Tips for Festival-Goers From Blue Ox Organizers
We spoke to three co-founders about the iconic Wisconsin music festival—and got some insider tips for prospective attendees!
Aerial view of the 2021 Blue Ox Music Festival. Photo credit: Ivy Media.
Driving into The Pines Music Park for the Blue Ox Music Festival near Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is like entering another land. The world you know recedes as your car creeps farther along dirt roads winding among towering evergreens. For a few days, you live in a small city of tents, surrounded by friendly strangers and trees and music as far as the eye can see (and the ear can hear).
I’m not an experienced attendee of big multi-day music festivals—in fact, last year was my first time attending Blue Ox—so for all I knew this was normal and expected. But even the organizers, Mark Bischel (whose family owns the campgrounds) and members of Midwest bluegrass band Pert Near Sandstone, agree there’s something different about Blue Ox.
And they’ve seen a lot of festivals—the Bischel family has decades of festival organizing experience, and Pert Near Sandstone have played numerous festivals in the U.S. and Europe. In fact, band member J Lenz and Bischel’s father Jim even conceived of Blue Ox while chatting at a Colorado music festival. I talked with three of the organizers over Zoom to see what they could tell both festival-attending pros and nervous first-timers about coming to the Blue Ox.
2021 Blue Ox Music Festival. Photo credit: Ric Damm Photography.
Defying Expectations for Festival Veterans
What would surprise a seasoned festival-goer the first time they attend Blue Ox? It depends on their experience. “Some people are used to much larger festivals,” Bischel says. “Last year we had a group from Ohio, and they were blown away by how easy it all was. It’s less busy than some larger ones, and everything’s on site. It’s a short walk to get to the main stage. If you want to be right on the rail of the stage, you can pretty much walk up there anytime. For people coming from bigger festivals, it’s refreshingly convenient and easy by comparison.”
Justin Bruhn, bassist in Pert Near Sandstone, agrees. “Some folks have been to events with 10,000 people that are kind of crazy, really druggy, and that’s not the case with ours,” he says. “Everyone 12 and under gets in free at Blue Ox, so it turns into a kid party too at the back of the bowl. We’ve even got a guy who does this huge bubbles thing for them. I know that element exists elsewhere, but it really thrives at Blue Ox.”
2021 Blue Ox Music Festival. Photo credit: Ric Damm Photography.
On the other hand, some attendees might be accustomed to much smaller festivals or ones of similar size, and for them, the surprise is the level of entertainment. “For a festival of our size, we get a lot of national acts on the bill,” Bischel says.
“Yeah, it’s got a big festival bill, but a small festival vibe, which we’re super lucky to have,” Bruhn says.
Sunny War performs at 2021 Blue Ox Music Festival. Photo credit: Ric Damm Photography.
And nearly anyone, from festival newbies to seasoned attendees, is sure to be struck by the venue. “For me, it’s the quality of the land where it happens,” says Nate Sipe, mandolinist in Pert Near Sandstone. “When we first saw the property, we knew it was perfect for a bluegrass festival–the rolling hills, the pine trees for camping and hammocks, the meadow with the pond in the background. It strikes people as very welcoming from the gate and throughout.”
Even with those ideal conditions, the organizers have worked hard to seek and respond to attendee feedback and keep improving and enhancing Blue Ox, now in its seventh in-person year (plus a virtual event in 2020). “Part of it was just building infrastructure,” Bischel says. “Learning the space, learning how to do things more efficiently, dealing with water going where it needs to go in the case of rain.”
They’ve also tried to add more music and lifestyle elements to the festival over the years: the Potluck Pickin’ Place, a dedicated spot for larger jam sessions (giving another option in addition to the spontaneous jams happening all over the campground); a wellness area called the Soul Sanctuary that hosts yoga, meditation and other activities; the Family Stage, offering games, crafts and entertainment; and a disc golf course.
Jam session at 2021 Blue Ox Music Festival. Photo credit: Measha Lea Photography.
Another recent enhancement: bringing daytime sets to the Backwoods Stage, a third, smaller venue tucked in a hollow in the woods. “We added that stage almost as an afterthought to the first Blue Ox,” Bruhn remembers. “The demand from bands to play at the festival was so high, having a stage with late-night sets made sense. Adding daytime shows makes the Backwoods Stage a place to check out more local and regional acts and just chill out.”
It made sense to expand, because the Backwoods Stage has grown in popularity with both attendees and acts over the years. “What's interesting about the late night slots is you think ‘God, who wants to play that?’ but they're actually pretty sought after,” Bruhn says. When weather disrupted the lineup in 2021, they had no trouble finding a willing volunteer to fill the slot. “John Stickley was like ‘Yeah, I’ll take that and play for an hour and a half,’ and he lit it up!”
Backwoods Stage, 2021 Blue Ox Music Festival. Photo credit: Ty Helbach Photography.
Tips for First-Timers
I also asked Bischel, Sipe and Bruhn what they’d tell a newbie to help them have an enjoyable first year at Blue Ox. Together, they came up with a list of tips and tricks for first-time attendees.
Be prepared. It starts with the basics, they all agreed: Bring a hat and sunscreen and drink lots of water. “Bring a refillable vessel,” Bruhn says. “There’s water stations all over.”
Get acclimated. “Before you pop that first beer, take a walk around and try to get your bearings, because the grounds can be kind of confusing for the uninitiated,” Bischel says. (As a former newbie, I also recommend dropping a pin on your campsite on your phone!)
Know the (few) rules. Speaking of beer … “Don't get mad if we ask you to not bring your own beer into the festival bowl,” Bruhn says. “There's not many rules in the Pines, but that’s one of them.” (You can bring and have your own alcohol at your campsite.)
Look to the crowd for clues. “If you're worried about finding the Backwoods Stage in the dark, after the main stage show is done, just follow a stream of people out and you’ll find it,” Bruhn advises.
Know your camping style. “Whether you wanna be rowdy and stay up till dawn or you want to go to bed at a reasonable hour, you have to find the right camping spot.” (Quiet areas are marked on the map.)
Prepare to jam. “Don’t be shy bringing your stringed instrument because everybody's going to be welcoming even if you're a beginner player,” Bruhn says. “If you're feeling timid, just sit on the edge and play lightly at first.”
Don’t sleep on Thursday. “People that are on the fence about coming on Friday or earlier should know, Thursday's always been one of my favorite times to be there. That's when the vibe is perfect,” Bruhn says.
In fact, get there even earlier if possible. “There's people who have been there almost every year and they're going to bee-line for the spot they want,” Bruhn says. “I saw a truck driving around last year, Thursday afternoon before the music, but they were just like oh my God where can we go?” Bischel adds, “There's always space, but it's a matter of whether it's the space that you want.” (I’d add that if you have a reserved campsite or preset tent, you can arrive Wednesday night, which gives you extra time to relax and get oriented to your surroundings before the crowds arrive.)
Know that help is nearby. “Don't feel bashful about asking someone else for help,” says Bischel; “people are pretty willing to be helpful at Blue Ox.”
Like what you hear? Although there’s a 5,000-attendee limit this year, some tickets are still available, but don’t wait too long! Check out the options and maybe we’ll see you at Blue Ox!
Camping at 2021 Blue Ox Music Festival. Photo credit: Measha Lea Photography.
Carol Roth. Photo credit: Dan Lee
Carol Roth is a full-time marketing copywriter and the main music journalist and social media publicist for Adventures in Americana. In addition to studying the guitar and songwriting, Carol’s additional creative side hustle is writing self-proclaimed “trashy” novels under the pseudonym T.A. Berkeley!
