Isthmus Picks (July 9-16)

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With the printed version of Isthmus on pause, we thought it might be handy to have the Picks in a single weekly post. You can still find the Picks in the usual places online: collected here, and sprinkled throughout all the events.

Governor's Task Force on Climate Change, Thursday & Wednesday, July 9 & 15, 6 pm: Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes has been Gov. Tony Evers’ point person on climate change. Now he is leading the Governor's Task Force on Climate Change, which is seeking public input to inform policy recommendations on environmental matters in the 2021-23 state budget. The final two input meetings take place Thursday, July 9, and Wednesday, July 15, via Zoom; for information on participating, or to provide written comments, see climatechange.wi.gov.

Wisconsin's Secret Waterfall, Thursday, July 9, 12:30 pm: A mostly unknown waterfall in Wisconsin is now getting its due. The 60-foot, three-tiered waterfall is one of eight in Florence County located on the Pine and Popple rivers — these are state-designated “Wild Rivers,” purposefully left undeveloped so the public can experience rugged wilderness. Until recently Breakwater Falls did not have a name and was not on a map. John Roberts, a local Wild Rivers expert, has made a nine-minute video on the waterfall that will premiere online; a Q&A with Roberts follows the film. Register here for this River Alliance of Wisconsin event.

The Future of the Supreme Court After the Election of 2016, Thursday, July 9, 6:30 pm: Forget subscribing to streaming services — there's enough drama in the federal judiciary these days to keep everybody on the edge of their seats. In this virtual offering from the Middleton Public Library lecture series "Scholar'd for Life," UW political science professor Howard Schweber discusses the impact of the 2016 election of Donald Trump on the Supreme Court. While two conservative justices have already been appointed, and the liberal-conservative split wavers in a precarious balance, recent SCOTUS decisions in June Medical, the DACA (Dreamers) case and Bostock v. Clayton County (the LGBTQ employment case) demonstrate that the rulings of the justices are not always predictable. Register to receive the Zoom link via email before the event or watch on Facebook Live.

MMAD Battle of the Bands Finale.Thursday, July 9, 7 pm: The four rounds in the Music Makes a Difference virtual band battle are complete, setting the stage for the final competition, which will take place with live voting on Broadjam. Tune in to view two new videos each from the final four bands (Funkee JBeez (pictured), Gin, Chocolate & Bottle Rockets, One Human Band and Soul Doctors) and help select a winner, with a $3,000 prize on the line for first place. Note: Voting will now continue through 7 pm, July 13, with a virtual award show taking place at 7 pm, July 16.

Madison Burger Week, Through July 19, various restaurants: Madison Burger Week is back, and what better time than now? Hosted by Isthmus, Burger Week has always been a benefit for the River Food Pantry, and the need to support the agencies serving our area's most vulnerable residents has never been greater. (This year, participating eateries donate what they can.) Second, heading to a favorite or new spot for a burger supports our area restaurants in a time when they very much need the business. Third, burgers survive takeout well, so dining onsite isn't even necessary. Burger lovers vote for their favorite (some of which are Burger Week specials, some regular menu stalwarts) to crown the 2020 burger champion. More than 25 restaurants have already signed on, and more details on the burgers are added daily at madburgerweek.com/burgers. This year, Burger Week runs for two weeks. Not because our sense of time is all screwed up (though that's true) but to give everybody more time to eat and vote. As with all Isthmus events, Madison Burger Week helps support local, independent journalism.

David Landau, Friday, July 10, 2 pm: Middleton Library has maintained a robust roster of storytimes for kids on Facebook, and this Friday hosts a virtual concert by David Landau. The longtime Cork 'n Bottle String Band member is also a favorite of the younger set and won the 2019 Madison Area Music Award for Children's Performer of the Year. Register here for a link to the concert.

Art Cart and Art Cart EXTRA, 9 am-noon, 7/10, Warner Beach; 10 am, 7/11, Discovery Garden, McFarland; 2 pm, 7/11, Waunakee Village Center; 1-4 pm, 7/13, Belmar Hills; 5-7:30 pm, 7/15, Kennedy Park: While the Art Cart is fun and games, it is not just fun and games. This partnership between MMoCA and Madison School & Community Recreation brings out-of-the-ordinary art projects to parks and beaches across Madison and Dane County all summer long. This year, the cart will distribute kits for kids to take home. Instructors give additional ideas, inspiration and guidance through videos on YouTube and Vimeo. Even adults might want to try this scrapbook project inspired by Ray Yoshida or this drawing project that explores symmetry as an art concept, inspired by Karl Wirsum. The projects are easy to do but the inspiration is not simplistic. Chicago artists both, Yoshida and Wirsum are innovators who should appeal to children's innate sense of color and design. This is a smart program that's more than coloring and friendship bracelets. Dates continue through 8/14; for the complete schedule, visit mmoca.org.

Dairyland Walkers 25th anniversary, Saturday, July 11, Tenney Park, 8 am: Americans aren't big walkers, in general. (Even the name of the national association devoted to recreational walking is partly in German: it’s the American Volkssport Association.) For recreation and health, Americans love jogging, yoga, Pilates, even stand-up paddle-boarding. But walking is the ultimate low-cost, DIY exercise. It's environmentally friendly, done on all kinds of surfaces, and the only equipment people really need is a decent pair of shoes. The Dairyland Walkers, a local club affiliated with the American Volkssport Association, know all this. The club is celebrating its 25th anniversary in the Madison area with, what else, a fun walk. Three distances (2K, 3K, or 8K); register outside the shelter in Tenney Park. Masks are suggested. Start time is anywhere between 8 am and noon and finish time is 3 pm. It is all about fun and friendship, so to walk with a socially distanced group, arrive at 9 am. The fee is $3. Contact Russ Crane at 608-244-6583 or rwcrane1926@charter.net for more information.

Virtual Art Fair on the Square, July 11-12: It's the eternal question for events on the Capitol Square: clockwise or counterclockwise? Sadly, this year an answer is not needed as our spring, summer and fall events are all off, including MMoCA's venerable Art Fair on the Square. But all is not lost; the museum has a virtual version in the works, on its website and Facebook page, with artist "booths," music by local performers, art activities for kids, and more. It all goes live Saturday and Sunday, which would have been the days of this year's Art Fair.

Madison Early Music Festival, July 11-18: A UW-Madison campus institution since 2000, the Madison Early Music Festival features both instructional workshops for musicians and a concert series for music lovers. The program originally scheduled for this summer is postponed until 2021, but the festival will go on virtually, via Facebook Live. Clips by past fest performers (including MEMF stalwarts Piffaro, the Renaissance Band, pictured) will be shared at 7 pm on July 11-12, July 14 and July 17-18, and lectures take place at noon on the festival's other days. For the complete schedule, visit memf.wisc.edu.

Virtual Moth StorySLAM, Tuesday, July 14, 7:15 pm: The Moth presents a virtual storytelling event, hosted by Still Waters Collective founder Dasha Kelly Hamilton. It's much like an in-person slam, down to the nervous waiting to see if your name is picked from "the hat" (a sign-up for storytellers). The theme is appropriate to these strange times: "Co-Habitation." Tickets are available for storytelling hopefuls and/or households. Or you can buy a household admission that includes both. Note: Stories are limited to five minutes and you should be prepared to stand, if you are able.

Sarah M. Broom, Tuesday, July 14, 7 pm: The Yellow House, the debut memoir by journalist Sarah M. Broom, was a literary sensation in 2019, winning the National Book Foundation Award for Nonfiction and the John Leonard Prize from the National Book Critics Circle, as well as making many year-end lists. It tells the story of Broom's family and the house she grew up in, in New Orleans East, and the effect of Hurricane Katrina on them all. At this Wisconsin Book Festival event on Crowdcast, Broom will talk with National Book Foundation executive director Lisa Lucas.

Underrepresented Communities Historic Resources Survey, Wednesday, July 15, 7 pm: For some 200 years historic preservation has focused on architecturally significant buildings belonging to rich white people or governments. As part of Madison’s city-wide historic preservation plan, adopted in May, the city conducted a survey of significant historic properties and sites associated with other communities, including African Americans, First Nations, Hmong, Latinos and Latinas, women and LGBTQ people. In part one of this two-part online series, Heather Bailey, the city’s preservation planner, will speak about the 96 historic properties that have been identified. Registration is required; once registered, you will receive a Zoom link by email. Part two of the series features Jason Tish, architecture historian, who will focus on places associated with queer history and women’s history (7 pm, July 22, RSVP here).

MAMA Cares Day of Giving, Thursday, July 16: The Madison Area Music Association's musician relief fund is responding to the COVID-19 crisis with a day-long fundraising drive on July 16. Donations can be made through PayPal (mamacares@themamas.org), or by mail (PO Box 8754, Madison, WI 53708). Keep an eye on Facebook for info on livestream concerts in support of MAMA Cares, including a set by Robert J at 6 pm. Musicians can apply for assistance here through July 25.

Editor's Note: The contact address for the Dairyland Walkers event was corrected.