Culture

The most local events in Madison, WI

Is it just us, or are you also ready for a 608 season change? It’s the leaves for us. | Photo by @kt0r

You asked, we’re answering. A new and improved 608today events calendar is here.

Or maybe you didn’t realize we even had an events calendar — consider this your ticket to the most fun and relevant events in Madison, including:

Summer Live Jazz Series| Sun., Sept. 11 | 2-4 p.m. | The Cider Farm, 8216 Watts Rd. | Free | Hear a set from artist Carisa + sip on organic ciders made from Wisconsin-grown apples.
All Ages Improv Show| Sat., Sep. 17 | 5:30 p.m. | Harmony Bar & Grill, 2201 Atwood Ave. | Free | This one hour show is packed with fast-paced, short-form improv comedy for the whole family.
UW Cinematheque | Sat., Sep. 17 | 7-8 p.m. | 821 University Ave. | Free | Join the UW community for a screening of director Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Rain People.”
Willy Street Fair 2022 | Sun., Sept. 18 | 5 p.m. | 900-1000 block of Williamson Street | Free | Put on your dancing shoes for this multi-stage weekend music festival with 45 years of history in the 608.
Biergarten and Food Cart Cinema| Sat., Sept. 24 | San Damiano, 4123 Monona Dr., Monona | Free | Two of our favorite things — biergartens and movies — rolled into one night. Bring your blankets, family, friends, and an appetite for live music, good eats, and an evening show.

As Madisonians ourselves, we love making sure that the 608 has access to the most robust, relevant, and hyperlocal events calendar possible. In part, we rely on readers like you to keep us in the loop — start submitting your events now. (Just like before, you can add your event to our calendar for free but we’ve also added a few new paid promotional opportunities to take advantage of as well, starting at just $15.)

In addition to the hundreds of events that you can discover each month on our website, each issue of our newsletter features a dedicated events section, with our curated editorial picks for the upcoming week, organized by day. Keep scrolling just a little bit and you’ll see what we mean. Pro tip: Click the link to see our full calendar if you want to start planning ahead.

Want to know which events we’re most excited about? Your friendly neighborhood City Editors (👋 that’s us, Ryan + Ally) can often be found out and about at the newest restaurant openings, football games, festivals, and fairs — see what we’re up to in the Wrap section at the bottom of each newsletter or by following us on Instagram @608today. Click the button below to bookmark your best events for September. ⤵️

Use the links below to share these free events with family and friends who love exploring this city.

Click here to have your event featured.

Today

Enigma: The Prints of David Lynch | Fri., Sept. 9 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Tandem Press, 1743 Commercial Ave. | Free | View a selection of prints that artist + filmmaker David Lynch created at the Press between 1998 and 2021. 🖼️
Friday Family Films| Fri., Sept. 9 | 5:30 p.m. | Goodman South Madison Library, 2222 S. Park St. | Sit back and enjoy a screening of “Black Panther” with the Madison Public Library community.

Saturday

Badger Bash: Wisconsin vs. Washington State | Sat., Sept. 10 | 12-1 p.m. | Union South, 1308 Dayton St.| Free | Join “gameday’s best tailgate” 2.5 hours before kickoff for sips, bites, and ball sports. 🏈
Forward Madison: Bark in the Park | Sat., Sept. 10 | 7 p.m. | Breese Stevens Field | $20+ | Bring your furry companion out to the match with you (pro tip: purchase the Pup Pack, which includes a ticket for both you and your dog + a Pup Cup treat for your dog). 🐕 *

Sunday

Vibrant Hydrant | Sun., Sept. 11 | 1-3 p.m. | Monona Fire & EMS, 5211 Schluter Rd., Monona | Free | Follow a “parade of hydrants” and see designs commissioned by artists to honor the anniversary of 9/11.
Oakwood Chamber Players Concert | Sun., Sept. 11 | 2-3:30 p.m. | Arts + Literature Laboratory, 111. S. Livingston St. | $20+ | Enjoy an afternoon of chamber music by local artists. 🎶

Last Minute Deal

Wilco | Fri., Sept. 9 | 7:30 p.m. | The Sylvee | Prices vary*

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*

100+ MORE EVENTS

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reAlpha uses AI-driven technology to select + manage properties. | Photo provided by reAlpha

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reAlpha is inviting Madisonians to become shareholders in their entire short-term rental portfolio. Read: potential profit from short-term rental properties without the stress of managing, owning or maintaining. No changing the sheets or dealing with bookings? Sounds good.*

INVEST

MOVE IN

Weather

83º | Sunny | 10% chance of rain ☀️

Development

Let’s get physical. Edgewood College purchased 40 acres of land in Fitchburg which will be home to its new health and wellness facility. With Edgewood College currently utilizing various local facilities, this long-awaited site will house the school’s athletics and recreation spaces + a learning laboratory on the restored native lands. (Channel 3000)
Notice anything new lately? Our newsletter is currently “under construction” (read more about it here), so please bear with us as we fix some of these pesky formatting issues. If you see anything amiss over the next few weeks, please don’t be shy and pass it along. 🚧

Edu

Here’s to you, class of 2026. UW-Madison’s new Chancellor — Jennifer Mnookin — welcomed the largest freshman class in UW-Madison history this week. 8,600 undergraduate students have been inducted as Badgers + now call the Isthmus home. 🎓 (The Cap Times)

Arts

Chazen Museum of Art is welcoming a new exhibit next week presented by the Public History Project. Sifting & Reckoning: UW–Madison’s History of Exclusion and Resistance opens Mon., Sept. 12. This exhibit will allow visitors to learn and engage with some of UW-Madison’s lesser-known history. (Isthmus)

Community

The Madison Police Department is warning locals to be leary during an uptick of scam phone calls in the 608. Scams have been related to missed court dates with requests to pay fines in unorthodox manners. MPD urges anyone to report similar calls to its tip line or call 608-255-2345 to verify. 📱 (NBC 15)

Learn

Guten morgen, Madison. If you’re ready to brush up on that high school German, do it the effective (and fun) way with Babbel. Its speech recognition technology will even help you nail your pronunciation + accent from the get-go. Bonus: Get 55% off your subscription — for a limited time only.*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Food

Friday night fish fry in Madison, WI

Pro tip: You can also get the lager battered cod served as a sandwich with all the same fixings. | Photo by @hubiedoobie

It’s Friday night — what else would you expect us to eat?

The tradition of the Friday night fish fry dates back over half a century in the Dairyland. We cod talk for hours about the history of this dinnertime staple, but we’d rather get into the meat of it.

Here’s what to expect on your plate:

Beer-battered + deep-fried perch, walleye, haddock, cod, or bluegill
Potatoes — french fries, potato pancakes, hash browns, fried potatoes, or baby reds
Crisp coleslaw
A slice of rye bread
Assorted condiments — lemon wedges, malt vinegar, or tartar sauce

Ready to dig in? Check out these eateries for a classic fry.

Pro tip: These offerings are only available on Friday evening, so get a bite while you can.

Settle Down Tavern | 117 S. Pinckney St.
Gates & Brovi | 3502 Monroe St.
The Lone Girl Brewing Company | 114 E. Main St., Waunakee

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Ryan.

Editor’s pick: After last week’s display at Camp Randall, it’s safe to say we’re looking forward to good things from the Badger football program this year. Need somewhere to watch the game? We got you.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? We introduced eight of Garver Feed Mill’s tenants.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Ally Geiger, Ryan Waldman, Dayten Rose, Josh Kranzberg, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Julie Brown | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

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