What to do in Madison this week: LunART Festival, Memorial Day commemorations, and more Isthmus Picks

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Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, various locations: Madison area ceremonies include the Madison Veterans Council event, which begins with music by the VFW Post 1318 Band at 9:15 a.m. at Union Rest in Forest Hill Cemetery, followed by speakers at 10 a.m.; Fitchburg's observance, at 12:30 p.m. at Gorman Wayside Veterans Memorial Park; and the American Legion Post 151 ceremony, 2 p.m. at Sunset Memory Gardens. Monona's celebration begins with a VFW Post 7591 ceremony at 9:30 a.m. at Monona Grove High School, followed by a parade south along Monona Drive; the post also conducts brief ceremonies at 11:15 a.m. at Blooming Grove Cemetery, noon at Roselawn Memorial Cemetery, 1 p.m. at Highland Memorial Cemetery, Cottage Grove, 2 p.m. at Madison Veteran’s Memorial Park, and at 3 p.m. at VFW Post 7591. Activities in Cross Plains begin with a parade at 11 a.m. followed by a ceremony and chicken barbecue at American Legion Park. And Veterans for Peace-Clarence Kailin Chapter hosts a peace rally with speakers (including a keynote by Matt Rothschild) and music, starting at 1 p.m. at Gates of Heaven; the annual VFP Memorial Mile display in remembrance of soldiers killed in military action is at the Labor Temple through the morning of June 3.

Great Wisconsin Birdathon, through June 15, anywhere: Ready, set, bird! The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin invites Wisconsin bird fanatics to participate in its annual fundraiser, The Great Wisconsin Birdathon. It's a very choose-your-own-adventure style activity for bird watchers of any level, solo or in a team, to pick a time and spot as many bird species as possible, with fundraising or donations by participants encouraged. The money raised goes to the Natural Resources Foundation’s Bird Protection Fund. Find more info and register at wisconservation.org.

The Jimmys, Monday, May 29, East Side Club, 1-5 p.m.: The Jimmys have made a Memorial Day concert a tradition at the East Side Club, with a beautiful view of Lake Monona and the band’s expert take on blues and roots music combining as a perfect way to wrap up the long weekend. Madison Area Music Awards Hall of Fame inductees and the 2022 Performer of the Year winners, the septet has a celebrated history in southern Wisconsin and far beyond.

re:mancipation, through June 25, Chazen Museum of Art: “re:mancipation” is a multi-year collaboration by New York artist Sanford Biggers, the MASK Consortium (representing museums and other institutions) and the Chazen, responding to the Thomas Ball sculpture “Emancipation Group” — on display at the Chazen. (In recent years, a version of the work was removed from public display in Boston). This multidisciplinary exhibition resulting from the project features new work by Biggers and others, video and music responding to Ball's work, historical timelines, documentary material about the project, and more. Read Jeffrey Brown's story about the exhibit here.

Todd Albright, Wednesday, May 31, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: Todd Albright is a crash course in pre-war blues (1880-1939) — the roots of roots music. (Think Blind Lemon Jefferson, George Carter, Leadbelly.) In performance Albright lets the music speak for itself, singing and alternating on six- and 12-string guitars. But he also speaks to the music, educating audiences as the show moves. Madison’s Andrew Christensen is the perfect opener, as there’s no bigger old American music nerd and authentic practitioner in town. Tickets here.

Jeff Nania, Wednesday, May 31, Mystery To Me, 6 p.m.: Award-winning Wisconsin author Jeff Nania will be in town to celebrate the release of Musky Run, the fourth title in his Northern Lakes Mystery series. Nania’s stories, set in the Wisconsin Northwoods, draw heavily on the author’s experience in law enforcement and conservation, and Musky Run revolves around the popular Great Wilderness Race, which turns deadly. Nania relied on insight from IRONMAN competitors, a wilderness racer and a lumberjack to nail all the details. Previous titles in the series include Figure Eight, Spider Lake and Bough Cutter, which have been recognized by the Midwest Book Awards, Independent Publisher Book Awards and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Seating is limited and tickets are required, but the event will be livestreamed on Crowdcast.

LunART Festival, May 31-June 4: This annual festival highlights more than 50 local and nationally known women in the arts, this year following the theme of “REIMAGINE.” The fest kicks off with a panel discussion of art and heritage (May 31, A+LL), followed by a masterclass with rock star June Millington and a screening of the film Fanny: The Right to Rock (June 1, Goodman Community Center), and chamber music concerts featuring the works of women composers as well as a chamber music play (June 2-4, Hamel Music Center and A+LL,). See the full schedule and find tickets at lunartfestival.org.

Floyd Newsum, May 20-Oct. 8, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art: ‌ Lovers of color and pattern will be drawn to the exuberant mark making in the work of Floyd Newsum. MMoCA is the site of the Memphis-born artist’s first large-scale retrospective, called “Evolution of Sight.” Often the works are mixed media, including collaged family photographs and other imagery personally significant to Newsum, but his allusive figures are universal and reward careful looking. Newsum will also be working with kids through Art Cart this summer. Find more info at mmoca.org.

PBS Wisconsin Auction, June 1-11, online: It used to be a telethon-style broadcast event each year; these days, the PBS Wisconsin Auction is an all-online affair. In either incarnation, the fundraiser supports a myriad of educational and entertainment programming available statewide (including plenty of locally created films, such as the upcoming Wisconsin Pride documentary premiering in June). Bidding is open from 5 p.m. on June 1 through 8 p.m., June 11; register at auction.pbswisconsin.org.

Make America Gay Again, Thursday, June 1, Crucible, 7 p.m.: The fine folks at Cheshire Cat Comedy have found a much better phrase to fit the tragically abused letters that make up the MAGA acronym. They are kicking off Pride Month with a showcase featuring stand-up by Riley Cosgrove, Izzy Salhani and Claire Sundbye; it’s hosted by Milwaukee drag performer Taysha Montenegro (crowned Miss Rigby 2023 in February), and a dance party with DJ Nick Nice follows. Find tickets at eventbrite.com.

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