Things to do in Madison

14 activities, venues and outings in Madison, from theatres and live music to parks and tours.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

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Madison Mallards
Collegiate summer baseball team that is part of the Northwoods League. A number of Mallards have gone on to play in the Major Leagues. Tip: If you catch a foul ball, return it and get a free hot dog.
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Overture Center
This venue is home to Madison's most prominent performing arts organizations, including the Madison Ballet, Opera, Symphony, Repertory Theater, and Children's Theater. The facilities also include the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, and galleries housing work by local visual artists. The building is gorgeous — the rooftop garden is particularly impressive — and well worth a stop as you meander down State street. Private tours are available.
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The Orpheum Theater
The Orpehum
A unique entertainment venue, The Orpheum features local and national musical and comedy acts in its charming and historic building. The Orpheum's sign is a State Street and Madison icon, listed in the Wisconsin State Journal's "Madison in 100 Objects" in 2015.
Price varies with event
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Art Fair Off The Square
Held concurrent and adjacent to Art Fair on the Square on second weekend of July, but features only Wisconsin artists. More than 100 exhibitors each year.
Free
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Art Fair On The Square
Held second weekend of July. Features works for sale by more than 400 exhibiting artists. Mixed media, ceramics, drawings, graphics, prints, fiber, leather, furniture, glass, jewelry, metal, paintings, photographs, sculpture, 3D mixed media, and wood. Artists from all over the United States apply to exhibit and sell their works. Organized by Madison Museum of Contemporary Art.
Free
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Concerts on the Square
This very popular weekly summer concert series by the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra is held on the grounds of the State Capitol. Attendees sit on the lawn around the building, and most people bring a blanket to spread on the ground and picnic foods to eat.
Free
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Dane County Farmer's Market
Runs year-round, outdoors from April to November, indoors from November to April. Outdoor market located on Capitol Square on Saturdays, on Martin Luther King Jr Blvd on Wednesdays. Indoor market held at Monona Terrace before Christmas/New Year's Day, at Madison Senior Center after the holidays. The largest producer-only farmers’ market in the country. All items are produced locally by the vendor running the stand. No admission fee.
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Great Taste of the Midwest
This beer festival, put on by the Madison Homebrewers and Tasters Guild, is one of the biggest in the nation, with over one hundred brewpubs and microbreweries in attendance, and over 5,000 guests. The number of tickets is limited, and the popularity of this event means that they typically sell out within days.
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Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon
Held the Sunday following Labor Day Weekend. Start/finish area located downtown at Monona Terrace and Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Swimming in Lake Monona (with excellent views from Monona Terrace rooftop). Cycling and marathon held on streets of Madison and roads of Dane County. No admission fee.
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Mifflin Street Block Party
A massive student-run block party held on the first Saturday of every May. Several blocks of West Mifflin Street are cordoned off for drinking, music, and food in what is one of the largest public gatherings in the country. Keep an eye out for overzealous policemen — read the section for more information.
Free
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Taste of Madison
Held Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Showcases many local restaurants, in addition to beverage stands and 3 entertainment stages. Participating restaurants sell a vast variety of unique and traditional dishes in small portions that cost $4-6. No admission fee.
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Token Creek Chamber Music Festival
An annual festival held every August featuring great classical music in an intimate, rural setting.
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Wisconsin Badgers
University of Wisconsin intercollegiate athletic program fields teams in 23 NCAA Division I men's and women's sports. Fields highly competitive teams in football, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's ice hockey and women's volleyball. Football and men's basketball sellout and tickets can be very difficult to obtain, but tickets for other sports can be readily available, often at low prices except for hockey.
$0-120
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Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison
Slots and keno only, no table games. Smoke-free.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Madison (CC BY-SA 4.0).