Volume One

Music Events Daughtry Will Play Pablo Center During 20th Anniversary Tour Daughtry will return to the Chippewa Valley on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2027, as part of the multi-award-winning band's “20 Years Unplugged” tour. Announced today, Sept. 29, locals will have their second chance in about as many years to see the modern rock outfit perform closer to home – this time, at the Pablo Center at the Confluence (128 Graham Ave., Eau Claire).

ISLAND FLAVORS IN CHIPPEWA FALLS. Northshore Poké opened at Market On River (128 River St., Chippewa Falls) in early September thanks to locals Paul Her (pictured), AnuTye Riley Her and Kao Moua Her. Chippewa Falls' only poké-specific eatery, owners say the riverside town has excitedly welcomed them.

PERFECT FOR YOUR POT OR PORCH. Mums are as easy on the eyes as they are the pocket, offering bursts of color from rich purples and reds to yellows and bronzes. As you trade out your summertime florals for fall decor, consider this favorite. (Photo via Down to Earth Garden Center) Right now, Midwesterners are trading their lush green gardens and annual plants for corn stalks, pumpkins and pots of chrysanthemums.

Perhaps you've seen a dark shape looming on street corners? Maybe headlights peering out from a shadowed cemetery? Strange lights when crossing a bridge? Like an ominous cloud on the horizon, The Chippewa River Trolley Co.'s Eau Claire Dark History Tour is back to haunt the city streets of Eau Claire – and to cast a light on the dark stories buried in its past. Since its inception in 2023, the Eau Claire Dark History Tour has been an unmissable part of each year's spookiest season.

Style Entrepreneurship Local Skater Brand Gives Apparel 'One More Try' TRY IT, YOU'LL LIKE IT. A new skateboarding brand, One More Try, was recently brought to life by local Gabe Brummett – a core member of the Eau Claire Skateboarders Association. His goal: make products for locals who don’t give up "until we land it the way we want." Currently, the retail-driven business offers skate decks, apparel (T-shirt pictured), stickers and more.

THERE'S STILL MORE WORK TO DO. Geri Segal, pictured, led the local Family Support Center for more than half of the nonprofit's 44-year history. While Segal will eventually retire from her executive director position, she continues to serve in a part-time outreach role. (Submitted photo) Geri Segal led the Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire Family Support Center (FSC) for 28 years – more than half of the FSC’s existence – before announcing her retirement this past June. On Oct.

UPWARDS & ONWARDS. The YMCA of the Chippewa Valley saw a 27% increase in membership in 2025, according to its annual report. From wellness programs like LIVESTRONG and Pedaling with Parkinson's to youth and adult sports leagues, food programs and more, the YMCA's impact across the wider community is clear.

FOUR DECADES OF FUN. Regional country music festival Hoofbeat already announced its leading musical acts – Rascal Flatts and Parker McCollum – for the 2027 event, slated for June 24-26 next summer. On Sept. 24, fest organizers unveiled the complete musical lineup. Next summer, longtime country music festival Hoofbeat will celebrate its "40 Years Wild" anniversary in the Chippewa Valley – an occasion that will pay homage to the festival's early years, founded in the late 1980s.

FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS. Founded in 2016, the Stand in the Light Memory Choir is celebrating its decade milestone with special shows later this year, and a forthcoming book, With Jubilant Song. (Photo via Facebook) The Stand in the Light Memory Choir is celebrating its 10th anniversary season this fall. The 83-member choir is comprised of people in the early to mid-stages of memory change, their care partners and volunteers – all coming together to share a love of music and singing.

Volume One contributor and "grandparent fill-in," Pam Anderson. (Submitted photo) Ever since my own two children left the nest well over a decade ago, I’ve had an overabundance of love to give. I am a teacher by trade, so I have always had lots of young people in front of me to care for. But when I retired, the void was real – I was experiencing grandparent-fever well before my time.