Madison Good Neighbor Gathering
Ced Ba'etch'
Seven west-side neighborhood associations, Neighborhood House and New Culture Church are collaborating to present an outdoor festival programmed in favor of the kiddos and to promote community across boundaries, with a petting zoo, tree climbing, circus activities, bike parade and more. There's food carts (but keeping with the family friendly theme, no beer tent), craft vendors, and plenty of all-ages entertainment including performances by Black Power Dance and music by Don't Mess With Cupid. Isthmus is a sponsor of this event; we’ll have a booth with an activity for kids, you can meet the staff, and pick up a September issue. Find more info at facebook.com/madisongoodneighborgathering.
media release: Madison Good Neighbor Gathering 2023
Sunday, September 10, 2023, Noon to 5 pm, Brittingham Park
Madison Good Neighbor Gathering, sponsored by Neighborhood House Community Center
Fun for the whole family! Music with Don't Mess With Cupid, Black Power Dance classes, Wild Rumpus circus activities, HoopElation hula hooping, bouncy slides, bike parade, and much more!
One of the many wonderful things about Madison is our music and arts festivals, but can you think of one that is exclusively focused on children and their families? The Madison Good Neighbor Gathering (“GNG”), held every September in Brittingham Park to honor national Good Neighbor Day, is the ONLY Madison area festival that puts children and families first. Uniquely and specifically focused on community building and open to the public, the GNG is sponsored by seven neighborhood associations on Madison’s near westside that have been working together to build community and connections across demographic and geographic boundaries.
Good Neighbor Day was originally created in the early 1970s by Becky Mattson of Lakeside, Montana, with the motto “good neighbors make great neighborhoods.” President Jimmy Carter then made it a national holiday in 1978, with the words, “Understanding, love and respect build cohesive families and communities.” Madison’s GNG honors this spirit of strengthening our community, bringing all of us together for an afternoon of fun and friendship.
Taking place during the afternoon, the GNG is an alcohol-free festival that features food, arts, crafts, and entertainment specifically for the enjoyment and education of children and their families. From bounce slides, bubbles, balloons, and bike parades, to environmental education, craft vendors, food carts, art activities, music, dance, and more, children of all ages enjoy this special day where they can be themselves, free to run and play, connect with friends and make new ones, and learn more about their community. The festival also features educational tabling from environmental groups, local healthcare and public health organizations, area non-profits and schools, voting rights groups, and many youth-oriented organizations. Thanks to the lead sponsorship of DMNA, individual donations, area businesses, a silent auction, this year the GNG will be contributing 20% of all proceeds to District 13 neighborhoods with fewer resources (Bayview, Triangle, Baycreek).
The Madison Good Neighbor Gathering, held on Sunday, September 10, from noon to 5 pm this year, is needed now more than ever, as we all work to create a stronger, safer, healthier, and more loving community. Contact taylor@
Families can pre-register here for a chance to get free prizes.
For more information: https://linktr.ee/
Schedule (subject to change):
Brittingham Shelter: 11:30 am: Kick off for Monona Bay Shoreline Clean Up, Madison Japanese Taiko drumming Group, "BENI Daiko" - sponsored by Thrivent
Stage: noon Black Power Dance Lessons with Francis Medrano, 1:15 pm Bike Parade (also on bike path; meet at bike corral; decorations available noon-1:15 pm), 1:30 pm Hmong Dancers, 1:50 pm Middle School Dance Team & Reggie the Regent, 2:00 pm Ballet Folklorico, 3:00 pm Music Playlist, 3:30 pm Don’t Mess With Cupid
Parking Lot: noon-1 pm Dane County Library System Dream Bus; noon-5 pm Trash Lab-Dane County; 2-3 pm Fire Department - Fire Truck; 2-5 pm PBS Production Truck
Near Playground: noon-3 pm Madison Children’s Museum Roadshow; noon-5 pm MSCR FIT2GO; noon-2:30 pm Hoop Elation with Danielle Lee (Hula Hoop Classes); 3-5 pm Wild Rumpus Try Circus Stations: Tightwire & Trapeze
Lawn: noon-5 pm Stephanie Richards (Aerial Dance)
Near Shelter: noon-5 pm Inflatable Slide
Tents: Noon-5 pm Neal the Real Deal (Balloon Animals); noon-5 pm Wisconsin Science Festival-Wi Institute for Discovery
Shelter: noon-5 pm Craft Vendors
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