Steering away from repetition, Justin Vernon has opted to perform as Bob Dylan rather than reviving Bon Iver. His idea is to turn Bon Iver into Bob Dylan, called Bon Dylan, at the Eaux Claires Festival this summer. Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival was founded by Justin Vernon, along with Aaron Dessner of The National. The original run was from 2015 through 2018, and has been on hiatus since. It was announced in 2025 that the festival will return. This year’s festival takes place from July 24 to July 25, 2026.
Justin Vernon is best known for forming Bon Iver, originally as a solo project, in 2006. Their first release, For Emma, Forever Ago, was independently released in 2007. It contained the cult classic, “Skinny Love,” and was recorded during three months of isolation in a cabin in western Wisconsin. Bon Iver won two Grammys for their second studio album, titled Bon Iver. One for Best Alternative Music Album, and another for Best New Artist. They have released a total of five albums and were nominated for another Grammy in 2020. Their most recent release in 2025, titled SABLE, fABLE, was released following a hiatus as Justin Vernon has stepped away from touring.
Bon Dylan will perform on July 24th at Carson Park in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Other performers that evening include Aimee Mann performing Bachelor No. 2, Bizhiki, Black Sabbath Cover Band Rehearsal, Hotline TNT, Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Kevin Morby, Monica Martin, and The Union featuring Phil Cook.
The second night of performers includes Daniel Caesar, Dijon, Gash, Gully Boys, Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore, Larry Goldings Trio featuring David Piltch and Beth Goodfellow, Lil Yachty, Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas, and Urban Classic Presents Revelation: A Representation of the Minneapolis Sound.
Justin Vernon Detailed The Bon Dylan Plans In a Recent Post
In a recent post on the Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival Instagram Page, Vernon released a teaser video. In the video, he details the thought process that went against bringing Bon Iver back, and instead pursuing a Bob Dylan route. Vernon tells the story of the festival’s revival, stating, “It was about a year ago, Bob Dylan came to town. I went with my dad and about 16 of my friends. I’ve lived here for 44 years, and it’s been too long to remember since the town felt that together. So we thought, we better get the festival back going.”
Vernon went on to explain, “Then the question of whether Bon Iver should play or not, it was on the table. Here’s what I’ll say… I haven’t felt much like being what I’ve been. So I thought it’d be cool to try to be Bob Dylan for a night. Trying to turn Bon into Bob.” Vernon will transform into Bob Dylan from 1994, performing songs for every era of Dylan. It’s an ambitious feat, taking the idea of a cover band and turning it into a continuation of his own work at the same time.
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