Campground is right next to a lake that attracts all sorts of buzzing, biting critters, so a bottle of hefty bug spray can only be of benefit. Make sure whichever shoes you bring have a good grip, since the concert bowl can get muddy. You won't be able to bring a full water bottle in with you, but there are plenty of water stations dotted around the site. Though there is a first-aid tent, having your own never hurts.

Campfires and cooking fires are allowed in the campgrounds, as long as they’re kept within a metal grid or ring (all other open flames are banned). There is not a store on site, but there are plenty of reasonably priced grocery options in Eau Claire itself. Keep in mind that outside food and beverages are forbidden inside the concert bowl. You’ll need to keep all of your provisions, as well as any alcohol, at base camp.

Eau Claire has a great selection of restaurants to fit almost every taste and budget. The town is home to some yummy high-end Italian cuisine, down-to-earth Mexican and American soul food, and a handful of Asian offerings, as well as some of the best ice cream in the entire state.

Food trucks are definitely a big draw to Blue Ox, and festival-goers can expect everything from fried avocado to barbecue to veggie bowls and wonton tacos. Of course, Wisconsin cheese features pretty heavily on the menu, and the beer tent offers up some of the region’s best brews. It shouldn’t be too hard to find vegan and gluten-free options, and all stalls are open from morning until the end of the events each day.