Annual Events & Festivals - Annual Events

It seems something is always going on in Madison. Summer is like one continuous moveable feast of neighborhood festivals, expos, musical extravaganzas, and Capitol Square events. And winter be damned; when the snow flies Madisonians go outside and have festivals anyway, and in the past have flown kites on a frozen lake.

Annual events include big sporting challenges such as the Ironman Triathlon and Madison Marathon, foodie fests such as The Taste of Madison, or musical celebrations such as Capital City Jazz Fest or the World Music Fest. Be sure not to miss the more unusual moments as well such as the Wisconsin Cow Chip Throw in nearby Prairie du Sac or Brat Fest, an incredible weekendlong gorging of the wurst kind. Wash that down at one of the nation’s best beer fests, August’s Great Taste of the Midwest. Some events become weekly during the summer or between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

The calendar in some cases is a bit loose here. Certain events repeat like clockwork on a designated date or weekend each year while others may not be so predictable. The Madison Marathon is pretty much always going to be Memorial Day Weekend, while an annual music festival might be “sometime in August” or switch months altogether due to conflicting events, changes in sponsorship, or any number of reasons. So it is always good to look ahead and double check dates and ticket availability. For the events held at the Alliant Energy Center it is important to note that parking is on the center’s grounds and in most cases incurs a fee of a few dollars. In cases where it is free, this is noted in the listing.