DJ Margaux

media release: The Wisconsin Union team will mark the start of Terrace season with the return of its iconic sunburst chairs to the Memorial Union Terrace on April 15, followed by the Terrace chair return party on April 17, starting at 3 p.m.

The April 17 Terrace chair return party is anticipated to include free Terrace-themed watercolor painting from 5-8 p.m., music from DJ Margaux from 3-5 p.m., a fish fry at Lakeview Lounge from 4-8 p.m., lawn games, the reopening of the outdoor restaurant the Brat Stand at 3 p.m., and $1 hot dogs, chips and sodas at the Brat Stand. The Wisconsin Union team will give away 400 Klement’s brats to UW–Madison students, faculty and staff with a valid Wiscard during the event, courtesy of Klement’s, with a limit of one per person. 

The annual return of the Terrace’s yellow, green and orange chairs signals the beginning of a season of outdoor dining and free and low-cost lakefront entertainment and activities. For nearly a century, the Memorial Union Terrace and nearby building Memorial Union have served as gathering places for students, other community members and visitors. The Union team welcomes nearly one million people to summer by the lake at the Terrace each year. The Terrace’s Wisconsin-made sunburst chairs, with their trademarked design, are widely recognized as a symbol of Madison. 

The Wisconsin Union team anticipates opening the seasonal Terrace restaurant, the BBQ Stand, on May 1, weather permitting. 

This season is anticipated to include new menu items at some Memorial Union and Terrace dining locations, including hand-breaded chicken tenders, crinkle-cut fries and Caprese cheese curds at Lakeview Lounge; smoked wings on Thursdays and Fridays and St. Louis BBQ ribs on Saturdays and Sundays at the BBQ Stand; and, starting May 26, a new Tuesday special at the Brat Stand featuring a spicy cheesesteak sandwich. 

In addition to two seasonal, outdoor dining options, Memorial Union has seven indoor, year-round dining options. 

Weekly music programming from Wednesday to Saturday, hosted by the Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) Music Committee, at the Terrace will begin May 8. The Committee’s music programming will feature multiple mini music festival weekends, including but not limited to Americana Fest during the 4th of July weekend and Country Fest the following weekend. 

On Mondays at 9 p.m. from June 1 to Aug. 24, the WUD Film Committee’s Lakeside Cinema series will offer free weekly film screenings at the UW Credit Union Summer Stage at the Terrace. 

Hosted by the Wisconsin Union’s Wheelhouse Studios, the free art-making series, called Terrace Art Zone, will occur June 11 through Aug. 22, Thursday to Saturday from 5-8 p.m. Each week will feature a new drop-in art-making activity spanning a range of mediums.

The Terrace Art Cart will sell handmade wares from ArtWorking, a Madison nonprofit program that provides career development and support for artists and entrepreneurs with disabilities. UW–Madison and Terrace-themed merchandise, including DIY kits, will also be available for purchase. The Art Cart is open during Terrace Art Zone as well as additional daytime hours and is anticipated to open on May 8. 

Paddling rentals and activities provided by the Union’s Outdoor UW will begin in late May. These services expand on those offered throughout the year by Outdoor UW, such as camping equipment rentals and outdoor skills workshops. 

The Union team will announce the summer film and music lineup and other Terrace programming details in May at TerraceSummer.com. 

“The return of the sunburst chairs represents the beginning of a season that brings generations of people together for summer by the lake at the Terrace,” Wisconsin Union Executive Director Mark Guthier said. “The Terrace is more than a place. It’s an enduring symbol of community, Madison and experiences for a lifetime. A summer day at the Memorial Union Terrace is a quintessential Madison experience.”

In addition to Terrace season programming, the Wisconsin Union presents more than 800 indoor events annually from fall through spring at Memorial Union, Union South and the Fluno Center. These events include free concerts, free film screenings, lectures, performing arts events, culinary experiences, art activities and outdoor recreation opportunities. Most events are planned by WUD student leaders, some of whom receive academic stipends for their work.

As a nonprofit organization, the Wisconsin Union invests proceeds from its dining options, events and other operations into student leadership opportunities, programs and spaces, including the Terrace. This model supports the continuation of free and low-cost experiences as well as the ongoing maintenance of Memorial Union, Union South and the Terrace as community gathering places. 

Patrons can visit TerraceSummer.com for Terrace season details and to plan their summer by the lake at the Terrace.