What to do in Madison this weekend: Plant + Krauss, Madison Jazz Festival and more Isthmus Picks

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Summer Frolic, June 6-9, Grundahl Park, Mount Horeb: Mount Horeb was not settled by trolls. Norwegian settlers began arriving in the early 1870s, and their traditions have rubbed off on this small town with its vibrant main street and carved wooden trolls lurking (36 of them!) to provide local color. This annual fundraiser for area parks has all the requirements of a summer fest: carnival, beer tent, bands and a fun run (8:30 a.m., June 8). The band tent (next to the beer tent) includes The Jimmys at 8:30 p.m. June 7 and The Foo Foo Dolls at 9 p.m. June 8, among others. Find the full schedule at mthorebsummerfrolic.com.

Madison Bike Week, through June 9, various locations: Madison Bike Week, continuing through June 9, rolls on for a couple more days. Thursday events include a flat fixing demo at 7 p.m., Machinery Row; and a talk on the state bicycling history by Nick Hoffman, author of Wheel Fever: How Wisconsin Became a Great Bicycling State, at 7:30 p.m., Capital Brewery Middleton. Friday features a launch party for this year's Bike the Barns ride hosted by FairShare CSA Coalition, at 3 p.m., Working Draft; and the annual bike week party, 4 p.m., Brittingham Park. Find the full list at madisonbikes.org (and statewide bike week events at wisconsinbikefed.org).

5-10-100: Women Artists Forward reception, through Aug. 4, Overture Center-James Watrous Gallery; reception June 6, 5:30-7:30 p.m.: The Women Artists Forward Fund was founded by Madison artists Brenda Baker and Bird Ross in 2019 as a way to directly assist artists in Dane County with unrestricted grants. The exhibit “5-10-100: Women Artists Forward,” on display at the Wisconsin Academy’s Watrous Gallery through Aug. 4, features work by the first 10 artists to receive the grants: Jennifer Angus, Adriana Barrios, Mary Bero, Yeonhee Cheong, Angelica Contreras, Lilada Gee, Dakota Mace, Katherine Steichen Rosing, Alice Traore and Babette Wainwright. Learn more about the program during the opening reception (5:30-7:30 p.m., June 6), which features remarks by Baker and Ross at 6 p.m. Regular gallery hours are noon-6 p.m. Thursday-Friday and noon-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.

POTUS: Or Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive: May 30-June 15, Bartell Theatre: Strollers Theatre wins the sweepstakes for longest event title this month with its production of Selina Fillinger's 2022 play POTUS: Or Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive. Hint: it’s a farce. The all-female cast plays on the old trope of “behind every great man…” by all seven of them intervening to prop up POTUS. While the play received mixed reviews on Broadway, its themes are timely this crazy election year. Read Mel Hammond’s review here. Shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (except 2 p.m. on June 15) and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.

Count This Penny + Harmony Landing, Thursday, June 6, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: During their time in Madison in the first half of the 2010s, the songs and performances of folk duo Count This Penny caused a stir in the local scene and far beyond. The duo is returning for a show reigniting a friendly rivalry described as “a battle for the soul of the South.” The fourth installment of “Appalachian Armageddon” features Count This Penny (Tennessee natives Amanda and Allen Rigell) in a musical fracas with Madison trio Harmony Landing (Kirsten and Matt Earley and Isthmus contributor Andy Moore, all Kentucky natives). Anything could happen, but good singing and playing is guaranteed. Tickets at seetickets.us.

Weekend of the Burnt Piano, through June 8, Broom Street Theater: It sounds like a classic Agatha Christie-style plot, one of those gathering-in-a-house deals. In Weekend of the Burnt Piano, a slight twist: “Four friends gather to mourn a fifth who has recently been murdered but as the weekend goes on they begin to suspect one of them did it.” The situation provides a hothouse atmosphere for revelations, and we’ll bite. This is writer and director Sean Langenecker’s first play; Langenecker, also an actor, was a standout in Forward Theatre’s production of Clyde’s last fall. Shows are 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, plus 8 p.m., May 29. Advance tickets at eventbrite.com, or pay-what-you-can at the door.

Cloud Nothings, Thursday, June 6, High Noon Saloon, 8:30 p.m.: This three-piece indie noise rock band hails from Cleveland, Ohio. The quirky trio creates layered melodies and compelling stories touching on mischief and regret. Emotion comes through each instrument's strum and slam. Idle Ray and We Should Have Been DJs open.

American Family Insurance Championship, June 7-9, University Ridge Golf Course; June 7, Breese Stevens, 6 p.m.: A summer highlight for golf fans lands this weekend when the PGA TOUR Champions (professional golfers 50 and older) makes its annual stop in Madison for the American Family Insurance Championship. The current defending champion is Steve Stricker — also the tournament host — and the field also includes two-time winner Jerry Kelly, Vijay Singh, and many others. Opening night also includes a concert by Train and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram (6 p.m., June 7, Breese Stevens Field). It’s all a fundraiser for American Family Children’s Hospital and other nonprofits. Find details and tickets at amfamchampionship.com.

Madison Jazz Festival, June 7-16, various locations: Each June brings an embarrassment of riches for music fans when the Madison Jazz Festival returns, this year from June 7-16. Coordinated in partnership by Arts + Literature Lab and the Wisconsin Union Theater, the schedule features an array of concerts and a couple special events focusing on the late Richard Davis, a former UW professor and international music legend. On June 8, Chuck France discusses Davis’ work with vocalist Sarah Vaughan (10:30 a.m., Pinney Library), and June 13 features a screening of the new documentary String Theory: The Richard Davis Method, plus a discussion by director Michael Neelsen and others (7 p.m., Madison Museum of Contemporary Art). Ticketed concerts include guitarist Raul Midón (8 p.m., June 8, Cafe Coda); jazz-rockers Marbin (7 p.m., June 9, High Noon); and Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo performing music from the new album El Arte del Bolero Vol. 2 (7:30 p.m., June 10, ALL). The rest of the fest’s events are free to attend, including UW Memorial Union Terrace headliners the Orrin Evans Quartet (7 p.m., June 15) and Dee Dee Bridgewater’s We Exist quartet (7 p.m., June 16). Find the full schedule at madisonjazzfestivalwi.org.

SummerPalooza, Saturday, June 8, Madison Children’s Museum, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.: While Madison is a place full of freebies, not everything in town is free. The exploration adventure that is Madison Children’s Museum usually charges a fee, but for this day celebrating the launch of summer vacation, admission is free. Take advantage! In addition to the usual climbing, crafting and imaginative play, there’s live entertainment with Handphibians, Black Star Drum Line, Zhong Yi Lion Dance, and Ken Lonnquist and the Kenland Band. MSCR’s Art Cart will be onsite, as well as the Wisconsin DNR Fishmobile, where the kiddos will be introduced to that time-honored tradition of summer, baiting a hook and not catching anything. Find more info at madisonchildrensmuseum.org.

Midwest Fire Fest, June 8-9, Westside Park, Cambridge: This summer festival celebrates art created with heat (think ceramics and metalwork), featuring 21 exhibiting artists; eight of the artists will demonstrate their technique during the weekend. There’s also multiple fire performances by the Fire Tribe, and also music by Ritt & Wilder Deitz, Wurk and others. This annual event hosted by the Clay Collective and Cambridge Arts Council is moving up a month this year from its usual July spot in the summer schedule. Hours are 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on June 8 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on June 9; find the full schedule at midwestfirefest.com.

Marquette Waterfront Festival: June 8-9, Yahara Place Park: Fest season in Dane County has been gradually starting earlier in spring and going later in fall. The Marquette Waterfront Festival has moved up before the official start of summer but for many east siders it still feels like the official start of the season. You have your outdoor events opening each day (Dandelion Dash on Saturday; Fools' Flotilla, from Tenney Park, on Sunday), your local business vendors, your kids' games. And, of course, two music stages, kicking off on June 7 with a special fest edition of the Harmony Bar’s SheCase Showdown hosted by Kelly Maxwell and featuring Tzera, Meghan Hamilton, SophieRose Kangethe and Lesley Goff. A panoply of other regional performers follow, with evening headlining sets by Minneapolis rapper Nur-D (Saturday) and New Orleans soul stars Sierra Green & the Giants (Sunday). Find the full schedule and updates at facebook.com/MarquetteWaterfront.

Farley Center Summer Market, Saturday, June 8, Farley Center, Verona, 3-6:30 p.m.: The Farley Center has developed into a singular natural area with event gathering space, vegetable gardens and a green cemetery. This celebration kicks off the growing season with farmers' market vendors, arts and craftspeople, and music by Leafy Greens (3 p.m.) and the Farley Center Ukes (5 p.m.). At 4 p.m., Natural Path Sanctuary director Shedd Farley will lead a tour of the peaceful burial area. Prepared food vendors El Sabor De Puebla and Sam's Elegant Team African food will also be on hand for picnicking under the majestic bur oaks. The Center is at 2299 Spring Rose Road off Highway 151 just west of Verona.

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Saturday, June 8, Breese Stevens, 7 p.m.: Where to start? Like, if you have to be convinced to see this show, what can we even say? It was an unexpected delight when Robert Plant, legendary hard-driving Led Zeppelin vocalist, teamed with Alison Krauss, ethereal singer and bluegrass fiddler, for the soaring 2007 album Raising Sand. Their voices, braided together, form the perfect yin/yang. Expect songs from traditional folk to country to rock, and maybe even some Led Zep. Madison is lucky to score a stop on this, their Can't Let Go Tour 2024, which includes gigs at Wolf Trap and the Ravinia Festival. J.D. McPherson opens. Ticket info: ticketmaster.com.

Ring Round the Moon, June 8-Sept. 20, American Players Theatre, Spring Green: This Christopher Fry adaptation of a play by Jean Anouilh holds all the trademark Fry wit, and features unrequited love, hijinks, manipulative romancing and hidden identities. In short, Ring Round the Moon is perfect for summer repertory at APT. The cast features APT favorites La Shawn Banks, Nate Burger and Colleen Madden. The play opens the summer season at APT with performances at 8 p.m. on June 8 and 7:30 p.m. on June 13; tickets at americanplayers.org.

Abstract Comedy Series, Saturday, June 8, Barrymore, 8 p.m.: This showcase features a quartet of performers with decades of experience making people laugh. Damon Williams was a longtime member of The Tom Joyner Morning Show radio team and along with acting roles and stand-up still curates weekly showcases at Riddles Comedy Club in his native Chicago. Kenny Howell is also a Chicago legend and Def Comedy Jam veteran. Taneshia Rice (aka Just Nesh) is a Chicago-based comedian who has performed all around the country; her first comedy special is on the way soon. And Don Curry has a long resume of TV roles (The Ms. Pat Show, Grace Under Fire) and was Uncle Elroy in the Friday sequels. Tickets at barrymorelive.com.

The Mars Volta, Saturday, June 8, The Sylvee, 8 p.m.: By our calculations, it’s been more than two decades since The Mars Volta — a complex post-hardcore progressive-rock band with a penchant for concept albums, and one that’s influenced everybody from Mastodon to Lizzo — made a stop in Madison. A lot has happened since then: multiple lineup changes, a seven-year breakup, and two post-breakup albums since 2022. Now, mainstays Cedric Bixler-Zavala on vocals and Omar Rodríguez-López on guitar are mounting a short five-date tour leading up to The Mars Volta’s appearance at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. Teri Gender Bender opens. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Madison’s Iconic Food Cultures, Sunday, June 9, Warner Park Community Recreation Center, 2 p.m.: Terese Allen, longtime cookbook writer and Wisconsin culinary historian, and Marie-Arzel Young of Madison’s Far Breton Bakery will join forces to talk about local food. The topic of morning buns is sure to come up, as a while back Allen wrote The Ovens of Brittany Cookbook and Young baked there; she now bakes the legendary breakfast treat for Far Breton. Copies of Allen’s latest cookbook, Dane County Farmers’ Market Cookbook, will be for sale (all proceeds will benefit the Dane County Farmers’ Market) and yes: there will be samples.

Dear Mr. Watterson, Sunday, June 9, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: Four experimental and rockin’ indie groups, all in one night! Madison band The Wild Violets provides a solid foundation of groovy bass lines. Another local band, Dear Mr.Watterson, lives and breathes off of their quirky emo style guitar riffs. Indie pop group Gentle Brontosaurus is unique with the blare of their trumpet. And up from Chicago, North By North features angsty power pop jams. With this funky mix of music, there's no way you won't find yourself dancing along. Tickets at seetickets.us.

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