What to do in Madison this weekend: Sept. 24-27, 2026

Patrice Rushen, Madison Vegan Fest and more Isthmus Picks

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Arts

  • Idea Fest, through Sept. 26, UW campus + other locations: Idea Fest, organized by The Capital Times, is unapologetic about its focus on politics and activism. This year programmers have packed the slate with journalists, politicians, activists and thinkers that should make every policy wonk’s heart beat faster: Jacob Soboroff, Jonathan Capehart, Eddie Glaude Jr., Susan Glasser, Jane Mayer, Evan Osnos, Mikie Sherrill, Elissa Slotkin, Abigail Spanberger, Ben Wikler, Mark Pocan, Chris Van Hollen and more. A concurrent photojournalism summit runs Sept. 24-25. Find a schedule and tickets at captimesideafest.com.
  • CodaFest, through Sept. 27, Cafe Coda: Cafe Coda is among the businesses hit hard by the recent protest encampment on Williamson Street, and subsequent denial of emergency assistance for neighborhood businesses by the Madison Common Council. One way to help this vital community hub is to visit for a concert or community event, and there are many excellent opportunities coming up at the recurring CodaFest celebration. Cafe Coda’s own woodwind master Hanah Jon Taylor leads his Artet for a 7 p.m. concert on Sept. 24, followed by a 9 p.m. show by percussionist Ronnie Burrage & the Holographic Principle. Sept. 25 features ensembles led by Frank Catalano and Eric Jacobson; Saturday features matinee concerts by the Cool School kids' group Spacetime, and First Liberation Saxophone Choir; the evening features fest headliners Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble and Chico Freeman Quintet. Find info on tickets at cafecoda.club.
  • Gelsy Verna, through Sept. 27, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art: This exhibition at MMoCA focuses on one work (and a recent museum acquisition): Gelsy Verna’s “Mother, Father, Please Help Me.” It’s a mixed media drawing using elements of collage that creates a visual example of considering more than one side of a subject — literally. The art work is two-sided, and MMoCA has created a reproduction of the reverse side for this exhibition. Verna’s multi-layered work invites the viewer to slow down and think about familiar cultural icons. You don’t need to “get it” immediately — that’s not really the point.
  • Phil Hanley, Sept. 24-26, Comedy on State: Phil Hanley has worked as a model and is also an acclaimed author, of the memoir Spellbound: My Life as a Dyslexic Wordsmith. Thankfully for fans of comedy, he also still performs stand-up, because his take on the form is a one-of-a-kind blend of personal storytelling, concise one-liners, and quick-witted crowd interaction. Shows at 7 p.m. on Sept. 24 and 7 and 9 p.m., Sept. 25-26. Tickets at madisoncomedy.com.
  • Opera on the Point, Sept. 24, 26 and Oct. 3, Picnic Point, 7 p.m.: Whether you think you like opera or not, give Opera on the Point a try. Fresco Opera, the company that takes opera to unlikely stages — like suburban garages — has been mounting a yearly production of ghost stories paired with appropriate songs from various operas, in the circle at the tip of Picnic Point, complete with a roaring campfire. This year’s theme is “Into the Dark,” and organizers promise “strange creatures, legends, and encounters emerg[ing] from the woods.” It’s good fun. Park at the Picnic Point lot (UW Lot 130) and walk the mile to the end of the peninsula. There are some stone seats at the fire ring but it wouldn’t hurt to bring a camp chair (and a flashlight).
  • Do it to Julia! through Sept. 27, Broom Street Theater: It’s the year of dystopian drama! This retelling and homage based on the granddaddy of all totalitarian society novels, 1984, is told from the point of view of Winston Smith’s lover, Julia. And it’s about time. With the focus on Julia and the pressure to conform, viewers may be reminded of the Apple TV series Pluribus but at the same time this remains your grandpappy’s 1984. Do it to Julia! stars Rose Popma as Julia and Matt Beyer as Winston; this Broom Street Theater production is directed by Melissa Minkoff. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
  • Steady She Goes, through Sept. 27, Overture-Playhouse: Remember that sea shanty craze a few years back? It will have prepped you for the tunes in Steady She Goes. The romance of the sea. The thrill of dangerous winds and waves. Mutiny. These situations worked for Melville and audiences will be reminded of why in this true story. Mary Ann Brown Patten, back in 1856, took control of a merchant marine vessel when her husband, the captain, took ill. And move over, Ahab — she was 19 and eight months pregnant at the time. Brian Cowing directs Erica Berman’s script for Forward Theater; music arrangements are by Scott McKenna Campbell. This production is part of World Premiere Wisconsin. Shows at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, plus 2 p.m. on Sept. 19, 24 and 26. Tickets at overture.org.
  • Megasound, Thursday, Sept. 24, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: The trio Megasound joins Kerry Alexander and Chris Hoge of Minneapolis mainstays Bad Bad Hats with Party Nails (Los Angeles-based songwriter/producer Elana Carroll). Their debut album emerged this summer, and it’s a collection of rockers destined to birth some earworms in anyone who likes their music catchy and lively. Opening is Madison’s own Seasaw, who began releasing a series of singles this spring — their first new music in three years — including the guitar rocker “Pure Bliss” last Friday. Tickets at theburoakmadison.com.
  • Marjorie Prime, through Sept. 26, Bartell Theatre: When it was a finalist for the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the setting for Jordan Harrison’s Marjorie Prime was “the near future.” In Mercury Players Theatre’s new production, it’s basically set, well, now. Marjorie suffers from Alzheimer’s. Her son-in-law gets her an AI “hologram” of her late husband to help her failing memory. Her stories are not always real, but the AI takes them as truth. The play probes what makes a human “human” and a lot of other questions we find ourselves grappling with. Shows are at 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays (except 4 p.m. on Sept. 26). Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.
  • Fellow Travelers, Thursday, Sept. 24, The Rigby, 8 p.m.: Milwaukeeans Fellow Travelers visit Madison the night before the release party in Brewtown for a new album, Don’t Fail Me Now. The singles released the last couple months find songwriter Max Niemann and company creating some meat-and-potatoes Midwestern roots music — in the tradition of landing possibly a bit too country for the rockers and too rockin' for the country kids. If you loved, say, Bottle Rockets, you wanna check ‘em out. It’s a whale of a triple bill also featuring Free Dirt and alewives, Madison bands working similarly twang-friendly yet intense angles on the rock spectrum.
  • Imagination Center Grand Opening, Sept. 25-26, Reindahl Park: The city of Madison has a new library and community space on the far east side. The Imagination Center, a collaboration between Madison Public Library and the city’s Parks Division, opens its doors with a ribbon cutting and ceremony at 3 p.m. on Sept. 25, with Wild Rumpus activities at 4 p.m., a screening of Dog Man at 5 p.m., and self-guided tours until 8 p.m. A grand opening celebration takes place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sept. 26, with a nature walk and how-to activities, food carts, music by Forward! Marching Band, and more. Read Kat Hans' preview here, and find more info at madisonpubliclibrary.org.
  • Emily St. John Mandel, Friday, Sept. 25, Overture-Capitol Theater, 7 p.m.: Exit Party, Emily St. John Mandel’s hot-off-the-presses novel, follows in the footsteps of her eerie 2014 hit, Station Eleven, about a pandemic. In this dystopian tale, by 2031 the United States has disunited into a bunch of warring republics ruled by militias. Or, perhaps it’s a tightly controlled surveillance state. Mandel begins with Ari, a marginally employed vagabond who starts to notice some very weird coincidences. Seems there’s a dual reality in place and the dividing line between the two has been breached. Mandel is a deft storyteller whose prose is efficient, capable and never gets in the way of the narrative. She will be in conversation with writer and UW-Madison professor Dantiel Moniz at this Wisconsin Book Festival event.
  • UW Dance Department, Sept. 25-26, UW Lathrop Hall-Margaret H'Doubler Performance Space: This, the first of two faculty concerts this fall from the UW-Madison Dance Department, features work from professor Kate Corby, along with collaborator and guest artist Erin Kilmurray. The program will “push aesthetic boundaries and ask big questions about the body, performance, and the ways in which we interact with ourselves and others,” according to the department. Corby's Residues is a duet that takes its inspiration from its creator’s research into the cruel Magdalene Laundries, run by the Catholic Church in Ireland, which housed “fallen women” as unpaid laborers. Kilmurray’s piece, Untitled (fka Nightshade) is in development, and follows. Performances at 8 p.m. on Sept. 25 and 2:30 p.m. Sept. 26; tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.
  • Gigi Mosconi, through Oct. 3, Textile Arts Center: The Textile Arts Center is a worthy venue centering the fiber arts. Its latest gallery exhibit, “Moving the Needle,” showcases the quilts of Gigi Mosconi, in this retrospective of four decades of making. Mosconi started with more traditional quilts, moving to embrace geometrics, bold colors and improvisation to create exhilarating, invigorating, thoughtful and contemporary works of graphic and textile art. Gallery hours are noon-4 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.
  • Madison Vegan Fest, Saturday, Sept. 26, Lunney Lake Farm Park, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.: Madison has had a vegan fest in one form or another since 2011. For the past few years it's been outside at Lake Farm County Park, adding to the festive atmosphere. Food vendors highlight tasty vegan food; animal welfare organizations explain what they do (groups involved in rescuing the Ridglan beagles will be there). Music includes retro pop from JAYKO and indie-queer blues/soulster Miss Christine (also on the bill for a Mickey's show later Saturday night). More info at madisonveganfest.org.
  • Burning Troll, Saturday, Sept. 26, Donald Farm, Mount Horeb, 12:30 p.m.-midnight: While the allusion to Burning Man is evident, it is also tongue-in-cheek. Burning Troll — a nod to the fable-creatures used as a mascot by Mount Horeb — is a milder, Midwest-nice version of the rave-y fest of anarchy in the desert. (The New Glarus Alphorns are even scheduled to play.) Yes, this is a music and camping festival, though, with the burning of the troll effigy at 9:30 p.m. Who doesn’t like a good bonfire? Camping is limited; there is also a shuttle bus from Brix Cider in Mount Horeb. See the whole schedule at burning-troll.com.
  • True North Music & Food Festival, Saturday, Sept. 26, Warner Park, 1-10 p.m.: This collaboration by The Mallards and Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge returns for a second year, and ups the ante with food offerings from more than 15 favorite restaurants, including Madison standbys such as Ha Long Bay, Mint Mark and Cafe Costa Rica as well as Viroqua visitor Driftless Cafe. Along with beer anchored by new-to-Wisco Yuengling, cocktails and mocktails are curated by Dancing Goat Distillery and Nosotros Tequila. The music is also stellar, with touring headliner Langhorne Slim joined by Wisconsin faves including Dusk, Dead Horses and Cory Chisel. A portion of the admission fee will be donated to DAIS (Domestic Abuse Intervention Services) and Camp Hometown Heroes. Tickets at truenorthfest.com.
  • Ferdinand, Saturday, Sept. 26, Wil-Mar Center, 3 and 5 p.m.: You might remember The Story of Ferdinand from your picture book days. The indelible tale from Munro Leaf tells the story of a bull, Ferdinand, who is bred to fight in the ring but shies away from such conflict, just wanting to smell the flowers. The story about remaining true to your inner wishes is just as relevant now as when the book was first published in 1936. This stage adaptation features live storytelling in Spanish and English as well as danced performance scenes. The producers, Beatrix Productions, state they have crafted the show for “all ages” and that no violence toward Ferdinand will be shown on stage “but the threat of violence toward him is implied in story and movement.” Tickets at tickettailor.com.
  • Dancing with the ARTS, Saturday, Sept. 26, Century School Park, Verona, 6-9 p.m.: The nonprofit ART House 360 celebrates its first year with the return of Dancing with the ARTS, a dance-themed fundraiser and social. Performances include Barrio Dance Factory (recently spotted on America’s Got Talent), and you can get your own dance on during a BollyBeat session led by Manisha Bhargava, or to the beats provided by DJs Francis Medrano and BP Lar. Go ahead, dance like somebody's watching…it's for a good cause. Tickets at arthouse360.com.
  • Ariel Lanyi, Saturday, Sept. 26, Farley’s House of Pianos, 7:30 p.m.: It’s a wonderfully intimate experience to hear a world-class pianist surrounded by pianos at Farley’s, as part of the store’s Salon Piano Series. The season opens with Israeli pianist Ariel Lanyi, winner of the prestigious Prix Serdang endowment in 2023, in a program pairing Haydn and Beethoven with contemporary British composer George Benjamin. Part of the fun here is the piano itself, as performers play one of Farley’s beautifully restored heirloom pianos. Tickets at salonpianoseries.org; the public is also welcome to observe a master class with Lanyi at 4 p.m. on Sept. 27.
  • CANCELED: Patrice Rushen, Saturday, Sept. 26, Overture-Capitol Theater, 7:30 p.m.: As the powerhouse behind such unforgettable jazz-R&B-pop fusion classics as “Forget Me Nots” and “Remind Me” from the early ’80s, Patrice Rushen’s work is known not only for its upbeat musical artistry but also as a soundtrack for romantic evenings and related adult activities. The multi-instrumentalist is known primarily as one of the great jazz pianists but don’t be surprised if she also brings out a keytar (you know, that keyboard-guitar hybrid thing), a bass guitar or flute — she might even lay down the rhythm on some drums. Expect an electrifying and funky performance — and bring a date to this one.
  • They Might Be Giants, Sept. 26-27, Barrymore, 8 p.m.: The instantly catchy pop hits of They Might Be Giants have lived gleefully in your subconscious for decades, perhaps laying dormant until the first notes of "Birdhouse in Your Soul” or "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” begin to play. You will hum or even sing the song out loud until it eventually subsides and returns to the back of your brain. But better than that, you’ve got two chances this month to see TMBG perform all of their most popular — and most satirical — tracks live. On stage will be an eight-piece band, including three horns and the two co-founding, singing-songwriting Johns, Flansburgh and Linnell. And, of course, the accordion — can’t play “Don’t Let’s Start” or “Particle Man” without it, right? Tickets at barrymorelive.com.
  • Greg Zelek, Sunday, Sept. 27, Overture Hall, 2:30 p.m.: This is the first ever matinee concert for the MSO's Concert Organ Series. “I love the [afternoon] slot because folks can come downtown and have lunch or they can stay for dinner after the concert,” principal organist Greg Zelek tells Isthmus. Zelek has mapped out an all-Bach program that includes three large-scale works, including Bach’s famous Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor. Sprinkled throughout the afternoon are famous Bach works written for other instruments that Zelek will arrange for the organ. Tickets at overture.org.
  • Harvest Festival, Sunday, Sept. 27, Farley Center, Verona, 3-8 p.m.: Urban Triage hosts its fifth annual fall celebration, with music (including Cigarette Break Band and DJ Pain 1), spoken word, circus arts and magic performances, kids' activities, free food (including fresh vegetables to take home), and more. The day celebrates the nonprofit’s agriculture education and community food support programs, and takes place at the urban farm space at the Farley Center; a shuttle to the farm is available every half-hour starting at 2:30 p.m. from the Urban Triage office, 2312 S Park St.; find shuttle sign-up and more info at urbantriage.org. Note, the fest was rescheduled to Sept. 27 due to heavy rain last weekend (and has moved from a Saturday to a Sunday).
  • Willi Carlisle, Sunday, Sept. 27, High Noon Saloon, 8 p.m.: The folk tales of seekers of all sorts on Willi Carlisle’s 2022 album, Peculiar, Missouri, are poetic and funny and heartbreaking and hopeful in equal measure. (If you’ve lived in and left a small town — and have any feelings for it — prepare yourself for the title track.) Carlisle is back on record racks in November with The Universal Bubba, a double album produced by Tyler Childers and featuring his band, which should give Carlisle the chance to experiment with some new sounds to go along with his inimitable storytelling. With William Matheny. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

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

Editor's note: This post has been updated to correct the name of the Cool School ensemble playing CodaFest.