16. Return To Tradition Pow-Wow
City: Madison, WI
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (608) 246-6458
Address: 3550 Anderson St.
Description: First celebrated in 1991, this spring pow-wow celebrates Native American culture and tradition with food and educational opportunities as well as the pow-wow itself. Nominal fee. This is typically held on a Sat afternoon in Apr.
17. Varsity Band Spring Concert
City: Madison, WI
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (608) 265-4120
Address: 601 West Dayton St.
Description: Professor Michael Leckrone started this tradition in March 1975 when he put on what was to be a final concert of the year and a little party to follow. Four hundred and fifty people showed up and it was considered big. Now, the three-day annual event sees in excess of 25,000 attendees and features professional lighting and pyrotechnics. Tickets go on sale in Feb.
18. Wisconsin Film Festival
City: Madison, WI
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Description: Documentaries, animation, shorts, feature length-films are what you can expect from this statewide film fest. Directors or other commentators may be on hand for presentations and discussions. Films are voted on by attendees and juries. Venues include various University of Wisconsin locations, the Orpheum Theatre, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Bartell Theater, Majestic Theater, and the Monona Terrace. The festival is presented by the UW–Madison Art Institute and its Department of Communication Arts. Look for the four-day event in early Apr. (The event gets pushed back in the case that the university’s spring break coincides with the early Apr dates.)
City: Madison, WI
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Address: 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way
20. Gallery Night
City: Madison, WI
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (608) 257-0158
Address: 227 State St.
Description: Held twice annually the event allows the public to meet local artists in either their studios or at one of their exhibits. Various galleries and other Madison businesses take part in this and host tours and receptions. Check with the museum or that week’s Isthmus newspaper for information on artists and venues. The other gallery night occurs in Oct.
21. Madison Classic Horse Show
City: Madison, WI
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (608) 267-3976
Address: 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way
Description: Come see the finest American saddlebreds and hackney ponies around in this judged competition. Benefits go to Junior Exhibitor Scholarships and the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation. Parking is free.
City: Madison, WI
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Address: 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way
City: Madison, WI
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
24. University Of Wisconsin Commencement
City: Madison, WI
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (608) 262-3956
Address: 601 West Dayton St.
Description: Though commencement is generally attended by people who have a direct connection to someone participating in it, other Madison visitors need to be aware that every hotel in town is likely to be booked solid. The three-day event (that’s a LOT of students) takes place on a weekend in the middle of May and each round of degree conferral lasts about two hours and is open to the public.
25. Blues Picnic
City: Madison, WI
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Description: The Madison Area Blues Society hosts its annual picnic blues celebration at Warner Park on the north side. Food vendors are on-site and beer is for sale. The event is great for families. Blues Kids is a short workshop to teach kids how to play harmonica and compose songs when their baby done left ‘em. Bring a blanket or chair if you are so inclined. The organizers often host a raffle and promote a food drive for a local food pantry. The event is free.
26. Cows On The Concourse
City: Madison, WI
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Description: Every June, the cows come out on the first Sat to take over a couple of streets just off the Capitol Square. The event, sponsored by Dane County Dairy Promotion Committee, kicks off the statewide June Dairy Month. Pet some cows and their calves, talk to dairy farmers, learn more about the dairy industry and, of course, sample some dairy products such as grilled cheese sandwiches, cream puffs, and some ice-cold milk. Live music is also on the schedule. The event is free.
27. Downtown Works Week
City: Madison, WI
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (608) 261-4747
Description: This weeklong celebration of working downtown offers lunchtime concerts, Madison’s Largest Coffee Break, T’ai Chi, and more. The venues include the Capitol Square, the rooftop at Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison Area Technical College’s downtown campus, and the Overture Center. The event has pages on Facebook and Twitter (@DowntownWorks). Free.
28. Isthmus Jazz Fest On The Terrace
City: Madison, WI
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Description: With Lake Mendota as the backdrop, this two-day festival celebrates jazz in a variety of styles including Dixieland, swing, bebop, Latin jazz, as well as fusion forms. Most of the acts perform on the Union Terrace and attract quite a crowd for the free shows. The headline act, however, is a ticketed event held inside at the Wisconsin Union Theater. Those tickets are on sale at the theater’s box office (www.uniontheater.wisc.edu). UW–Madison students can purchase discounted tickets. The fest takes place around the first weekend in June.
29. Marquette Waterfront Festival
City: Madison, WI
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (608) 241-7143
Description: Set in the park next to where the Yahara River empties into Lake Monona this two-day festival is another popular neighborhood fest. Celebrated since 1990 in mid-June, the fest features a live music stage with nearly a dozen bands, various food and drink vendors (including beer), a co-ed volleyball tournament, and a paddling race on the Yahara. Hayrides and kids’ games, including a fun run for the little ones, are also typically part of the production. Shade is provided by some lovely cottonwoods. Some “warm-up” concerts can be expected one or two days before at a couple of local bar venues. The event is free.
30. Middleton’S Big Event
City: Madison, WI
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (608) 831-6350
Description: The city springs into action with this event. Look for sidewalk sales around Greenway Station and lots of children’s activities such as crafts, games, and face painting. Expect citywide garage sales, live music at multiple venues for a nominal fee, and Taste of Middleton, which features dozens of local restaurants offering sample-size portions of their signature dishes. A fun walk/run, hiking, biking, geocaching, and much more are part of the festivities. Free shuttles work their way around Middleton so it is easy to park and ride through the entire festival. The day ends with fireworks.