Things to do in Madison, WI: Jan. 10-16

Hi there!

Our Covid-19 case numbers keep going up, and many event organizers have moved their events to a virtual or hybrid format. For your convenience, I’ve bolded “virtual” in all the event listings this week.

Be sure to double-check event websites before heading to anything in person this week. Several of the events that I had in my notes for this week have been cancelled or postponed in the past few days.

Also, bring your proof of vaccination! Many event venues and a small number of restaurants and bars in the area now require them for entry.

— Sam

Multi-day:

• CANCELLED: Mean Girls at the Overture Center. Tuesday through Sunday. Tickets start at $30.
• Best of the Midwest Comedy Showcase at Comedy on State. Several shows Thursday through Saturday. Ticket prices vary.
• WedPlan Madison Winter bridal show at Alliant Energy Center. Saturday and Sunday. $10 admission.
• Free Fishing Weekend. Fish in state waters without a permit. Saturday and Sunday. Of course, the cost is... free.

Monday, Jan. 10

• Book Talk with Annette Langlois Grunseth, author of “Combat and Campus: Writing Through War.” 12 p.m. Virtual. Free.
• Mindful Moments: a Drop-In Meditation Group with Gloria K Green. 12:30-1:45 p.m. Virtual. Free.
• Reception for “Ramshackle," an exhibition of prints by Derek Hibbs at Tandem Press. Work “satirically illustrates working-class survival in the face of American class inequality, particularly now in the midst of a pandemic.” 5-8 p.m. Free. 🟠
• Non-Alcoholic Beer Dinner at Blind Shot Social Club. Four-course meal featuring non-alcoholic beer from Athletic Brewing Co. 7 p.m. $65.

Tuesday, Jan. 11

• Coffee with a Cop at Pinney Library. 10 a.m. Virtual option.
• Networking blitz with Middleton Chamber of Commerce. 3 p.m. Virtual. Free.
• Get to know your native plants: Elder, Echinacea, and Boneset with Olbrich Botanical Gardens. 6 p.m. Virtual. $20 members, $28 non-members.
• Trivia at Wisconsin Brewing Company. 6:30 p.m. $1.
• People, Pipelines, and Water Protectors: Native American Sacrifice Zones. Part of Conversations about Conservation series from the Upper Sugar River Watershed Association. 6:30 p.m. Virtual. Free.
• National Geographic Live: The Secret Life of Bears with Rae Wynn-Grant at the Overture Center. 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

Wednesday, Jan. 12

• Clean Lakes 101: Changing How We See Algal Blooms. 8 a.m. Virtual. Free, with donation option.
• Moving Dreams into Reality: The Science Behind Motivation with DreamBank. 12 p.m. Free. Virtual.
• A Conversation with Andrea Elliott, author of “Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope In An American City.” 1-2 p.m. Virtual. Free.
• Virtual Volunteer Night with Sierra Club of Wisconsin. 6:30 p.m.
• Beer Bingo with Brewfinity Brewing Co. at Bierock. 6:30 p.m. Free.
• Fill'er Up! The History & Evolution of the Gas Station in Wisconsin with the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation. 7 p.m. Virtual. $5 members, $10 non-members.
• Nitrogen and Ammonia: From the Industrial Revolution to a Future Nitrogen Economy. Presentation by UW chemistry professor John Berry. Part of Wednesday Nite @ The Lab series. 7 p.m. Virtual option. Free.

Thursday, Jan. 13

• Hardscaping to Enhance Your Garden or Landscape class with Olbrich Botanical Gardens. 6 p.m. $12 members, $15 non-members.
• Artist Talk with Kenneth Tam of “Silent Spikes” with MMoCA. 7 p.m. Virtual. Free.
• Mad Laughs at Old Sugar Distillery, with stand-up performances by Geoffrey Asmus, Tok Moffat, Drew Flagge. 7 p.m. $10 in advance, $15 at door.
• What’s Canoe With You? A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Recovery of a 1200-Year-Old Canoe from Lake Mendota with the Wisconsin Historical Society. 7 p.m. Virtual. Free.
• Neal Francis with Dos Santos at High Noon Saloon. Doors at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m. $15 advance, $17 at door.

Friday, Jan. 14

• Lil' Explorers program at the Lussier Family Heritage Center. "We will use our five senses, be active in the outdoors, learn how to work together, and so much more!" Designed for kids ages 3-6. 10-11:30 a.m. Free.
• Houseplant Happy Hour at Klein’s Floral and Greenhouses. 20% off all houseplants. 3-6 p.m.
• Grove and Glide at Westmorland Park. Ice skating, but at night. 6-8 p.m. Free.
• Western and Ayurvedic Herbal Fusion Beverage Blending Class at Garver Feed Mill. “Discover a new way to mix up your cocktail repertoire with these non-alcoholic sweet and savory herbal infusions designed for the qualities of the dry Winter season.” 6 p.m. $140 for two people.
• Healthy houseplants class with Olbrich Botanical Gardens. 6 p.m. Virtual. $18 for members, $22 for nonmembers.
• Wisconsin Funk Fest at High Noon Saloon. Featuring Mama Digdown’s Brass Band, Better Yeti, and The Pocket Kings. Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. $15.
• The Only & Earth to Clark at The Bur Oak. Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. $8 advance, $10 at door.
• 96.3 Star Country “Class of 2022” at the Barrymore. Kameron Marlowe, Frank Ray, Laci Kaye Booth, Ray Fulcher, and Drew Parker. 8 p.m. Tickets start at $27.
• OCCUPATION 2: Nothin' but Funk with The Civil Engineers; Karate Chop, Silence; Wurk at Harmony Bar & Grill. 8 p.m.
• Pillow Talk Quarterly Cosplay Edition at Crucible. $5 if dressed to theme, $10 otherwise. 9 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 15

• Dane County Farmers’ Market Late Winter Market at Garver Feed Mill. 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Free admission.
• Brazen Dropouts Bike Swap at Alliant Energy Center. "Over 125 vendors register to sell stuff like cycling attire, shoes, frames, forks, cranks, pedals -- you name it, it's probably at the Swap." 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Yid Vicious concert. Part of the Kids in the Rotunda series. 9:30 a.m. Virtual. Free.
• MLK Community Meal at three sites (Goodman Community Center,  Boys & Girls Club - Allied Drive, and East Madison Community Center). Organized by Little John's, Feeding the Youth and Black Men Coalition of Dane County. Pick up an individual or family meal. 1-3 p.m. Pre-registration strongly encouraged.
• Candlelit Snowshoe Hike at Aldo Leopold Nature Center. Food trucks on site. 4:30-7:30 p.m. Free admission.
• Wisconsin Bluegrass Fest at the Sylvee. Featuring Armchair Boogie, Chicken Wire Empire, The Millbillies, Dig Deep, and the Honeygoats. Doors at 5 p.m., show at 6 p.m. $15.
• Opening Night! Roberto Torres Mata Art Exhibit at Giant Jones Brewing Company. 5-9 p.m. 🟠
• Full Moon Night Walk at UW Arboretum. 6:30 p.m. Free.
• Alabama's 50th Anniversary Tour at Alliant Energy Center. 7 p.m. Tickets start at $25.
• Wisconsin Metal Fest at High Noon Saloon. Featuring Bongzilla, Casket Robbery, TUBAL CAIN. Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. $15. 🟠
• Monkey Business Institute Improv Show at Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center. 7:30 p.m. $15.
• Masquerade: Winternight IV at Crucible Madison. "Winternight is the club's unofficial anniversary party, and is a night dedicated to the darker side of all things fae." 9 p.m. $8.

Sunday, Jan. 16

• Learn to Play Hockey. “Join Madison Capitols Hockey and learn to play hockey at Tenney Park.” Equipment provided, including skates. 9 a.m. Free.
• Waterfowl ID at Lewis Park with the Feminist Bird Club. 9 a.m. Free.

📡 On our radar...

• Harry Potter Trivia on Jan 19.
• Cooking with the Cap Times: Chef Sean Pharr of Mint Mark on Jan 20.
• Beer and Cheese Fest on Jan 22.
• An Evening with Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of The 1619 Project, staff writer at The New York Times Magazine, and co-founder of the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting, on Jan. 25. 🟠
• Wisconsin Grown Up Book Festival featuring A Room of One's Own, Mystery to Me, Kismet Books, Itty Bitty Bookstore, and Leopold's Books Bar Caffè on January 29.

Wondering what that 🟠 means?

That symbol next to an event listing means that Tone Madison’s team of writers and editors recommends checking it out. Tone knows Madison’s arts and music landscape better than anybody else.

Sign up for the Tone weekly newsletter here.