This coming week, in events that get to your heart through your stomach.
Thursday, July 15
, along with another $100 in the names of each customer who purchase the following five cupcakes. New deluxe cupcake flavors at Daisy include honey chai, caramel latte, and mango lassi. Daisy Cafe & Cupcakery, 2827 Atwood Ave. Call 241-2200 for more info.
Friday, July 16
Edgerton Tobacco Heritage Days celebrates the rural farming traditions of southern Wisconsin, particularly the longtime cultivation of Nicotiana tabacum in the region. The three-day Maxwell Street Days sidewalk sale this weekend, but there is plenty of street food on hand to keep shoppers fueled. Participating restaurants include Buffalo Wild Wings, Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, Dobra Tea Room, Frida, Gino's, Hawk's, Ian's Pizza, Mia Za's Italian Cafe, Nick's Restaurant, Potbelly, State Street Brats, Taste of Tibet, Tutto Pasta, and Zander's Capitol Grill. State Street, downtown Madison, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. Sunday. Call 512-1342 for more info.
Saturday, July 17
Monty's Blue Plate Diner, 2089 Atwood Ave., all day. Call 244-8505 for more info.
More than 175 fine artists and crafters will be lining the Trollway at the 39th annual Mount Horeb Art Fair, the centerpiece of a two day summer celebration in the western Dane County community. Exhibitors at the two-day festival will be displaying and selling their work in ceramics, drawings, graphics, prints, fiber, leather, furniture, glass, jewelry, metalworks, paintings, photographs, sculpture, mixed media, 3D mixed media, and wood. Other activities include a tribute to fair co-founder Wally Keller, a silent auction, a chalk art kids area, and live music. Food will be in ample supply all weekend, but festival-goers won't want to miss the Kaffe Stue, an authentic Norwegian buffet presented by the Sons of Norway from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Main Street Trollway, Mount Horeb, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, free admission. Call 888-765-5929 for more info.
Meanwhile, to the east of Madison, nearly 60 fine artists and crafters will be demonstrating their work and selling their creations today at the fifth annual Lake Mills Arts Festival. Along with the art vendors offering ceramics, paintings, mixed media works, photographs, textiles, sculptures, glasswork, jewelry, and functional creations, the is playing host to the Middleton Fire Department Festival today. Activities at this annual fundraiser for the department include water games, kids' activities, live music, a raffle, food, and of course, plenty of beer. Capital Brewery, 7734 Terrace Ave., noon-10 p.m. $7 or $5 in advance. Call 827-1090 for more info.
Sunday, July 18
The workshop about dehydration as a way to extend the life of CSA shares. This lesson will cover the preparation of fruits, veggies, and herbs for drying, methods for dehydrating them, storage, and the culinary uses of these preserved foods. Participants will receive info sheets and recipes for reference, and will be served several refreshments made with dried produce. Willy Street Co-op, 1221 Williamson St., 10:30 a.m., $10. Call 226-0300 to RSVP and for more info.
Day on the Farm celebration hosted by Jordandal Farms. This fundraiser will feature a farm tour, activities for the kids, talks about sustainable agriculture, and best of all, a fresh farm-sourced picnic lunch prepared by chefs from the Madison Club, Restaurant Magnus, Dayton Street Grille, and Tornado Steakhouse. "We are hoping to educate people on how we farm using multiple species to produce the highest quality meats, naturally," says host Carrie Johnson in a press release about the event. "It is a great thing to see people wanting to know how and where their food comes from." Proceeds will go to benefit REAP's Buy Fresh, Buy Local partnership program. Jordandal Farm, W7977 Sunset Rd., Argyle, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., $20 adults and $12 kids under 12. Call 608-310-7836 for more info.
Upcoming eats events
It's worth knowing about some events that require reservations farther in advance.
Saturday, July 24Farm Olympics, a friendly competition for families. Events in the challenge includes: straw bale toss, seed planting race, pedal tractor maze, farm animal round-up, calf bottle ring toss, vegetable harvest, dairy knowledge quiz, and cow milking contest. Prizes will be awarded in each. The fun will be followed by an ice-cream social. Sassy Cow Creamery, W4192 Bristol Rd., Columbus, 1-3 p.m., $5. Competitors must register by July 19. Call 608-445-2010 for more info.
Tuesday, August 10
The this evening at Lee's Asian Bistro, a new restaurant that recently opened next door to Harvest presents it annual Heirloom Tomato Dinner this evening. These seasonal meals fill up fast, so be sure to make a reservation soon to guarantee a seating. Harvest, 21 N. Pinckney St., 6 p.m., $65. Call 255-6075 for more info.
