Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon officially announced that he and the National’s Aaron Dessner will curate the first annual Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival. The inaugural event will take place in Vernon’s hometown of Eau Claire, Wisc. between July 17-18 this upcoming summer.

Vernon released a statement about the new festival, which you can read below:

After several years of touring and playing music festivals of all different types around the world, I wanted to put together an event that would honor what we love about this place—including an independent attitude and blaze orange caps—but also shine a light on less familiar and surprising elements that are already weaving themselves into our future.

Having this festival right in my backyard gives me and the guest artists a chance to share familiar work and new creations in a setting close to my heart and different than any other stage in the world. To create this event within view of the Chippewa River—the very river that defines this place—makes it all the more meaningful.

We’re fortunate, because the Chippewa Valley already has a history of great music festivals. Everyone—the city, the county, and the Country Jam folks—has been very supportive. They’re helping us take it beyond music into a celebration of film, art, and things still in the works … just walking around the place is going to be an experience.

Dessner also expressed his enthusiasm for the new festival in his own statement.

“Justin and I have been friends and collaborators for years,” he wrote. “Working together to create and create Eaux Claires is something we’ve been talking about for a long time. To finally see it come together, and to imagine the music, art and community the festival will bring together, is very exciting.”

Early presale tickets for Eaux Claires were released yesterday (Dec. 18) and have already sold out, but there will undoubtedly be plenty of more opportunities to grab tickets. The lineup for the festival will be announced in early 2015.

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