What to do in Madison this week: June 29-July 2, 2026

The Wildwoods, National Women's Music Festival and more Isthmus Picks

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Arts

CANCELED: Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair, through June 30, UW Cinematheque: Hark ye, all who enter here, and despair over the state of the world…as seen through the eyes of film auteurs, anyway. UW Cinematheque kicks off its summer season dressed in black (presumably), as in partnership with the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles they present an installment of Bleak Week. The series was set to close out with a pair of apocalyptic tales: viral, via a new 35mm print of Tsai Ming-Liang's unusual musical The Hole, on June 29, and nuclear, the bleak 1983 film Testament, on June 30; however, both nights have been canceled due to an air conditioning malfunction. Misery never looked so good. Read Grant Phipps' preview here. Find the full schedule at cinema.wisc.edu; the regular summer schedule kicks off July 1.

The Wildwoods, Tuesday, June 30, The Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: The Wildwoods — husband-wife duo Noah (guitar) and Chloe (violin) Gose, accompanied by Andrew Vaggalis on upright bass — have raised their profile since the last time this Nebraska trio landed in Madison. With a distinct brand of sweet-sounding Americana-folk music influenced by the likes of Nickel Creek, Mumford & Sons and Wisconsin’s own Bon Iver, The Wildwoods toured internationally for the first time earlier this year and played showcases in Ireland and Scotland. They’ve also bolstered their U.S. presence with performances at Americanafest and a National Public Radio Mountain Stage taping. Tickets at theburoakmadison.com.

The Big Payback, Tuesday, June 30, UW Hamel Music Center-Mead Witter Hall, 8 p.m.: Among UW-Madison’s Badger Precollege summer programs for youth is the Summer Music Clinic, which offers week-long camps for musicians of all levels from grades 6-12. Various members of Madison band The Big Payback participated in the camps in years past, and the band is giving back with this benefit concert supporting student scholarships. The band’s blend of soul, rock and jazz and adventurously intricate arrangements are a testament to the Summer Music Clinic’s ability to inspire new generations of top-flight musicians. Reserve tickets here.

Concerts on the Square, Wednesday, July 1, Capitol Square, 7 p.m.: The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra’s annual summer Concerts on the Square season kicked off last week (a day late due to rainy weather) with a tribute to Billy Joel and Elton John; this week let's hope for sunshine for the group’s annual tribute to America. Titled “United in Sound,” the concert features traditional Fourth of July favorites such as “Stars and Stripes Forever” and the national anthem alongside contemporary music, including a performance by Madison hip-hop artist and scene-creator Rob Dz. 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); in case the weather looks sketchy, a rain call will be made by 3 p.m. Find more info at wcoconcerts.org.

Art Paul Schlosser, July 1-31, Mother Fool’s Coffeehouse: If you’ve spent any time on State Street in the last several decades, you’ve likely stopped to check in on what stream-of-consciousness-singer-songwriter Art Paul Schlosser is up to while busking. Schlosser has become as prolific at visual art as songwriting, and a collection of paintings of “Famous Celebrities” can be viewed at Mother Fool’s in July. (Also: A second series of summer-themed paintings can be found from July 10-Aug. 31 at Madison Senior Center.)

National Women's Music Festival, July 2-5, Marriott-West, Middleton: The National Women’s Music Festival, celebrating its 50th anniversary, offers a wealth of music, with a performer lineup including Holly Near, Stephanie Gayle, The Washington Sisters, Ubaka Hill, Abby Posner and many others. But there’s much more to the fest than concerts, with a wide-ranging and very robust workshop schedule, screenings of films including Janis Ian: Breaking Silence and A Mother Apart, a keynote by festival founder Kristin Lems, and more. Find all the info and ticket options at nwmf.info.

Ted Hefko, Thursday, July 2, Harmony Bar, 6 p.m.: Madison native Ted Hefko is very busy this summer playing shows in his longtime home of New Orleans, but among the few out of town shows is this happy hour set in the cozy confines of the Harmony’s side room. The songs on his most recent album with the Thousandaires, Down Below, feature a Big Easy-worthy gumbo of roots rock, R&B grooves, and strong storytelling delivered with Hefko’s loose-limbed vocals.

Monona Community Festival, July 3-4, Winnequah Park: Give Monona credit where credit is due: This city manages to keep a small town feel while being surrounded by the city of Madison. That’s never more true than at its long-standing festival that encompasses July 4, and provides plenty of fun throughout beautiful Winnequah Park There’s an art fair, trivia, drag bingo, and a “wife” carry competition that has wisely been repurposed as a partner carry. And you’ll also find food carts, kids activities, a magic show, and of course fireworks that start booming at 9:20 p.m. on July 4. Bands are: Charm School Rejects at 5:30 p.m. and Foo Foo Dolls at 8:30 p.m. on Friday; Funkee JBeez at 2 p.m., Whiskey Fund at 5 p.m. and Granny Shot 8 p.m. on Saturday. The carnival gets rolling at 3 p.m. on July 2. Find all the details at mononafestival.com.

Dane County Homeless Justice Initiative Benefit, Thursday, July 2, The Rigby, 6:30 p.m.: The city of Madison and Dane County partnered to build a new men’s homeless shelter, which is expected to open soon. However, the shelter’s capacity of 250 is significantly less than that of the current shelter, which, by the most recent available numbers, was averaging more than 300 folks a night. The Dane County Homeless Justice Initiative is raising money to help bridge this potential shortfall in services for our unhoused neighbors, including this benefit concert featuring Madison pop-punkers Hospitality Suite, Noah’s Jazz Group, and folk-adjacent Cathouse Dandies, along with visiting Milwaukee rockers Devils Teeth.

Festival Foods Fireworks, Thursday, July 2, Hometown USA Community Park, Verona, 9:30 p.m.: It seems most fireworks displays these days, for the Fourth of July or otherwise, happen in conjunction with other events — a festival, sports, or a concert. If you just want some booms, an exception is the annual Independence Day event hosted by Festival Foods in conjunction with more than 30 communities around Wisconsin, including in Verona at Hometown USA Community Park (and also viewable at Veteran’s Park). Rain date is July 3.

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

Editor's note: This post has been updated to add the Cinematheque cancelation.