Since 1983, Madisononians have been able to enjoy the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra for free at COS. | Photo by @samuelli

The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra has announced the lineup for this year’s Concerts on the Square series. The highly anticipated seasonal event will be celebrating its 40th year of performances this summer.

Concerts on the Square started in 1983 when local businesswoman Pleasant Rowland wanted to create an accessible way for Madisonians to interact with local art.

It has since become a must-go event for locals and visitors alike. The annual six-part concert series draws over 200,000 audience members each year.

COS 1 — Grab your picnic blanket and get ready for this year’s COS season. | Photo by @thecolorfulkid

Dates 📆

Grab your picnic blankets and mark your calendars for the following Wednesdays:

June 28 | ¡Viva Tiempo Libre! | Three-time Grammy-nominated Latin band Tiempo Libre
July 5 | Contrastes | Trombnist Joël Vaïsse — winner of the Young Artist Concert Competition — and violinist Clark Snavely
July 12 | A WI Celebration | Middleton High School Choir, Leotha Stanley, drummer Eric Logan, and the Little Priest Singers
July 19 | Romeo + Juliet Fantasy | Amber Merritt and pianist Johannes Wallmann
July 26 | A Millennial Mixtape | Canadian rock symphony band, Jeans ‘n’ Classics
August 2 | Journey Through Time | Harpist Bridget Kibbey

COS 3 — Get there early, grass space fills up fast. | Photo by @thecolorfulkid

Reminders ✏️

BYOB — food carts will be set up around the square.
Low seating only — picnic blankets are the norm, and any chairs higher than 6" off of the ground are not permitted.
Pets are prohibited from the Capitol lawn.
Weather cancellations will be announced at 3 p.m. on concert days + rescheduled to 7 p.m. the following day.

Table reservations ✅

The King Street side of the square will be lined with sponsored tables that groups of up to 10 can reserve. Beverage service and food from Heritage Catering are also available for an extra cost.

Get involved 🤝

Volunteers are needed for the following tasks:

Beverage booth
Information booth
Donation tents
Kids’ Zone
Lawn supervisors
Friends of WCO
Merch booth
Stage security
Table area greeters + detailers

EVENTS

Click here to have your event featured.

Today, March 8

Bach Around The Clock Festival | Wednesday, Mar. 8 | 12-1 p.m. | Luther Memorial Church, 1021 University Ave., Madison | Free | Just Bach will perform Bach’s beautiful motet BWV 227: Jesu Meine Freude.
Q-Cinema | Wednesday, Mar. 8 | 7-9 p.m. | OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center, 2701 International Ln., Madison | Free | Enjoy a free screening of the 2022 drama “Tár.”

Thursday, March 9

Six Course Beer Dinner | Thursday, Mar. 9 | 6 p.m. | Liberty Station, 2161 Rimrock Rd., Madison | $65 | Enjoy six courses of tapas paired with Karben4 beers. 🍺
Trivia Night at Madison’s on King Street! | Thursday, Mar. 9 | 7-9 p.m. | Madison’s, 119 King St., Madison | Free | Buzz into this general knowledge trivia game with gift cards for winners.

Friday, March 10

Bike-O-Rama | Friday, Mar. 10-Sunday, Mar. 12 | Alliant Energy Center, Madison | Free | Comparison shop, test ride, accessorize, and buy from all in one place. Pro tip: All bikes purchased will come with a free lifetime warranty. 🚴‍♂️
Madison Parks Hiring Fair | Friday, Mar. 10 | 4-7 p.m. | Warner Park, 2920 N. Sherman Ave., Madison | Free | Peruse seasonal jobs, speak with current workers, and have an opportunity to be hired on-site.

Saturday, March 11

Fairy Tale Brunch | Saturday, Mar. 11 | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | Blackhawk Country Club, 3606 Blackhawk Dr., Madison | $25 for kids, $35 for adults | Treat your little one to an enchanting day of a gourmet brunch buffet, crafts, coloring, and live ballet.
Celebration of Women’s History Month | Saturday, Mar. 11 | 1:30 p.m. | High Noon Saloon, 701 E. Washington Ave., Madison | $12-$15 | Celebrate with the girl group Gin, Chocolate + Bottle Rockets.

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

100+ MORE EVENTS

NEWS NOTES

Weather

43º | Cloudy | 5% chance of rain

Traffic

Multiple streets — North Few Street, North Dickinson Street, South Paterson Street, and Sheboygan Avenue — will be closed for the coming weeks due to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) construction. Keep tabs on Metro Transit’s website to stay up to date on closures as the BRT project continues. 🚧

Opening

The City of Madison plans to purchase + lease land for a new grocery store on the south side. Maurer’s Urban Market will be on the corner of South Park and Cedar Streets. A 15-year lease will offer long-term access to healthy + affordable food in an area that was at risk of becoming a food desert. (Channel 3000)

Cause

Design for a Difference is accepting nominations for this year’s makeover. The organization works with local design professionals to makeover a local nonprofit’s space. Submit your nomination by Monday, April 24. 🔨

Today Is

International Women’s Day. Show a little love to local ladies by checking out donation + volunteer opportunities at DAIS, Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness, and the YWCA.

Sports

Jordan Stolz is repping Wisconsin in a big way. The speed skater became the first male to win three gold medals in three separate events at the Speedskating Single Distance World Championships in the Netherlands. He also became the youngest skater to win the 500-meter race since 1985. (WPR)

Ranked

Madison is ranked No. 3 on this list of the happiest cities in America. Our employment, environment, and overall emotional + physical well-being landed us such a high score, right below Fremont and San Jose, California. 🏆

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OUTDOORS

Welcome to Mudison 👟

Picnic Point is a 608today favorite for a casual stroll with great views. | Photo by 608today

It’s mud season in Madtown. When the weather starts to warm and the snow starts to melt, our local trails become waterlogged and muddy.

This doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the nicer weather, it just means there are a few things to keep in mind when hiking during mud season:

Stay on the path | You may want to stray to the path’s edges to avoid the mud, but this will only further loosen the soil around the path.
Gear up | Since you’ll be trekking straight through the mud, waterproof shoes with good tread are important. Pro tip: check out Fontana Sports for gear.
Ticks | If we’re out, they’re out. Stay out of the brush and do a tick check when you get home.
Choose wisely | Try to stick to trails that are upland and/or have sandy soil. These areas will dry out quicker than low, less sandy areas.

Here are a few of our favorite trails:

Lace up, we’ll see you out there. 👟

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Ally.

Editor’s pick: Okay... I know it’s for kids, but that fairy tale brunch sounds so fun, right? Patiently waiting for an adult version akin to Adult Swim at the Children’s Museum.

Missed our last newsletter? We got a behind-the-scenes look at The Bodgery.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Ally Geiger, Josh Kranzberg, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Ana Gibson | Advertise with us.

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