What to do in Madison this week: Aug. 31-Sept. 3, 2026

Big Ten/SEC Challenge Week, Toni Romiti and more Isthmus Picks

by

Arts

  • Big Ten/SEC Challenge Week, Sept. 1-3, UW Field House: Somewhere along the way, college volleyball became incredibly cool…which may have snuck up on some of us. The Badgers team has certainly helped make that happen, and the UW Field House is one of the great places to watch the sport. The inaugural Big Ten/SEC Challenge Week tournament brings Minnesota, Florida and Auburn to Madison for three straight nights of volleyball; you can catch the Badgers at 7 p.m. on Sept. 2 (vs. Florida) and Sept. 3 (vs. Auburn). If you haven’t figured out why everyone suddenly seems to be talking about volleyball, this might be the week to find out. Check for tickets at uwbadgers.evenue.net.
  • Gigi Mosconi, Sept. 2-Oct. 3, Textile Arts Center; reception Sept. 12, 5:30-7:30 p.m.: The Textile Arts Center is a worthy venue centering the fiber arts. Its latest gallery exhibit, “Moving the Needle,” showcases the quilts of Gigi Mosconi, in this retrospective of four decades of making. Mosconi started with more traditional quilts, moving to embrace geometrics, bold colors and improvisation to create exhilarating, invigorating, thoughtful and contemporary works of graphic and textile art. A reception will be held 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Sept. 12. Gallery hours are noon-4 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.
  • Jazz at Five, Wednesdays, through Sept. 2, Capitol Square-King Street, 4-8 p.m.: Before autumn leaves start to turn, we can enjoy the last days of summer listening to jazz on the Capitol lawn with Jazz at Five. This free performance series happens on Wednesday evenings through Sept. 2. Each concert opens with a youth combo at 4 p.m. followed by back-to-back performances at 5 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. The series concludes Sept. 2 with big bands Milwaukee Jazz Orchestra, Ladies Must Swing and Central Standard Time. Find the full schedule at jazzatfive.org.
  • Gelsy Verna, through Sept. 27, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art: This exhibition at MMoCA focuses on one work (and a recent museum acquisition): Gelsy Verna’s “Mother, Father, Please Help Me.” It’s a mixed media drawing using elements of collage that creates a visual example of considering more than one side of a subject — literally. The art work is two-sided, and MMoCA has created a reproduction of the reverse side for this exhibition. Verna’s multi-layered work invites the viewer to slow down and think about familiar cultural icons. You don’t need to “get it” immediately — that’s not really the point.
  • Toni Romiti, Wednesday, Sept. 2, The Annex, 7 p.m.: Independent singer-songwriter Toni Romiti pivoted from college to a music career a decade ago following the massive viral hits “Imma Dog Too” and “Switch Up.” Judging by the wealth of quality hip-hop-informed R&B Romiti has unleashed since then, it was a good decision. Tickets at eventbrite.com.
  • Wisconsin at Work, Thursday, Sept. 3, History Maker Space, 5 p.m.: Wisconsin has a long history of working people organizing, and occasionally raising a little hell, for better working conditions. With “Wisconsin at Work,” the Wisconsin Historical Society presents a walking tour of downtown Madison tracing the people, places and movements that shaped labor rights from the mid-1800s through the 1970s. Comfortable shoes recommended; comfort with the status quo optional. The tour starts at the History Maker Space in the US Bank building on the Square; tickets at historicalmuseum.wisconsinhistory.org.
  • Comedy at the Cabaret, Thursday, Sept. 3, North Street Cabaret, 7:30 p.m.: The September Comedy at the Cabaret showcase is headlined by Craig Smith, runner-up in the 2026 Madison’s Funniest Comic competition with a witty storytelling style (see recent bits on losing a friend and ex-weed dealers for a sample). Smith is joined by Breanne Wilhite (also a MFC finalist this summer) and Shawn Vasquez, along with host Allie Lindsay. Find tickets at eventbrite.com.
  • Daikaiju, Thursday, Sept. 3, High Noon Saloon, 8 p.m.: A Daikaiju concert is an experience that is not soon forgotten (the band fittingly refers to them as “attacks”)…it’s surf-adjacent rock played with punk abandon and the heavy aggression of metal. The mysterious band has remained anonymous for more than 25 years, hidden behind kabuki masks and never speaking on stage. Madison’s own one-man surf-punk-garage frenzy ROBOMAN is an appropriate opener. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Find the individual Picks collected here, and as part of the full calendar of events.