Donate winter clothes + extended COVID-19 testing hours

EVENTS

Today

• Chris Lane | Fri., Jan. 21 | 8 p.m. | The Sylvee | $32.50+ | A night of music with the country singer. 🎵

Saturday

• Princess & Superhero Skate | Sat., Jan. 22 | 1-3 p.m. | Monona Bank RiverRink, 6320 Inland Way | Dress as your favorite princess or superhero + meet on the ice for a family fun event. ⛸️
• Cargo Music Presents: Open Mic Night | Sat., Jan. 22 | 6:30 p.m. | Cargo Coffee East, 750 E. Washington Ave. | Free entry | An open mic night for anyone who wants to share music, poetry, comedy, or kind of any art. 🎤
• Beer & Cheese Fest | Sat., Jan. 22 | 2-6 p.m. | Alliant Energy Center | $15+ | Meet and mingle with brewers + cheesemakers from around the state and sample hundreds of delicious creations. 🧀

Sunday

• Everlasting Lake | Sun., Jan. 23 | 6:30 p.m. | Wine & Design, 167 S. Fair Oaks Ave. | $38 | Sip + paint a landscape with friends. 🎨
• Wisconsin vs. Penn State | Sun., Jan. 23 | 2 p.m. | Kohl Center | $15+ | Watch the women’s basketball team take on the Lady Lions.

Monday

• Monday Group Run | Mon., Jan. 24 | 5:45-6:45 p.m. | Movin’ Shoes, 528 S. Park St. | Free | A 3-5 mile community run at a 9-12 min/mile pace.

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.

Note: COVID-19 protocols are changing rapidly to curb the spread of the Omicron variant in Madison. Please make sure to check event listing pages + venue websites for the most up-to-date information.

NEWS NOTES

Weather

• 18º | Sunny | 6% chance of snow

Community

• The Dept. of Planning and Community & Economic Development’s 2022 Neighborhood Grants are open until Mon., Feb. 7. Help improve the quality of life in your community by planning a project with your neighborhood + sharing it with your alderperson. 
• The Clean Lakes Alliance’s Frozen Assets 5K and Festival is still looking for volunteers for the event on Sat., Feb. 5. Help with the race, assist with festival activities, or volunteer to clean up. 👟

Health

• PHMDC is expanding COVID-19 testing hours at Alliant Energy Center, opening the clinic seven days a week starting on Mon., Jan. 24. You can register for a testing appointment on PHMDC’s website + order four free at-home tests through COVIDtest.gov. 💉 (WKOW) 
• Dane County will be distributing 100,000 KN95 masks to community organizations over the next several days. The federal government will also be distributing 400 million N95 masks next week to pharmacies and community health centers across the country. Stay tuned to find out where to find them locally. (NBC15)

Seasonal

• Lake Geneva’s Winterfest is just a few weeks away. Venture to the Hallmark movie town from Wed., Feb. 2- Sun., Feb. 6 for snow + ice sculpting, igloos and bonfires, and plenty of family-friendly activities. ⛄ (Madison Mom)

Sports

• DYK — The Packers were the first professional football team to have a “Fan Hall of Fame?” Help local superfan Jeff Yasick achieve his lifelong dream of becoming a Hall of Famer with your vote. If he wins, Yasick will receive four club seats to a home game, a road trip to an away game + Packers swag. 🏈 (Channel3000)
• The 2022 Winter Olympics officially open on Fri., Feb. 4 + Team USA has a few Wisconsinites + UW-Madison grads vying for the gold. Local hockey legends and speed skaters will take their talents to the ice in Beijing + you can watch the events locally on NBC15. 🏒 (TMJ4)

Ranked

• Madison ranks No. 3 as WalletHub’s best metro area for STEM professionals. The study looked across three key dimensions — professional opportunities, STEM-friendliness, and quality of life. Hey there, recent Exact Science expansion. 🔬

Try This

• It’s not too late to start MMoCA’s Mosaic 5K.  Register to run, walk, or snowshoe a 5K at any pace, anywhere until Fri., Jan. 28. Proceeds help support the museum’s free admission + programming for the community. All participants will receive a scarf from the “Caja des visiones” exhibition.

Learn

• Celebrate Ojibwa culture with storytelling this winter season from the Wisconsin Historical Society. Sign up for a four-part virtual series on Tuesday evenings from Jan. 25-Feb. 15 to learn from local Wisconsin Tribal members.

Show

• Tickets for The Head and the Heart’s Oct. 3 + 4 shows go on sale today at 10 a.m. The band will be back in Madison for its Every Shade of Blue Tour with special guest Shakey Graves. Want more on the Madison music scene? We’ve got a rundown of venues and upcoming shows. 🎶

State

• The Navy has extended its loan of the beloved badger statue for another 50 years. The statue was affixed to the USS Wisconsin before WWI + has been outside of the governor’s office since 1989. Have you ever rubbed the nose for good luck? 🦡 (Channel3000)

POST OF THE DAY

REWARDS

Here is the unique referral link for you:  ⤵️

Copy, paste, share + save this in a safe spot…or check here each morning anytime you need it.

THE WRAP

Editor’s pick: Editor Audrey here 👋 this week I got a COVID-19 test, just to be safe. I signed up through PHMDC, got tested at the Alliant Center + was in and out in under five (yes, five!) minutes. A huge thank you to everyone who makes the testing sites run so smoothly. 

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? We talked about Madison Restaurant Week 2022 + a Hilldale expansion.

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