What to do in Madison this week: Mean Mary, Dane County Fair and more Isthmus Picks

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Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Monday, July 17, Memorial Union Terrace, 9 p.m.: Anyone? You don’t need the Wisconsin Union Directorate’s Lakeside Cinema to be able to watch the sweet 1986 classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, but it is even more beautiful (haha) to see it with Lake Mendota as a backdrop. High school golden boy Ferris wants to have the day off from school without getting into trouble for it. His resulting adventures with his best friend and girlfriend are an ode to the freedom of youth before the responsibilities of adulthood set in.

Caravan, Tuesday, July 18, Capitol Square at South Hamilton Street, noon: Led by Christo Ruppenthal on acoustic guitar, Caravan blends influences from Romani jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt with American swing and jazz, Latin, Parisian waltzes and European folk. Based in Madison, the seasoned quartet formed in 2003. Can’t make it this week? The YOUR Lunch Time LIVE series continues Tuesdays at noon through Aug. 29; find the full performer schedule at visitdowntownmadison.com.

Michael Perry, Tuesday, July 18, Octagon Barn, Spring Green 6:30 p.m.: Take a break from the summer heat with Michael Perry, discussing his new novella, Forty Acres Deep. Perry’s main character, Harold, wakes one morning to find his wife dead and his farm desolate as a snowy winter sweeps across it. He must start a new life in a world that is no longer his own. In recent years, Perry has moved into self-publishing; he will discuss this as well as the new book during this Morrill Lecture Series event, which also includes a panel discussion by farmers, moderated by Joy Kirkpatrick. Find more info rivervalleycommons.org.

Kainalu, Tuesday, July 18, Olbrich Gardens, 7 p.m.: This project from musician Trent Prall reflects his Japanese-Hawaiian background but also sounds like a summer-love-inducing mashup of smooth 1960s soul and 1970s disco. Yet there’s a new-agey comfort vibe to songs like “Finding Peace of Mind” and “Queen of Wands.” Perfect for a glass of a little something and a picnic in the gardens. Bring your own chair or blanket.

Cayce Osborne, Wednesday, July 19, Mystery to Me, 6 p.m.: Madison — from West High School to the Spring Harbor neighborhood — emerges as a main character in I Know What You Did, the smart and sassy debut thriller from local author Cayce Osborne. Readers meet cantankerous Petal Woznewski during her gynecological exam, when a substitute doctor tells her about a new bestselling book titled No One Suspected that (as things turn out) not only fictionalizes the death of her best friend when they both were freshmen at West but also accuses Petal of the murder. Intent on identifying the pseudonymous author, Petal must revisit the dark childhood secret she spent decades trying to forget while she desperately parses fact from fiction. In-person seating is limited, but the event also will be livestreamed via Crowdcast.

GRIP, Wednesday, July 19, The Annex, 6:30 p.m.: Atlanta rapper GRIP’s diverse beats and quick flow caught the attention of Eminem, securing a deal with Shady Records in 2021. Soon after, GRIP released the concept album I Died For This!?, a 17-song masterpiece that showcases GRIP’s distinctive sound and includes collab tracks with Tate228, Eminem and others. GRIP is accompanied on tour by Providence rapper Khary, and the lineup also includes Bowdizz, Ox E, Obscure, Its Chase and Chas for an unforgettable night of hip-hop. Tickets at eventbrite.com.

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Wednesday, July 19, UW Cinematheque, 7 p.m.: When independent filmmaker Russ Meyer got a chance to put studio money behind his raunchy sex-and-violence-soaked soap operas, he went all out. The result was 1970’s Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, which satirizes Hollywood, rock bands, the hippies and the squares in equal measure, and certainly includes something to offend just about everyone; it disturbed the film industry enough at the time it got an X rating, which it retains all these years later. Visually, Meyer’s quick-cutting style is far ahead of its time and the phantasmagorical colors of his comic book vision are best appreciated on a big screen.

Dane County Fair, July 20-23, Alliant Energy Center: If a stingray encounter is on your bucket list, you don’t have to travel to the ocean — just head to the Dane County Fair, where it is just one of many interactive happenings on the schedule. Entertainment through the weekend includes Madison Roller Derby (6 p.m., July 20) and a full day of stage activities hosted by La Movida radio, with bands announced at press time including La Séptima Alianza and Love Secreto (noon-10 p.m., July 23). Find much more info at danecountyfair.com.

EcoSquared, through Aug. 31, Hatch Art House: See what Wisconsin artists can do with upcycled materials in this annual show that proves that reuse sparks joy and that it’s hip to be square (all the art works are, yes, square). Approximately 90 pieces of art by 25-plus Wisconsin-based artists are featured.

Mean Mary, Thursday, July 20, North Street Cabaret, 7:30 p.m.: Mary James picked up the nickname Mean Mary all the way back at age 6, after the first song she wrote (with mom Jean) and recorded, “Mean Mary from Alabam,” got some media attention. Since then, James has been building a life in entertainment as a singer and multi-instrumentalist, actor, and novelist (again often collaborating with mom). Mean Mary’s most recent album, Portrait of a Woman, Part 1, showcases a set of original songs most often anchored by James' banjo — which will also be the focus during this solo Sugar Maple Concert Series show.

Craig Baumann & the Story, Thursday, July 20, Majestic, 8 p.m.: Craig Baumann & the Story masterfully merges blues and soul influences into authentic Midwestern Americana anthems. Baumann’s emotive vocals and the band’s funky guitar riffs give his songs an irresistible vintage feel. They are joined on this free Majestic Summerjam concert by Chicago alternative rock band Lunar Ticks; spoken word artist FlowPoetry hosts.

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