{"id":2434858,"date":"2026-05-28T00:02:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T00:02:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2434858"},"modified":"2026-05-28T00:02:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T00:02:12","slug":"2026-madison-summer-festival-guide-entertainment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/2026-madison-summer-festival-guide-entertainment\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Madison summer festival guide | Entertainment"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Cap Times is an independent newsroom serving Madison and Wisconsin. Sign up for the Food & Culture newsletter<\/a> for exclusive weekly insight.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n

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It\u2019s not a true Madison summer without a weekend or three at a local festival. From jazz at the Memorial Union to cover bands atop Monona Terrace and bluegrass on Lake Waubesa, opportunities to see live, often free, music can be found nearly every weekend around the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The east side has historically been a hub for many of these fests thanks to the efforts of the late Bob Queen, who died last fall at age 76. Queen founded the Marquette Waterfront Festival, built up the Orton Park Festival (now more than 60 years old) and created La F\u00eate de Marquette 20 years ago. He ran Sessions at McPike Park \u2014 later Sessions at Garver Feed Mill<\/a>, in 2025 \u2014 for more than a decade.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Queen\u2019s celebration of life on Saturday, June 27 (\u201cThe Last Session<\/a>\u201d) will have three bands and be open to the public. Bethany Jurewicz with Garver Events said she intends to talk to the Sessions board about the future of that event.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Closer to September, the details available for these events become more scarce, so use the links and information here to plan and confirm closer to the dates. Happy summer!\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Mad With Power Fest<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Friday-Saturday, June 5-6<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Sylvee, 25 S. Livingston St.<\/strong><\/p>\n

madwithpowerfest.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Nine years ago, the five-piece heavy metal band Lords of the Trident founded a festival combining \u201cpower and melodic metal\u201d with pinball machines. Mad With Power Fest has moved earlier in the summer and now calls itself \u201cNorth America\u2019s largest power\u2011metal gathering,\u201d with a pre-party at Aftershock Arcade on East Washington Avenue. This year\u2019s bands include Twilight Force (\u201cpower metal from Sweden\u201d) and the Boston-based band Seven Spires, plus 10 others. General admission tickets cost $85 (one day) to $140 (two days) with VIP options that include bonuses like a T-shirt, a compilation CD, a sticker, a patch, a pin \u2014 and great seats.<\/p>\n

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Marquette Waterfront Festival<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Saturday-Sunday, June 13-14<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yahara Place Park, 2025 Yahara Place<\/strong><\/p>\n

marquette-neighborhood.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Chicago indie rock band Ratboys will be the first-night headliner at this festival at Yahara Place Park, followed by guitarist\/vocalist Adam Greuel and the Space Burritos on Sunday evening. Swing by the park for folk pop and bluegrass, a kids\u2019 \u201cDandelion Dash\u201d race at 11:30 a.m. Saturday and the colorful, quirky boat parade called the River Alliance Fools\u2019 Flotilla, launching on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. from the Tenney Park locks. (Register in advance at wisconsinrivers.org<\/a>.) As always, there will be food, beer, wine, local artists and kids\u2019 games.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Madison Jazz Festival<\/strong><\/h3>\n

June 19-27<\/strong><\/p>\n

Memorial Union Terrace, 800 Langdon St.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

union.wisc.edu<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Listen to \u201ceverything from cool bossa nova to colossal bop, from world fusion wonders to the future of funk\u201d overlooking Lake Mendota on the Memorial Union Terrace\u2019s iconic sunburst chairs. This year\u2019s event spans nine days, with a mix of free and ticketed events, many focused on June 26-27. Headlining the Terrace on Friday, June 26, will be jazz and pop drummer Nate Smith hosting a jam with friends. The Saturday, June 27 headliner will be Wycliffe Gordon, a jazz trombonist. (He wrote the theme to NPR\u2019s \u201cAll Things Considered!\u201d).\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Make Music Madison<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sunday, June 21<\/strong><\/p>\n

Various locations<\/strong><\/p>\n

makemusicmadison.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Pretty much everywhere you go on Sunday, June 21, there will be music. Hear singer\/songwriters and rock bands, a cappella protest tunes from the Raging Grannies (Bartell Theatre, 12:30 p.m.), classical trios and Celtic folk. The venues range from parks, bus shelters and patios to indoor venues (banks, hotels, theaters). Find music in schools and cafes and even private homes. The count, as of press time, was more than 390 artists in 135 venues.<\/p>\n

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Concerts on the Square<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Wednesdays, June 24-July 29, 7 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n

10 S. Pinckney St.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

wcoconcerts.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Hosted since 1984 by the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Concerts on the Square is a beloved summer tradition. Attendees can lay out blankets in the afternoon before 7 p.m. performances on the King Street side of the Capitol. Sponsors have dedicated tables with catering options, but anyone can bring a picnic or grab dinner from a dozen or so food carts set up around the Square. This year\u2019s performances<\/a> will feature music by Billy Joel and Elton John, cinematic scores, local hip hop artist Rob Dz and George Gershwin. Inclement weather (rain, wildfire smoke) moves the concert to Thursday. Free.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Live on Queen<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Friday, June 26, 7 p.m.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Orpheum Theater, 216 State St.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

madisonorpheum.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Celebrate Pride in Madison with this annual celebration of unapologetic self-expression. At a new pre-show party this year, expect roaming drag queens, a live set from DJ Femme Noir, magic from James the Magician and face painting during the Queen\u2019s Court in the Orpheum Lobby. Bianca Lynn Breeze hosts the main event, a high-energy drag variety show, with VIP options that include meet-and-greet and access to the \u201cPride Pit\u201d near the stage. Also new this year: The Smut Room, stocked with \u201cbold, queer-forward\u201d books by Room of One\u2019s Own. Free; VIP tickets cost $50.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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F\u00eate de Marquette<\/strong><\/h3>\n

July 9-12<\/strong><\/p>\n

McPike Park, 202 S. Ingersoll St.<\/strong><\/p>\n

wil-mar.org<\/a><\/p>\n

The LA-based Mexican American rock group Los Lobos \u2014 perhaps best known for their cover of \u201cLa Bamba\u201d \u2014 will headline this east side summer festival, celebrating 20 years in 2026. Also on the lineup: Rockin\u2019 Dopsie Jr & the Zydeco Twisters, the electronic artist Cinthie, New Orleans-based rock band Flow Tribe, and LowDown Brass Band. This four-day celebration of music and food benefits the Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center. Bring a blanket, plan to grab food from a local vendor, check out climbing structures for the kiddos, and stay the day. Free.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Art Fair on (and off) the Square<\/strong><\/h3>\n

July 11-12<\/strong><\/p>\n

Capitol Square<\/strong><\/p>\n

mmoca.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Hundreds of artists ring the Capitol Square each July, bumping the Dane County Farmers\u2019 Market to Breese Stevens Field for a day and filling downtown with astonishing pieces. Think big at this fair \u2014 artists sell hand-carved furniture, kinetic sculpture, statues as tall as a person, glass work big enough for a prominent picture window. There are smaller things too: 6-by-6 inch encaustic paintings<\/a>, nature photographs, exquisite one-of-a-kind necklaces and rings, glazed ceramics and more. Art Fair Off the Square, a companion event on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, runs the same days and features more local vendors from the Wisconsin Alliance of Artists and Craftspeople<\/a>. Hours are Saturday 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Dane County Fair<\/strong><\/h3>\n

July 16-19<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alliant Energy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way<\/strong><\/p>\n

danecountyfair.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Entertainment takes many forms at the Dane County Fair. Visitors can see a model horse show and rank the cutest guinea pigs, watch a rooster crowing contest and remember a golden age of country music at a Cornfield Keg Party (think Shania Twain, Garth Brooks and Toby Keith, RIP). There are carnival rides, too, all at the Alliant Energy Center. Advance tickets cost $13 for one day or $44 for four days for adults, with discounts for kids.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Opera in the Park<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Saturday, July 18, 8 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Garner Park, 333 S. Rosa Road<\/strong><\/p>\n

madisonopera.org\/oitp26<\/a><\/p>\n

Madison Opera has programmed \u201cCarmen\u201d for next spring as part of its 2026-27 season, so two of the opera\u2019s most famous arias\u00a0 \u2014 \u201cHabanera\u201d and the \u201cToreador Song\u201d \u2014 will be featured on the program for this popular evening of opera outdoors. Also on the program: \u201cSong to the Moon\u201d from Dvo\u0159\u00e1k\u2019s \u201cRusalka,\u201d some arias from Scott Gendel\u2019s lovely opera \u201cEverlasting Faint,\u201d \u201cCasta Diva\u201d from Bellini\u2019s \u201cNorma\u201d \u2014 the opera that opens next season \u2014 and a little Sondheim, with \u201cA Little Priest.\u201d (The opera notes that this program is subject to change.) Set to perform are soprano Kathryn Henry, mezzo Zoie Reams, tenor Joshua Stewart and baritone Thomas Glass, all under the baton of maestro John DeMain with the Madison Opera Chorus. Set up a blanket on the Garner Park hill, bring a picnic and wave a light stick as the sun goes down. If this \u201cgrand night for singing\u201d gets rained out, it reschedules for the following (Sunday) night. Free.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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AtwoodFest<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Saturday-Sunday, July 25-26<\/strong><\/p>\n

2000-2100 Atwood Avenue<\/strong><\/p>\n

atwoodfest.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Boasting more than 30,000 attendees over two days with three stages and 30-some performers, AtwoodFest takes over a few blocks on the east side each July. Expect different genres on each stage \u2014 the Sugar Maple Stage, for example, hosts mostly bluegrass \u2014 and lots of local vendors selling gifts, food and art. Saturday the fest goes noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday it\u2019s noon to 7:30 p.m., with musicians announced by early June.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Sugar Maple Festival<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Friday-Saturday, July 31-Aug. 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lake Farm County Park, 4330 Libby Road<\/strong><\/p>\n

sugarmaplefest.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Celebrate traditional music rooted in American culture at the two-day Sugar Maple Festival, hosted each year by the Four Lakes Traditional Music Collective. On three stages, attendees can enjoy live performances, educational workshops and interactive jams \u2014 all inspired by bluegrass, folk and soul music. Tickets start at $40 for Friday, $50 for Saturday or $60 for a two-day pass. Free admission for kids 17 and under with a ticketed adult.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Jazz at Five<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Wednesdays, Aug. 5-Sept. 2, 4-8 p.m.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

King Street side of the Capitol Square<\/strong><\/p>\n

jazzatfive.org<\/a><\/p>\n

From classic modern to bossa nova, enjoy five weeks of free jazz performances outside the Wisconsin State Capitol. Cheer on youth performers at 4 p.m and stick around for both local and national jazz musicians at 5 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. On-site food carts offer food and beverages, with all beer sale revenue going back to Jazz at Five. Bring a chair (or rent one). No carry-in alcohol or beverages in glass containers are allowed. Free.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Dane Dances!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Fridays, Aug. 7-28<\/strong><\/p>\n

Monona Terrace, 1 John Nolen Drive<\/strong><\/p>\n

danedances.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Shake the roof and dance the night away at Monona Terrace this August with Latin, R&B, disco, rock, pop and funk music every Friday. Free dance lessons start at 5:30 p.m. with doubleheader live music performances at 6 and 8 p.m. Some names on this year\u2019s lineup: Orquesta Salsoul del Mad, a Madison-based Latin fusion band; the all-woman pop band Klymaxx from Los Angeles; Madison\u2019s disco band VO5; and R&B group The Voices. Get up, get down and get together at Dane Dances! Free.<\/p>\n

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Orton Park Festival<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Aug. 28-30<\/strong><\/p>\n

Orton Park, 1103 Spaight St.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

marquette-neighborhood.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Back for its 61st year, Orton Park Festival is ready to dazzle the east side with music, food and an aerial dance performance by local group Cycropia. No lineup has been announced yet, but expect a mixture of both local and touring bands. Free admission.<\/p>\n

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Taste of Madison<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sept. 5-6<\/strong><\/p>\n

Capitol Square<\/strong><\/p>\n

tasteofmadison.com<\/a><\/p>\n

The 2026 Taste of Madison music lineup is yet to be announced, but given past performances, expect a taste of both local and national artists. Along with two full days of live music, explore dozens of food and beverage options from local vendors. Grab your fellow foodies and enjoy a weekend of eats and entertainment on the Capitol Square. Free.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source captimes.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Cap Times is an independent newsroom serving Madison and Wisconsin. Sign up for the Food & Culture newsletter for exclusive weekly insight. \u00a0 It\u2019s not a true Madison summer without a weekend or three at a local festival. From jazz at the Memorial Union to cover bands atop Monona Terrace and bluegrass on Lake […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2434859,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2434858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2026-Madison-summer-festival-guide-Entertainment.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2434858","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2434858"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2434858\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2434860,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2434858\/revisions\/2434860"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2434859"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2434858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2434858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2434858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}