What to do in Madison this weekend: July 23-26, 2026

AtwoodFest, ASTRO and more Isthmus Picks

by

Arts

  • POSTPONED: Madison Public Market Grand Opening, Thursday, July 23, 3:30-8 p.m., 202 N. First St.: The long awaited opening is here, as the public market opens for business, with a ribbon cutting at 3:45 p.m., kids' activities, and more. The market has announced this as a “grand opening season,” described as a “six-week celebration” running through Labor Day. From a recent window peek, some of the vendors are busy putting the final touches on their spaces. In a press release, the market says it is “giving merchants the opportunity to ramp up operations….balancing ongoing construction for future businesses with creating the best possible experience for the merchants opening on day one and the guests visiting them.” Initial regular hours are 5-10 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, and 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday. July 23 update: The market grand opening is postponed; watch for updates at facebook.com/Friendsofthemadisonpublicmarket.
  • WaunaFest, July 23-26, Centennial Park, Waunakee: Do you Wauna? If not, this is the year to start. WaunaFest packs just about every classic small-town summer tradition into one long weekend: carnival rides, an arts and crafts fair, volleyball tournament, an auto show, a parade, and enough community spirit to remind you why these festivals never go out of style. Kids can fill their days with face painting, balloon artists and magic shows while adults settle in with cover bands (Road Trip, Granny Shot and others) and a beverage in hand. You'll probably run into someone you know, stay longer than you planned and leave already looking forward to next summer. Find the full schedule at waunafest.com.
  • Stone Prairie + Troye Shanks, Thursday, July 23, East Side Club, 5:30 p.m.: Madison is often dinged for not taking full advantage of the lakes — there are relatively few eateries directly on the water, for instance. The East Side Club hatched its Tiki Bar concept to solve that — its grassy lawn right on Lake Monona becomes a bar and grill which also hosts bands. Stone Prairie features a crew of veteran Madison musicians and some enthusiastic newcomers, playing Americana covers and originals. Acoustic singer/songwriter Troye Shanks has been nominated for many a MAMA. You won’t be sorry.
  • CANCELED: Big Honey Little Improv Festival, July 23-26, Broom Street Theater: The Big Honey Little Improv Festival is a four-day extravaganza of spontaneous comedy hosted by local all-star troupe Big Honey. Two nightly shows include some of the ensemble’s recurring concepts (HiveMind, I’mProv/You’reProv), duo shows, and guest performers from Monkey Business Institute and Atlas Improv. Newcomers can jump into several open jams, while audiences can sit back and enjoy the kind of comedy that exists for one night only and will never be repeated. July 24 update: The festival is canceled in solidarity with the community. Find more info at amalgamimprov.com.
  • The Matchmaker, through Oct. 2, American Players Theatre, Spring Green: This play, by Madison favorite-son playwright Thornton Wilder, is a farce set in New York circa 1896. But it's also of the moment, as more and more young people become fed up with the ruthless roundabout of dating apps. The Matchmaker centers on Dolly Gallagher Levi, “a professional meddler with a knack for rearranging other people’s lives,” writes our reviewer, Michael Popke. Dolly is played to perfection by APT Core Member Tracy Michelle Arnold. (Read the full review here.) And the play is chock full of that APT secret sauce: plot twists and mistaken identity. In repertory through Oct. 2; the next performance is at 7:30 p.m. July 23. Find tickets and the schedule at americanplayers.org.
  • ASTRO, Thursday, July 23, Cafe Coda, 8 p.m.: The acronym ASTRO stands for Anders Svanoe's Teleporting Rhythmic Orchestra. It’s also evocative of the term “astral”; stars and/or mysterious forces come to mind upon hearing the music created by this large ensemble of talented improvisers, usually anchored by two bassists and two percussionists. Composer Anders Svanoe directs the band from behind his baritone saxophone and the band’s interplay is as thrilling as the challenging but fun music. They’re back at Coda on fourth Thursdays for summer and fall.
  • Willy Street Chamber Players with Brittany Conrad: Friday, July 24, Immanuel Lutheran Church, 6 p.m.: Willy Street Chamber Players is committed to bringing exceptional chamber music to Madison, and for a decade they've delivered. What's even more remarkable is that these musicians don't simply show up to play — they're also the people raising the money, promoting the concerts and building the audience for this labor of love. Their latest program opens with Evan Williams' Grime, a vivid contemporary work that crackles with rhythmic energy and shifting textures, before guest bassist Brittany Conrad joins the ensemble for Dvořák's String Quintet No. 2 in G major, one of the composer's most radiant chamber works, overflowing with Bohemian folk spirit, soaring melodies and warmth. It's another intimate evening that showcases why this ensemble has become one of Madison's cultural treasures. Tickets at willystreetchamberplayers.org.
  • Pride and Prejudice, through July 26, Peace Lutheran Church, Waunakee: Pride and Prejudice keeps on being relevant, and this stage adaptation by Kate Hamill is snappy and relatable, without jettisoning the main character energy of Lizzy Bennet and Mr. Darcy. The Groundlings, a relatively new Waunakee theater troupe, take on the beloved tale. (Read Emilie Heidemann’s story on the troupe here.) Shows are at 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays; tickets at zeffy.com.
  • Sunspot, Friday, July 24, UW Memorial Union Terrace, 7 p.m.: Sunspot celebrates 30 years in 2026 as Madison’s premier power-pop trio for embracing the weird side of life, especially the paranormal. Their anniversary year celebrations continued with the release of a new single, the glorious anthem “Possess Me,” on June 23, and the band will mark its release with a concert at ground zero — the UW-Madison campus, where the group originally came together. With Get Well Now.
  • Boris Borisovich’s Wonder Tales, July 24-Aug. 2, Madison Country Day School, Waunakee: This world premiere of the Baba Yaga-inspired Boris Borisovich's Wonder Tales is a new adaptation translated and directed by Brian R. Johnson. Baba Yaga is the ambiguous, otherworldly old woman who may be a seer, or maybe just a troublemaker and who ties these traditional Slavic folktales together. As with all folktales, these stories connect with the unconscious in curious ways. The production is outdoors at Madison Country Day School’s amphitheater, with the Yahara River and restored prairie as backdrop. Shows at 7 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Tickets at eventbrite.com.
  • CANCELED: AtwoodFest, July 25-26, 2000 block Atwood Avenue: Yes, it can get hot on the pavement of Atwood and environs (leave the pets at home). But what’s coming from the stages at AtwoodFest each July is even hotter than the weather usually is. Three stages keep the dancers moving and the listeners happy all day with a diverse mix of sounds including Latin soul by Orquesta SalSoul del Mad, roots rock veterans The Rousers, bluegrass from Bigtooth, and of course fest favorites like VO5 and Steely Dane…and that’s only a small sample of the local bands; the fest also features tour stops by The Band Feel, Toronzo Cannon, Kelli Baker Band and others. Food and artisan vendors are also on offer, as well as kids' activities hosted by Canopy Center. Find the full schedule at atwoodfest.com. July 24 update from the Schenk-Atwood-Starkweather-Yahara Neighborhood Association: "Our community and our Marquette neighbors witnessed another horrific officer-involved shooting just blocks from our festival grounds, leaving us in deep pain and justified anger. In acknowledgment of what has happened far too often in our community and our country as a whole, this year's AtwoodFest, themed 'The Heartbeat of the Neighborhood,' is canceled."
  • Unity Picnic, Saturday, July 25, Black Business Hub, noon-5 p.m.: The Urban League of Greater Madison’s annual Unity Picnic offers fun activities for the kids, info on community resources, Hub Marketplace vendors, and of course plenty of yummy food from BP Smokehouse and Kipp’s Catering. The celebration also features music by Cigarette Break, Yancyy, Leotha Stanley, and DJ Wayne Wonder. Watch for updates at facebook.com/urbanleagueofgreatermadison.
  • Disability Pride Festival, Saturday, July 25, Warner Park, noon-5 p.m.: Arts, advocacy and community are the order of the day at the annual Disability Pride Festival. Organized by and for disabled people, the free event features a vendor fair, exhibits and info from local resource organizations, and family-friendly activities. Entertainment includes music by Forward! Marching Band and marimba master Ricardo Vasquez, comedy by Peter Jurich and Devon Flagherty, aerial dance troupe Up to Something, and a drag showcase with Elliot WageGap, EnyaDreams, Yuca Lebron, Madam Lacy and Cherri Batty. It's a chance to celebrate cultural activities open to all abilities while connecting with a broad cross-section of Madisonians. More info at disabilitypridemadison.org.
  • Bark, Scoot & Boogie, Saturday, July 25, Wisconsin Community Veterinary Clinic, 4 p.m.: Shelter for the Storm Animal Rescue invites the community to throw on their cowboy boots and hightail it over to Bark, Scoot & Boogie, a Western-themed summer fundraiser. General admission tickets include activities for all ages, including yard games, contests, drag queen bingo, a live auction, and music by Acoustic Collective. All-inclusive tickets also include homemade BBQ, desserts and a drink. Proceeds help the nonprofit ensure that pets and their owners in the community have access to veterinary care. The event is at the clinic, 4475 Robertson Road. Tickets at sftsrescue.org.
  • Battle of the Bands, Saturday, July 25, Harmony Bar, 7 p.m.: Six Madison-area bands — Courtesy Call, Autumn & the Trinkettes, Apogetic, The Racing Pulses, Blue Moon Alley and Public Meltdown — will compete in one of three preliminary rounds in a contest hosted by 3 Sheeps Brewing. The craft brewery is teaming up with the Les Paul Foundation to uplift unsigned Wisconsin bands and honor the legacy of Paul, a Waukesha native and music industry pioneer. Winners from the preliminary competitions in Madison, Milwaukee and Appleton, along with the winner of a virtual competition, will advance to the championship round Aug. 15 at the 3 Sheeps taproom in Sheboygan; at stake is $3,000 and a trip to L.A. to record at Les Paul Recording Studio.
  • Casey and Diana, through Sept. 24, American Players Theatre-Touchstone: The world has seen many urgent health emergencies including a global pandemic since the AIDS crisis. That can almost make Nick Green's Casey and Diana, set in 1991, seem as much set in the distant past as the Shakespearean drama that made APT’s reputation. It’s a revisit well worth the audience’s time, though, as Princess Diana visits the Toronto AIDS hospice Casey House. Both the hospice and the princess were forward-looking in their acceptance of and compassion for people dying of AIDS. Read Katie Reiser’s review of the play here. In repertory through September 24; next up is a performance at 8 p.m. on July 25. Find tickets and the full schedule at americanplayers.org.

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

Editor's note: This post has been updated to reflect several event cancelations.