City Cast Madison logo
Advertisement image

Your Guide to Madison in July 2025

Posted on July 1, 2025   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Rob Thomas

Rob Thomas

A group of men playing music on a stage bathed in green light.

Coldplay, shown here playing Rose Bowl Stadium in 2023, will pack Camp Randall on July 19. (Monica Schipper / Getty Images)

It’s getting hot out there, which doesn’t mean you have to stay indoors all the time, you just have to be smart about it. And there’s plenty to do in Madison both inside and outside this July. On the City Cast Madison podcast today, the gang gets together to talk about what we want to see, do, and eat this month.

City Cast

Your Guide to July 2025 in Madison

00:00:00

Here’s some more fun things to do this July.

🎵 Music For Every Budget

Would you like to spend $700 to see live music or would you like to pay nothing? Either way, July has got you covered. On the high end, of course, is Coldplay coming to Camp Randall on July 19. The show is officially sold out, but there are seats on third-party sites going for $600 and up (way up).

Or you could save all that money and go to one of Madison’s great free music festivals, including La Fete De Marquette July 10-13 and AtwoodFest July 26-27. I also recommend hanging out on the patio at the High Noon Saloon for free music and Chocolate Shoppe ice cream. The aptly-named Porch Flowers play the patio on July 3.

🛍️ Shop Till You Drop

Madison’s big summer shopping event, Maxwell Street Days, returns to State Street on July 17-20. It’s a great way to celebrate the independent retailers downtown, whether you want a new gift from Little Luxuries, something that smells nice from The Soap Opera, or new threads from State Street’s many resale shops.

Or you could spend some money at Art Fair on the Square on July 12 and 13 on the Capitol Square. (PSA: The Art Fair is bumping the Dane County Farmers’ Market that weekend, which will be over at Breese Stevens Field on July 12 instead.)

🎪 The Fair Is Where It’s At

A salsa dancing night, a jigsaw puzzle competition, a classic car showcase – there’s a lot more going on at the Dane County Fair than just farm animals, Ferris wheels, and funnel cake (although there’s plenty of all those, too).

The fair runs from July 17-20, every day packed with family-friendly activities. I might have to head down for the Dress-A-Critter animal costume contest.

Share article

Hey Madison

Sign up for your free daily toolkit to get the most of the city you love.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Madison's Best

See All
Madison's BestOctober 28

Halloween Costume Ideas That Just Scream Madison

Panicking about a last-minute costume? Discover 8 hyper-local Halloween costume ideas with a distinct Madison vibe, inspired by recent he...

A collage of costume ideas on a blue background.
Madison's BestOctober 21

UW-Madison’s ‘Inhumanities Building’ Inspires New Book

Discover the history and unique character of UW-Madison’s iconic "Inhumanities Building" in Doug E.L. Haynes’ new illustrated book. Explo...

Madison artist Doug E.L. Haynes, dressed in black, leans against a black metal railing in front of the Mosse Humanities Building at UW Madison, a light-colored brick building.
Madison's BestOctober 13

Practice Shelf-Care at the Wisconsin Book Festival

Discover your next great read at the 25th annual Wisconsin Book Festival Fall Celebration, Oct. 15-18. Enjoy free author events for all a...

A group of people browse a table of books in a bright sunlit space.
Madison's BestOctober 8

Your Favorite Spots To Meet Your Neighbors in Madison

City Cast Madison Neighbors share their favorite places in Madison.

Rolling green hills with wildflowers.
Madison's BestOctober 5

Where To Get Scared in Madison for Spooky Season

Looking for a scare this October in Madison? From horror movies to haunted forests and eerie ghost tours, here is your ultimate guide to...

A poster for "Jeckyll & Hyde" - a ballet dancer in black leaps in front of a foggy, London background.
Madison's BestOctober 1

What To Do in Madison in October 2026

Plan your perfect October 2026 in Madison! Check out the 25th Wisconsin Book Festival, cheer on the Badgers, tour haunted spots, and find...

City Cast Madison’s Hayley Sperling, Bianca Martin, Rob Thomas, and Jade Iseri-Ramos stand in front of a wooden arch-shaped bookcase that is holding books that will be featured at the Wisconsin Book Festival Fall Celebration.
Madison's BestSeptember 23

‘Park People’ Will Satirize Madison’s Protest Culture

Madison filmmaker Corey Holl launches a crowdfunding campaign for his new political satire, "The Park People." Explore the proof-of-conce...

Two production staff members on the left hold equipment and a microphone for two actors sitting on a park bench being filmed.
Madison's BestSeptember 8

Ann Garvin Has a Surprise in Store For Her Readers

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

Author Ann Garvin poses in front of a red wall.

The latest in Madison

Food & DrinkOctober 29

The Best New Restaurants in Madison

This month’s list of the area’s best new restaurants includes a new outpost for a wildly popular local pizza chain, a new sushi spot near...

On the left a photo of the exterior of Waltzing Matilda’s, which is blue with a pink door, on the right a photo of the interior bar which is well lit with mosaic tiling, and plenty of paintings on the wall.
Madison, ExplainedOctober 27

Will Wisconsin Get Toll Roads Someday?

Will Madison get toll roads? Democratic candidate David Crowley says he is open to Wisconsin toll roads, sparking quick backlash from Rep...

A highway with toll road signs on poles.
Madison, ExplainedOctober 22

Why Wisconsin Cheesemakers Worry About New USDA Rules

A surprise shift in federal grants threatens small Wisconsin dairy operations, prompting state cheesemakers and Senator Tammy Baldwin to...

A red barn that reads "got milk?" and several gray silos.
Madison, ExplainedOctober 20

Your Guide to the Fall 2026 Election in Madison

The big-ticket item on the Nov. 3 ballot for Wisconsin voters is of course the race for governor.

Two signs saying “Vote” outside of a doorway.
Madison, ExplainedOctober 19

Digging Up the Spooky History of Freakfest

Madison's Freakfest event ended several years ago, but its ghosts continue to haunt the city to this day. Here’s a look back at the good,...

A crowd of people, many in costumes, on a city street.
Food & DrinkOctober 15

What Do Madison Beer Drinkers Really Want?

Brewery owner Garth Beyer surveyed over 350 people about their beer and bar preferences. These are his takeaways about Madison's beer scene.

A man sitting in a chair pours beer into a glass.
Madison, ExplainedOctober 7

UW-Madison Professor Receives Nobel Prize in Physics

Discover the backstory behind UW-Madison professor Francis Halzen's Nobel Prize in physics for pioneering the IceCube Neutrino Observator...

An observatory at the South Pole. A metal structure sits on a desolate landscape with the cosmos above it.
Food & DrinkOctober 1

The Best Fall Drinks To Try in Madison

Looking for the perfect pumpkin spice or autumnal drink? Here is your guide to the best coffee shops and bars serving special fall bevera...

A group of multi-colored cocktails sit on a wooden bar.