February may be the shortest month, but that doesn’t mean we’re short on things to do in Madison. This tends to be the time when cabin fever really starts to set in, and people are more willing to go outside to enjoy themselves, even on a frozen lake. And with UW-Madison students back in town, there are usually more live concerts and other events to enjoy indoors after the sun goes down.
Listen to my City Cast Madison compadres chat on the podcast today about the things you ought to see, do, and taste in Madison this month. And here’s a few suggestions from me to help get you through until March.
🧊 The Big Freeze
Madison’s lakes are one of our greatest assets whether frozen or thawed, and Clean Lakes Alliance’s Frozen Assets Festival (Feb. 8) at the Edgewater Hotel and on Lake Mendota. There’s a 4K run/walk (yes, on the frozen lake), chances to go snowshoeing, ice skating, make winter crafts, even see some cold-weather science demos. And the Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships will be gliding across the lake from Feb. 3-9, so come out and watch.
Just a little ways down the shore, the UW Memorial Union will be hosting its Winter Carnival (Feb. 6-8). Watch snowboarders and skiers show their stuff on the Rail Jam (Feb. 8), try a little broomball, or get a selfie with the iconic “sunken Lady Liberty” on the ice!
🎭 Warm Up With Theater
Madison theater companies are launching their first productions of 2025. Forward Theater at Overture Center will premiere the retro drama “Summer, 1976,” (running through Feb. 16) with actresses Colleen Madden and Heidi Armbruster (who wrote Forward’s recent hit play “Murder Girl”) switching off the two lead roles.
If you think musicals are corny, Overture Hall’s premiere of the musical comedy “Shucked” (Feb. 4-9) probably won’t convince you otherwise. And the slipper fits for Children’s Theater of Madison’s new production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” (Feb.14-23).
📚 Cozy Up With a Good Book
And if you’ve already blown through the new books you got for Christmas, the Wisconsin Book Festival will resume bringing authors to town in February to read from and talk about their new reads. Wisconsin authors Christina Clancy (“The Snowbirds”) and Nickolas Butler (“A Forty Year Kiss”) will be at Madison Central Library on Feb. 5 and Feb. 18, respectively.
And Grace Jung, a stand-up comedian and visiting assistant professor at UW-Madison, will dish about her new book on the explosive appeal of Korean television, “K-Drama School,” on Feb. 19.
