As incomprehensible as it may seem, summer is entering its last act. Labor Day will be here before you know it. The traditionally summer-ending holiday does come almost as early on the calendar as it can, but still, after all the frying we took early on, we're owed more of these warm-day/cool-night interludes. Perhaps we'll be blessed with a long and temperate fall.
But there is still some important summer work yet to be completed. This Friday sees Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers deliver the fourth Live on King Street concert of the season. Of course, King Street houses both Isthmus and the Majestic, sponsors of the street parties, and though this is the last show before Labor Day, there's talk of a fifth concert to be added in September. And if you can't make it down to see the show in person, you can watch it via live feed on TheDailyPage.com. The concert gates open at 5 p.m., and sometime after that you can catch the 5Nines guys setting up the feed on our website.
We are also entering the last phase of the annual Isthmus Indie Awards. The nomination period for this recognition of local business people (and artists) ends on Aug. 28. To see the categories and their definitions, visit IsthmusIndies.com. We're putting these awards on with the aid of SupraNet and Dane Buy Local.
Next week, the 32nd edition of the Madison original, the Annual Manual, will accompany your Isthmus at your favorite pickup spot. (I mean where you pick up the paper.) This year we'll be trying something different in celebration - pop-up parties. These will be brief, 15-minute or so recognitions at the sites of various Madison Favorites winners. The Favorites are the folks you voted for back in June that are revealed in the An Man each year. To find out where these mini-raves will occur, visit the Isthmus Facebook page on Wednesday, Aug. 22. The parties will pop up on the 23rd and 24th.
And then, are you ready for some football? The first Badgers home game is Sept. 1.
