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City Cast Madison

Rob Thomas

 says she’s more excited about her new book “

” than she has been about one of her novels in a while.

Part of that is the anticipation of catching her readers off-guard. At first, “Tell Two Friends,” which hits stores Sept. 8, fits in snugly with Garvin’s other books like “Bummer Camp” and “

,” funny, poignant novels about messy, lovable women. “Friends” focuses on Jane Baye, who becomes the pariah of her very Stoughton-like small town when it’s revealed that her husband is a polygamist.

That alone seems like it would be enough for a novel. But then Garvin starts interjecting chapters told from the perspective of Truman, an ex-con who has moved in across the street from Jane, and is watching her for reasons that are unclear but certainly troubling.

Garvin will talk about “Tell Two Friends” on Sept. 22 at Mystery To Me bookstore with 

“Writing Forward” podcast host Jeff Oloizia

. She talked to City Cast Madison about her glee in throwing her readers a curveball.

CCM: It’s like this guy Truman has infiltrated an Ann Garvin book.

AG: That’s exactly how I wanted it to feel. My very first book had like a real tension line through it, but then I kind of left that behind because people were like, "We don't know how to market a book that is a little bit scary and a little bit funny.” This is the first time where you read chapters and you think, “Oh, that's new.”

It was fun. I was nervous to write it because I wasn't sure if I was going to get the voice right and the tone right. But then I met a post-incarcerated man who was on the docket for a teaching thing that I did in New Hampshire, and I got to know him well. And so he promised that he would read it, and I actually paid him to read to be my sensitivity reader.

Does this mark a turn in the kinds of books you want to write?

I have ideas in the future for some books that are tension-filled, but nothing like this really. I'm not really the kind of person that thinks about murderers often. When I pick a book to write, I just have to really feel excited about it, passionate about it. I actually have to know that there’s a true story in there, not just a premise.

What was the biggest challenge of writing the book?

The hardest thing I think with this book was to make her everyday life tension-filled enough that anybody gave a shit about her chapters while you waited to find out what this other guy was doing. I want people to be turning the pages in her life, and all she’s doing is being a regular mom in a town that’s mad at her.

Speaking of that town, you have a disclaimer at the front of the book that this is not Stoughton. But how do you think Stoughton readers will react?

I think I’ll get a mix of responses. I think I’ll get some people mad. You know, “She made fun of us!” I don’t think I was disdainful. I think I rib them carefully because I don’t feel disdainful.

This is a very common question for a writer, but how much do you draw from your real life?

I know that everybody sort of puts themselves in there, and people very often think I’m the protagonist. Which in some cases, I guess I give the protagonist my voice. But she definitely is not me.

When I was a nursing student, I saw a little want-ad, “Be a Pen Pal With An Incarcerated Male.” I thought, “Poor guy, prison must be so boring.” I came from a small town. I was 19 or 20, and I never had heard that people write to incarcerated people, like the women who are interested in Ted Bundy. So we wrote back and forth for a while.

And then he asked me for a photograph, and I was not so dumb that I didn’t know what was up. I wrote back and said, “I don’t think we need a photograph to be friends.” And then he wrote back and said, “Don’t write to incarcerated men anymore. You’re too nice.”

Madison author Ann Garvin shares her glee in throwing readers a curveball with her poignant, messy new novel, hitting stores September 8.

 Madison Author Smuggles a Thriller Inside Her Latest Novel

Ann Garvin Has a Surprise in Store For Her Readers

Find the best of everything that Madison has to offer.

Madison’s Best

Madison's Best

September means that local theater companies are kicking off their 2025-26 seasons, including a couple of world premieres. In the Overture Center Playhouse, Forward Theater Company has the world premiere of the lost-at-sea musical “

Forward Theater, who’s sponsoring our monthly guide this September, is giving City Cast Madison readers the chance to win free tickets to see “Steady She Goes”! 

Just head over to our Instagram page and enter

” (Sept. 17-20), a musical inspired by the collection the Hand Drawn Map Association, to Overture’s Promenade Hall. The Bartell Theatre’s production of “

,” (Sept. 18-26) about a woman who buys a robot version of her late husband, couldn’t be more timely in the age of AI angst. Edgewood University revives Moliere’s French comedy of manners “

It’s been a hard summer in Madison, and on the east side especially. But the neighborhood’s iconic and eccentric 

 (Sept. 19-20) is a chance for the community to get together and get weird. In addition to several stages of live music and lots of food and drink, everybody is invited to dress up and march in the Sunday morning parade.

Good things come in small packages (or small plates) at 

 on the Capitol Square (Sept. 5-6) with over 90 food vendors. 

 (Sept. 26) at Warner Park will feature 17 restaurants and eight bands, including Nashville’s Langhorne Slim headlining.

 (Sept. 12) features live music, food, and drink. But what sets it apart is the opportunity to decorate and personalize a lantern, either to remember a loved one or set an intention for the future, and release it on the water in a healing ceremony. Editor’s note: Water Lantern Festival is also a sponsor of City Cast.

Push yourself to the limit (and support someone who is) at 

 (Sept. 13). Athletes love coming to Madison not just because of the beautiful and challenging course that includes a downtown run, a hilly bike ride, and a swim in the lake, but because of the crowds cheering them on.

 has been in Madison before, but never like this. On Sept. 22 at the Orpheum Theater, Smith will tell stories and play songs inspired by her new memoir “Bread of Angels.” Ticketholders will get a free paperback copy of the book courtesy of A Room of One’s Own.

Discover the best things to do in Madison, Wisconsin, in September 2026! From vibrant fall festivals to concerts and athletic events, plan your perfect autumn with our ultimate local guide.

Your Guide to Madison in September 2026

What To Do in Madison in September 2026

 makes no secret of her love for the Milwaukee Brewers. She and her husband have season tickets, heading to American Family Insurance Field a dozen times a season to see the team play.

she designed a T-shirt to be given away at the Aug. 12, 2025 game

, and even got to throw out the first pitch. Now, she’s turning that T-shirt design, called “Seventh Inning Stretch,” into a mural that’s being unveiled today at 2 p.m. at McKee Farms Park in Fitchburg.

who was on the City Cast Madison podcast in 2024

 talking about the Chappell Roan-themed haunted house she helped create in the neighborhood, is an in-demand Madison artist. She’s created several other murals around town, and was artist-in-residence in the Madison Public Library’s Bubbler.

As she put the finishing touches on the mural last week, she talked about bringing her Brewers love to life:

It’s the same design, just reformatted. The Brewers originally approached me to do a mural, but then we couldn’t find a wall in the area. Then the T-shirt opportunity came up. So I thought, let’s design the T-shirt, but make sure that the design coordinates with the eventual mural.

What was your inspiration for the design? Who are these people?

They’re just fans that I see myself when I go to games. Just kind of vibing with the crowd. You always make friends with the people around you. All the little moments that happen in the crowd.

I like the idea of putting a lot of details in it. Every time you come back, you might notice something new.

Did you have anyone specific in mind for these people?

The person wearing the “Brew Crew” shirt is actually my likeness. I have that sweatshirt. And that’s my husband next to me. We always link arms and sing [“Take Me Out to the Ball Game”]. Interestingly, the two guys sitting next to us look like the two guys who sit next to us in our season tickets. Not intentional.

I usually go to a handful every year. But since I’ve been working with the Brewers, it’s really excited our interest in going to actual games. I’ve always listened to them on the radio. One of my birthday presents this year was this old-school antenna radio. But going to the games has definitely picked up.

Maybe a couple of years? It’ll be here for a while. 

There will be a celebration for this on Aug. 17

. Some Brewers people are going to come, I think a couple of mascots will be here. We’re going to be having some giveaways, including some of the T-shirts. They were only available at that game last year, so this is your chance.

Madison artist Emily Balsley unveils her new "Seventh Inning Stretch" mural at Fitchburg’s McKee Farms Park, inspired by her Brewers T-shirt design.

Milwaukee Brewers Mural Unveiled in Fitchburg

Madison Artist Knocks It Out of the Park With Brewers Mural

Whether it’s bluegill, perch, or walleye on your plate, the fish fry is a hallowed and battered tradition in Wisconsin. In a recent survey by 

, nearly half of respondents said they sit down to a fish fry at least once a month.

It feels like the fish fry has been around since forever – but 

, host Bianca Martin talks to Madison writer Jeff Oloizia about his cover story for 

on how climate change and global economic trends may be threatening our beloved fish fry.

How the Climate Is Changing Wisconsin Fish Fry

For now, at least, the fish fry is thriving in the Madison area. Here are some of our favorites around town. If we missed your Friday favorite, email us at 

 and let us know why your fish fry rules!

Oloizia spent time in the east side pub studying its wildly popular fish fry while reporting for his article, and with good reason. Honored as “Madison’s Best Fish Fry” by both 

, Dexter’s serves up wild-caught North American fish in non-GMO sunflower oil, with Madison Sourdough rye bread on the side. If you just can’t wait until Friday, they have a limited fish fry on Wednesdays, too.

It’s like having fish fry out on the farm in this historic Fitchburg location. Not only can you get fish fry in the elegant Stone House restaurant or rustic Stable Grill, but on Friday nights they have an outdoor fish fry under the Paddock Tent.

Come out to this restored 19th-century farmhouse in Middleton and indulge in cod (battered or unbreaded), perch (beer-battered or breaded), or walleye (beer battered or hashbrown encrusted) on Friday nights, with a long list of “standard” and “premium” sides to choose from.

This favorite on East Washington Avenue offers fish fry on Tuesdays and Fridays. Drink specials include $8 sangria on Tuesdays and $8 Old Fashioneds on Fridays. Cheers!

Fish fry isn’t just for Friday at Oakcrest. This west side classic serves fried perch and cod dinners (including kids’ menu versions) Wednesday through Friday. The baked cod dinner, however, is just on Friday.

The food at this Regent Street institution is all really good, so it’s no surprise that the fish fry would punch above its weight too. The 

 rhapsodized about the breaded bluegill, but there’s also walleye, perch, cod, and Cajun shrimp, and you can get a great fish sandwich too.

This north side dive bar (complimentary) is famous for its fish fry, serving up perfectly breaded and seasoned fish with potato or fries, cole slaw, and a dinner roll.

Why wouldn’t a high-end seafood restaurant get in on the fish fry game? Tempest serves mouth-watering walleye or yellow perch (or whatever is fresh) along with house-cut fries and homemade tartar sauce. A step up, but worth treating yourself.

What’s your favorite Madison fish fry?

Friday fish fries are a tradition in Wisconsin, and Madison has lots of options. Here are some of our favorites, including Dexter’s Pub, Quivey’s Grove and Tempest Oyster Bar.

Madison’s Best Fish Fries

The Best Fish Fries in Madison

Jade Iseri-Ramos

The local LGBTQ+ nonprofit OutReach will hold its annual 

 at Warner Park. You can expect drag performances, rainbow swag, and tons of vendors. Plus, we’ll have a tent so come say hi and grab a sticker!

. There will be more than 25 shows across nine venues featuring local and touring comedians, and all ticket prices are $15 (plus fees) or less. It’s a great way to see all the comedy gold the city has to offer.

🍻 Pregame the Great Taste of the Midwest

I’ve never been motivated enough to snag tickets to the Great Taste of the Midwest, but it’s a big deal. Tickets for the 

event are long sold out, but don’t fret because several local spots are hosting 

. There are seriously so many parties that I’m not going to even try to list them!

Olbrich Botanical Garden will undergo a sonic transformation for 

. The installation is curated by composer JG Everest and organized by the community curation project LAB^4 at Arts + Literature Laboratory. Small speakers will be placed throughout the garden, each playing a different portion of the same song while musicians from the Free Range Orchestra roam through the garden and play along. This is a free event, though there are 

a few workshops that require registration.

When he’s not dispatching bad guys as John Wick or traveling through time as one-half of Bill & Ted, Keanu Reeves plays bass with his band Dogstar. 

Dogstar is coming to Madison to play The Sylvee

Summers in Madison are full of neighborhood festivals and the fun continues into August. This weekend is the bluegrass-centered 

 at Lake Farm County Park. The weekend of 

“Trevor: The Musical” is an LGBTQ+-themed musical about Trevor Nelson, navigating life at a suburban high school in 1981 while dreaming of a life in showbiz. 

Music Theatre of Madison is putting on the Wisconsin premiere of the play

 in the Overture Center Playhouse, MTM’s first-ever Overture show in its 20 years.

For even more events, you can always keep up with what’s going on in Madison with 

If you’re a Neighbor, you get a special events newsletter every week!

Discover the best events, festivals, and activities in Madison this August 2026. Don't miss out on the ultimate summer highlights—plan your perfect month today!

August 2026 in Madison: Your Ultimate Guide to Summer Fun

Madison’s Best: Your Guide To August 2026 in Madison

Bryan M. Vance

! The legendary band is bringing their “Power Up” tour to Camp Randall this Sunday. While the stadium hosted Coldplay and Morgan Wallen last summer, these Aussie rock gods are delivering the only summer concert at Camp Randall this year.

If you’re ready to rock with Angus Young, Brian Johnson, Stevie Young, and the rest of the crew live in Madison, we’ve got some tips for you – including how to get tickets and where to find a pre-show tailgate!

The Young brothers ignited AC/DC in Sydney, Australia, over half a century ago, turning into one of the best-selling bands of all-time. Fun fact: their electrifying name was actually inspired by the label on a sewing machine’s power adaptor. Down under, fans lovingly call them “Acca Dacca,” and they even have their own street — 

 — a legendary cobblestone alley in the heart of Melbourne’s business district.

Still need to score your passes to the show? 

. Standard tickets are currently available starting around $100. If you want to get thunderstruck from a prime vantage point, there are a handful of platinum seats going for $333 each.

AC/DC fans know how to party, and Madison is ready to deliver. If you’re looking to pregame the show with fellow metalheads, 

Madison South Rotary’s Cheers for Charity

is the ultimate tailgate for a good cause. It’s free to attend, and 100% of proceeds from alcohol and food purchases are donated to local charities.

 is also hosting an official concert tailgate. Located just steps from the gates, it’s the perfect spot to fuel up on brats, grab a beer, and soak in the (metal) energy before your hours of head-banging commence.

Don’t let Regent Street traffic leave you on the Highway to Hell.

Parking near Camp Randall is notoriously tight, so skip the gridlock. Your best bet is to park downtown and take a Madison Metro bus, or rent an e-bike from Madison BCycle (electric mobility just makes sense, don’t you think?).

If you really want to drive, look for neighbors in the neighborhoods surrounding the stadium who are selling spots in their yards, or try to snag a spot in one of the UW parking garages early. Either way, be prepared to walk a bit and pay top dollar for a primo spot.

Get all the details for the AC/DC Power Up Tour at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison! Discover how to get tickets, show times, and where to tailgate.

AC/DC at Camp Randall Stadium | Madison Concert Guide 2026

An AC/DC Fan’s Guide to Madison

This week, Madison is the exact center of the jam-band universe. The venerable rock band Phish is kicking off its 2026 summer tour with two shows at the Kohl Center, July 7 and 8.

If you’re in town for the shows and want to connect with other Phish Heads (or “phans”), here’s what you need to know – from ticket info, pre- and post-show parties, and, of course, our local weed laws.

First of all, for those locals who are wondering what all the fuss is about, Phish was formed in Burlington, Vermont back in 1983. Blending different genres and known for their lengthy improvisational jams, Phish ensures that no two of the over 2,000 shows they’ve played are ever the same, building a large and loyal audience who will travel far (

including 13 shows at Las Vegas’ Sphere

The two shows in Madison kick off a busy summer for Phish that includes 

five nights at Taylor Swift’s wedding venue

 and two nights at Boston’s Fenway Park, so it’s a big deal that they decided to start the tour here.

If you haven’t gotten tickets yet, you’re not out of luck! 

The Kohl Center opened up a bunch of $118 tickets behind the stage for both shows

, and there’s a few more tickets ($96-130) scattered here and there in the arena.

There are several parking garages around the Kohl Center

 operated by UW Athletics, but they can fill up fast. 

 A bunch of privately-owned lots will also offer spaces to park, and there is neighborhood parking, although you might have to walk a bit.

the Annex is offering a free shuttle to and from the stadium

 as part of its pre-show party. If you’re a local, expect the area around the Kohl Center and Regent Street to be busy!

Not to generalize about Phish fans or anything, but you might 

want to know about Madison’s weed laws before you come to town

. TL;DR: recreational marijuana is illegal in Wisconsin, but 

, and police won’t pursue charges without a reason. Similar products like delta-8 and delta-9 THC are also legal (

Speaking of pre-show parties, in addition to the Annex, 

Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge will be pre-gaming starting at 1 p.m.

 with themed tacos and cocktails and DJ Mars Starstuff spinning jam bands on vinyl. 

Joe Marcinek is playing a free show on the patio at the High Noon Saloon

Hungry? I’d recommend starting your Madison experience with brats, beer, and cheese curds on the 

, which is only three blocks from the Kohl Center. Closer to the arena, get an iconic Madison burger at either 

 on Frances Street, some great vegetarian tacos at 

, or head down Regent Street for some terrific fried chicken at 

After the show, head over to Liquid to see 

Pink Floyd-Talking Heads-Fish cover band Pink Talking Fish

If you’re looking for late-night eats, 

 offers sandwiches and wraps until 2 a.m.

If you’re nursing a hangover the next day, or just need to clear your head, downtown Madison has many 

 to perk you up. Or maybe head outside and enjoy the 

natural beauty of the city with a rejuvenating hike

Are you going to see Phish in Madison at the Kohl Center this week? Here’s what to know, from your chance to score last-minute tickets to the best places to hang out with other Phish fans before and after the show.


What Phish Fans Should Know About Madison

A Phish Head’s Survival Guide to Madison

Almost immediately after it was announced, the “Bucky-n-Booms” Fourth of July celebration on Lake Mendota was renamed “

” after organizers decided not to host a fireworks display after all. Still, it will be a full day of fun on both the UW Memorial Union Terrace and the Edgewater Hotel, with events including outdoor yoga, live music, and a performance by the Mad City Ski Team.

 from July 9-12 is bigger than ever, with four days of live music, food and drink, kids’ activities and much more. While many of the acts have a French twist, you can also catch heavyweights like Los Lobos (July 9 and 12), Shemekia Copeland (July 10), and tons of great local acts.

Head down to State Street from July 16-19 

 and get great deals from all sorts of local businesses, from iconic State Street institutions like Jazzman to the Soap Opera to newcomers like Raygun. Restaurants will offer expanded outdoor cafe seating on the pedestrian mall.

Lake City Books is moving into a much larger space

 across the Capitol Square, and is planning a grand opening celebration on the weekend of July 17. Pick up your next favorite read, then dive into Chapter 1 on the bookstore’s new outdoor patio with a glass of vino from the new wine bar.

The Urban League of Greater Madison is sponsoring its 

 on July 25 at the Black Business Hub, featuring food and drink, live music, and lots of local vendors.

AtwoodFest returns to Atwood Avenue on July 25 and 26

, featuring three stages of live music, food and drink from local vendors and crafts from local artisans. City Cast Madison will have a table there, so swing by and say hey!

If you’re a Neighbor, you get early access to events!

Plan your perfect July in Madison with our ultimate guide. Discover top summer events like Fete de Marquette, Maxwell Street Days, and AtwoodFest. Click to explore live music, food, and local festivals!

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