It’s January, and we’re doing this, Madison. We’re not going to let the cold or the snow hold us back from getting the most out of the city. In fact, we’re going to bundle up and lean into all that’s going on in Madison this month. Who’s with me?
On the City Cast Madison podcast today, executive producer Hayley Sperling, host Bianca Martin, and I dig into what we’re most looking forward to kicking off 2026 with, from places to eat to things we want to do to get the year started right. New year, new us!
Here’s some other fun things worth getting out of the house for.
Get outside!
One of the upsides of having such an early winter in Wisconsin is that we don’t have to wait to enjoy the season. Over half of the city’s skating rinks, from big ones like Tenney Park to little ones like Rennebohm Park, are open, with more to come as Madison Parks staff work hard to get them ready. And they’re all free!
Another great place to skate is the lakefront rink at The Edgewater Hotel. You can reserve space on the ice for you and your family ahead of time, and skate rentals are $3. One other fun thing is to bring the family for Skate Cinema, where you can skate while you watch a movie on the big screen or snuggle up with a blanket and hot cocoa. “Norm of the North” is playing Jan. 31 at the Elver Park rink.
Maybe this is the year you take up snowshoeing or cross-country skiing? There’s so many places to do it, and Madison Parks has even scheduled some free classes for you to learn – and they supply the equipment! And don’t let the fact that it gets dark early deter you – take part in a candlelight hike or candlelight snowshoe walk.
Or stay inside!
The Freezing Man Festival to raise money for Joey’s Song returns for two nights at The Sylvee – the traditional all-star jam session on Dec. 10 and an unplugged “storytellers” night on Dec. 9. Plus, the Wisconsin Fest series returns, with local musicians of every genre (Wisconsin Bluegrass Fest, Wisconsin Funk Fest, Wisconsin Folk Fest) hitting the big stages around town.
If you’ve never seen “Hamilton,” or want to see Lin-Manuel Miranda’s electrifying historical musical again, don’t throw away your shot to see at Overture Hall Jan. 6-18. For a different view of the immigrant experience, Forward Theater is premiering “Ironbound,” which follows a Polish immigrant cleaning lady over 22 years in America. It runs Jan. 29 - Feb. 15.
And Wisconsin’s top drag performers will slay at the Wisconsin Drag Awards on Jan. 18. Nominate your favorite queen and enjoy performances and awards across multiple categories.
