What to do in Madison this week: July 6-9, 2026

Phish, 'Wisconsin Women’s Voices' and more Isthmus Picks

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Arts

  • LAB^4 exhibitions, July 7-Aug. 29, Arts + Literature Laboratory; reception July 10, 6-8 p.m.: The multidisciplinary ALL mixes it up in its visual arts gallery with four shows this summer. “You Are Sitting Here With Us: A Comics Show” is an ode to comic great and UW-Madison prof Lynda Barry, with works from six artists in painting, sculpture, woodworking, puppetry, ceramics, textiles, and film. “Threading Solidarity: Tatreez from Teejop to Palestine” focuses on traditional Palestinian embroidery, seen as resistance, and pieces shown are from Palestinians and allies in the Teejop community. “Let Go” is a solo exhibit from Madison’s Liubóv Szwako, better known as Triangulador. And works by Tom Jones and Jennifer White Eagle will be featured in a duo exhibition. A reception takes place from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, July 10.
  • Home Grown, through Aug. 8, Textile Arts Center: Fiber and textile artists in the Midwest don’t always have the opportunity to work with materials from their own home areas; the Midwest Linen Revival collective is working to change that. As part of its annual Field to Frock events series (June 23-28), the organization is partnering with the Textile Arts Center on “Home Grown,” an exhibition featuring contemporary artists incorporating Midwestern fibers and dyes in their work. Regular gallery hours are noon-4 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.
  • Phish, July 7-8, Kohl Center, 7 p.m.: Phish opens its 21-date 2026 summer tour in Madison — a city the jam band pioneers last played in 1998, and one of the smallest locales on the itinerary. Many of Phish’s 16 studio recordings, including 2024’s Evolve, are notable for wrapping multiple musical styles around easy melodies, but its live shows soar with the kind of high-caliber improvisation that built an extremely loyal fanbase. The band is coming off a nine-day residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas earlier this year, during which it played 161 different songs without repeating a single one. Finally, Madison has another chance to catch Phish in its element. Tickets at uwbadgers.evenue.net.
  • MoneyHill Casino + Nakara Forjé, Tuesday, July 7, Gamma Ray, 7 p.m.: This concert is a stop on the Midwest “Sacred Advisory” tour, described on the show posters as a place “where hip-hop and spirituality coexist.” That’s borne out in the messages of perseverance and healing in the music of the tour headliners, Bay Area emcee MoneyHill Casino and Twin Cities-based Nakara Forjé (a 2025 McKnight Fellowship for Musicians recipient). The Madison lineup also features Jo7iah, Midwest James, Juice Lord and Sole2dotz. Tickets at gammaray.bar.
  • WPCRC Community Celebration, Wednesday, July 8, Warner Park Community Recreation Center, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: This spacious recreation and community facility in Warner Park underwent an expansion and for the grand reopening you can expect a standard ribbon cutting and speech, but also tours, fun in the gym (basketball, volleyball, soccer and pickleball with all equipment provided), bouncy house, a free screening of the 2026 animated film GOAT, drop-in art projects in the pottery studio, and more. Celebrate and practice saying “WPCRC” so it rolls off the tongue like you’re a northsider.
  • Concerts on the Square, Wednesdays July 8-29, Capitol Square, 7 p.m.: The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra’s annual summer Concerts on the Square season continues every Wednesday in July, and you can save your spot on the lawn with a blanket starting at 3 p.m.; the concerts take place on the King Street corner. Still to come: a program featuring WCO concertmaster/violinist Suzanne Beia and principal cellist Karl Lavine on July 8; a Paris-themed evening with guest violinist Tim Kliphuis on July 15; film music and guest pianist Angelina Chang on July 22; and a focus on works by guest pianist Stewart Goodyear on July 29. In case the weather looks sketchy, a rain call will be made by 3 p.m. Find more info at wcoconcerts.org.
  • Uncle Vanya, through Sept. 5, American Players Theatre, Spring Green: Remember the old SNL game show skit “Meet Your Second Wife”? Well, not that this is the Russian realist version of that, but there is a young second wife involved in Uncle Vanya, and when does that go well? The scene: Vanya and his niece, Sonya, have worked the family land to support her father, who now lives at the estate with said second wife. This new adaptation by APT’s Nate Burger is part of World Premiere Wisconsin, the statewide festival promoting throughout 2026. In repertory through Sept. 5; performances coming up include 7:30 p.m. July 8 and 11. Tickets at americanplayers.org.
  • La Fête de Marquette, July 9-12, McPike Park: The midsummer landmark La Fête de Marquette is, improbably, even more packed with music in 2026 with the addition of Madison Irish Fest to the lineup, including Conor Mallon & the Unearthed, singer-songwriter Ger O’Donnell, and local faves Lochanside. Musique Electronique returns to La Fête, with three days of electronic artists including headliners Special Request and Sterac (and the traditional late night shows at High Noon July 10-11). Those stages are only part of the full lineup, featuring two concerts by Los Lobos, Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band and Rockin' Dopsie & the Zydeco Twisters; Madison faves such as The Earthlings, VO5 and Mr. Chair; and many, many others. Find the full schedule at wil-mar.org.
  • Wisconsin Women’s Voices, Thursday, July 9, Mystery to Me, 6 p.m.: This two-night poetry event (the first reading was June 4) features eight Wisconsin writers gathering for readings and conversation. Wisconsin Women’s Voices continues July 9 with Cathryn Cofell, past president of Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets and Appleton's first poet laureate; Emilie Lindemann, whose most recent book is Ghost(ed) Woman & the Electric Purple Pants; Wendy Vardaman, past Madison poet laureate and author of the 2025 collection thread me an exit; and Lisa Vihos, Pushcart Prize-nominated former poet laureate of Sheboygan. RSVP at mysterytomebooks.com (where a livestream link can also be found).
  • Anvil, Thursday, July 9, Crucible, 7 p.m.: Were it not for a 2008 documentary, Anvil! The Story of Anvil, the straightforward metal trio that formed in 1978 and always took a back seat to their Canadian brethren in other single-name bands like Rush, Triumph and Saga might not be around today. The film featured Slash, Lemmy, Lars Ulrich and other musicians citing Anvil as a major influence and jumpstarted the band’s career. Now Anvil brings its “Pounding the Past Tour” to Madison with the promise of playing cuts from the band’s first three albums: 1981’s Hard ‘n’ Heavy, 1982’s Metal on Metal and 1983’s Forged in Fire. With no-frills headbangers Midnite Hellion and Madison hard rockers Sabotage opening, this will be a show for diehard metalheads. Tickets at events.ticketleap.com.

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