Glow Zone, Aug. 24-28 & Aug. 30-Sept. 1, Madison Children’s Museum: All ages are invited to create a fairy-tale themed artwork…and then see what it looks like when viewed in black light. The Madison Children’s Museum will transform its Celebrations Room into an ultraviolet haven during the week before school starts. The museum is open 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays and 9 a.m.-4 pm. Wednesdays-Sundays (with extended hours to 8 p.m. Thursdays), and this activity is free with admission.
UW South Madison Partnership Community Celebration, Thursday, Aug. 25, Village on Park-SMP space, 4-7 p.m.: Been wondering about the UW-Madison’s outpost south of the main campus on Park Street? The return of the annual Community Celebration is a good time to explore the South Madison Partnership’s facility at the Village on Park, which includes classrooms, a computer lab, a kitchenette, and meeting spaces open to the community. The event includes visits by Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin and Bucky Badger, a photograph exhibit by Hedi Rudd and new murals by Lilada Gee, games and activities for all ages, food, and DJ music provided by Odyssey Project student Mark Espanol.
Andy Hughes with Erin Ford + The Sapsuckers, Thursday, Aug. 25, Riley Tavern, Riley, 6 p.m.: The Riley Tavern has a Verona postal address but it’s really where its name indicates: Riley, an unincorporated town of Springdale haven northwest of Verona. The historic general store-turned-cozy tavern has been hosting live music in recent years, and Thursday brings a double bill that will be a special one for Midwestern roots music fans. La Crosse singer-guitarist Andy Hughes (of TUGG and The Lake Effect) writes heartfelt story-songs, and will be accompanied at this show on harmony vocals by Erin Ford. Driftless-based Americana experts The Sapsuckers have been working on their fourth album, so expect to hear some new music.
Orton Park Festival, Aug 25-28, Orton Park: The Orton Park Festival celebrates its 57th edition in 2022 following last year’s combo event with Waterfront Festival, the Marquette Neighborhood Association’s other summer fete. The traditional Cycropia Aerial Dance performances kick off the fest on Thursday and Friday; on Thursday there’s also food vendors and a Forward! Marching Band performance. Friday’s lineup includes vintage soul experts Don’t Mess with Cupid and rockers Disq. A strong focus on local performers continues Saturday and Sunday with sets by Adem Tesfaye, Proud Parents, Rebulú, Gin, Chocolate and Bottle Rockets, and more; fest closers Pimps of Joytime visit from New York. Find the full schedule at facebook.com/OrtonParkFest.
Supper Club, Thursday, Aug. 25, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: One of the biggest musical disappointments during the missing years of pandemic entertainment was the absence of a live Supper Club show. Founded in 2017, the Madison R&B-indie rock group was just getting their wind up when the virus closed the door. Now comes an all-acoustic farewell show. Expect a great crowd, focused band, and cheers and tears. With Watermelon Collie, Dropbear Collective.
Rooftop Cinema, Aug. 25, Sept. 1, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 8 p.m.: MMoCA’s rooftop film series explores a quartet of recent documentaries for its fall 2022 schedule. Still to come are The Village Detective: A Song Cycle, which builds a story around reels of film from 1969 found in the ocean by Icelandic fishing nets in 2016, on Aug. 25; and North By Current, a personal documentary from filmmaker Angelo Madsen Minax about truths discovered on returning to his hometown following the death of his niece, on Sept. 1. Ticket sales begin at 7:30 p.m. in the lobby; find more info on the series at mmoca.org.
The Guest Book, Aug. 18-27, Broom Street Theater: Gina Gómez wrote and directed The Guest Book, a Broom Street Theater comedy about a woman crashing her ex-fiance’s wedding. As they say, save the date. Shows at 8 p.m., Thursday-Saturday.
The Shindig, Thursday, Aug. 25, The Rigby, 9 p.m.: The Hitterz Collective is hosting a performance showcase, featuring dance by Kevin aka Boy Benda, Styles Defined Crew and Madison Contemporary Dance, music by Lature Carter and Dude Da Def, and comedy by Antoine McNeail. A dance party with music by Vilas Park Sniper and EMC follows (and if you want to learn some dance moves, there are classes before the main event; find more info here).
The Brothers Size, June 28-Oct. 8, American Players Theatre-Touchstone, Spring Green: Playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney took inspiration for The Brothers Size from a two-line Yoruba poem about a missing brother. The result, as staged by American Players Theatre under the direction of Gavin Lawrence, uses poetry, music and movement to explore imprisonment, poverty, centuries of conflict and oppression, family relationships, and the lengths to which a sibling will go to find and protect his brother. Performances in repertory continue through Oct. 8 (this week: 2 p.m., Aug. 26; 6 p.m., Aug. 28); read Gwendolyn Rice’s review here.
Middleton Good Neighbor Festival, Aug. 26-28, Fireman’s Park, Middleton: This friendly fest in Madison’s western neighbor is looking forward to a positive future with this year’s theme, “The Sky is the Limit.” “We feel that the theme will lend itself to some great floats in the parade,” writes 2022 festival president Nancy Vickery at goodneighborfestival.com. That’s where you can find the complete schedule of activities, including arts and crafts on Saturday and Sunday, music (The LoveMonkeys, Madison County and Red Hot Horn Dawgs), and a carnival. The parade at noon on Sunday starts at Branch Street and runs along Franklin Avenue to Parmenter and the festival grounds.
Dane Dances, Fridays, Aug. 5-26, Monona Terrace rooftop, 5:30-9:30 p.m.: Monona Terrace is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and Dane Dances has been throwing its community dance party for nearly as long. This year’s top-flight lineup has been derailed by forecasts of rain the last two weeks. Hopefully the weather will cooperate for the final date, featuring Sounds of Slave and Sisters of Element & the Storm Chaser Orchestra, on Aug. 26. Food and drink will be available at 5 p.m. from Kipp’s Kitchen, Lake Vista Cafe, La Taguara and Lemongrass, and music starts at 5:30 p.m. If it’s rainy, call 608-261-4094 for location (or cancellation) information.
The Gothsicles, Friday, Aug. 26, UW Memorial Union Terrace, 7 p.m.: The last time The Gothsicles were in Madison in early 2020, they reportedly nearly blew the roof off the Crucible. The structure over the stage on the Terrace has no chance. A long-running musical alter ego of Brian Graupner, The Gothsicles combines elements rarely mixed — gothic/horror themes, vintage video game music-informed EDM, and a hyperactively quick sense of humor — into a singular sound that is hilariously addictive. Opening is a similarly hard to define Chicago project, _the boundless_.
Ten Days in a Madhouse, Aug. 19-27, UW Memorial Union-Play Circle: Ten Days in a Madhouse is an original musical from Madison composers and playwrights Jennifer Hedstrom and Karen Saari, the result of a four-year collaboration between Music Theatre of Madison and the duo. The premise is promising. The story is adapted from a gutsy exposé written by pioneering woman journalist Nellie Bly. In 1887, Bly went undercover, feigning mental illness, at New York’s “Women’s Lunatic Asylum” and ultimately reported on the stark conditions in what became a book called Ten Days in a Mad-House. The final shows are at 7:30 p.m., Aug. 26-27. More info: mtmadison.com.
Dimestock Metal Fest 2022, Aug. 26-27, Badgerland Park, Watertown: Almost two dozen metal bands will descend on Watertown to celebrate the birthday of the late iconic guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott, who was gunned down on stage performing with his band Pantera in 2004 at age 38. Organizers say they strive to make the annual event a “party that Darrell himself would gladly attend.” This year’s headliners include New Orleans’ groove-oriented thrashers Exhorder and desert thrashers Scars of Atrophy from Arizona. Other bands featured on the 21-act, two-day bill include Squidhammer, Gravehuffer, Vermillion and Scattered Hamlet. Dimebag most definitely would approve. Find ticket info at squidhedz.com.
Wisconsin Pottery Association Show & Sale, Saturday, Aug. 27, Alliant Energy Center-Exhibition Hall, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.: Do the names McCoy, Red Wing and Roseville make your heart beat faster? You have a dishware addiction and the Wisconsin Pottery Association Show & Sale is here for you. More than 50 dealers will be on hand selling vintage ceramics in styles like Art Deco, Streamline, Arts and Crafts, Mid-Century Modern and Art Nouveau. Members of the association will also be displaying their favorite pieces, and you can bring your unidentified art pottery piece and members will try to I.D. it. There’s a $5 admission, but parking is free.
Summer of Love and Community Connection, Saturday, Aug. 27, Penn Park, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: All ages can try out forms of dance, movement and music from around the world at this cornucopia of free workshops coordinated by Oiñ Productions — the duo of Francis Medrano (Black Power Dance) and Stephanie Richards (Swing State Aerial). They both will present, along with Yorel Lashley (West African drumming), Danielle Lee (hooping), Brendan Loula (capoeira), and many others. Watch for a schedule at facebook.com/events/368578478733274.
Make My Day, Saturday, Aug. 27, James Madison Park, noon-9 p.m.: James Madison Park gets its spot in the summer music fest sun with this show celebrating the 10th birthday of the creative collective Foshizzle Family, and featuring a half-dozen area DJs/producers including Lovecraft b2b Wangzoom (noon), Hustle Wilson (1:30 p.m.), Funkenstein (3 p.m.), Boba Swett (4:30 p.m.), Mazumi (6 p.m.) and Niki Kitz (7:30 p.m.).
Lunar Flow: Eclipse, Saturday, Aug. 27, Crucible, 4 p.m.-2 a.m.: Petrichor Flow created its first Lunar Flow event in 2021 with the goal of bringing people together through music and movement in an inclusionary, safe space. Along with Petrichor Flow members, scheduled to perform are Sally Marvel, Creative Productions, Cycropia Aerial Dance and Prismatic Flame. Music will be provided by nine DJs from around the Midwest, headlined by St. Paul house/techno expert Jules Scott and also including Madisonians Carbonella, Diva D, Miss K Funk and Sari Postol. Find tickets on Eventbrite.
iDKHOW + Joywave, Saturday, Aug 27, 7 p.m., The Sylvee: This is a banner week for fans of ’80s-influenced synth. The witty and literate band iDKHOW (aka I Dont Know How But They Found Me) co-headlines with Joywave, which is touring in support of its new release, Cleanse. Together it’s the “Welcome to Hellvetica” tour. It’s in your Futura.
Prospect Place/Castle Place walking tours, Sunday, Aug. 28, starting location TBA, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Holy cow, if you have never seen the impressive Progresive-era homes on Prospect Place, and even if you have — and have long been in love with this remarkable block — this tour from the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation is for you. They’re some of the most beautiful in Madison, and tucked back off busy East Gorham, they’re a bit of a secret. Many were designed by local architects Louis Claude and Edward Starck and they range in style from Tudor to Georgian Revival, Craftsman, Prairie and Colonial Revival. Tickets for these Sunday walking tours are going fast, but there is a wait-list; find the latest info at madisonpreservation.org.
We hope it’s handy for you to find Picks grouped together in a single post. The individual Picks can still be found in the usual places online: collected here, and sprinkled throughout all the events.
Note: Many venues and businesses may continue to maintain individual requirements for masking, as well as proof of COVID-19 vaccination and/or a negative test for entry. Before heading out for any in-person event, confirm it is still taking place and check for any attendance guidelines on the relevant business websites or social media accounts.
