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We make podcasts and newsletters that connect people with the cities they love.

City Cast Madison

Madison is a city that loves art. From big names like the 

 to the corner coffee shops, there’s art all around us on the isthmus.

This year, there’s a new arts celebration in town. The first annual 

The event is put on by Emerson Eken Arts, a neighborhood arts association whose mission is to support the local arts community. Planning for the event started last year when organizers were looking for a way to better connect artists with their neighbors.

More than 50 artists will showcase their work at dozens of locations throughout the east side neighborhoods.

Most of the artists are local to the area and will display their work in homes and driveways. Several area businesses are also playing the role of galleries for the day, including Eli’s Art Supplies, The Bubbling Teapot, Dexter’s Pub, Megan’s Custom Framing, and more.

Attendees can expect to see all kinds of art — from pottery and sculptures to photo prints and paintings, homemade cards, stained glass, and much more.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine. Here’s a 

Madison’s Newest Art Walk is Here

Neighborhood Guides

This weekend is the 46th iteration of one of Madison’s longest running neighborhood festivals: 

The annual event runs Sept. 16 and 17 on the 800, 900, and 1000 blocks of Willy Street. This year’s festival will feature 

 across five stages and even more local vendors selling their wares. Proceeds from the festival go back into the community by benefiting the Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center and Common Wealth Development.

Saturday, Sept. 16 from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

800, 900, and 1000 blocks of Willy Street

The fair is free to attend! But of course, food, drinks, and other goodies will come with a price tag. 

If you need an ATM, you can easily find one at Heartland Credit Union at the intersection of Willy and S. Brearly Street. Additionally, many surrounding bars — like I/O Arcade and The Wisco — also have ATMs.

The event is wheelchair accessible. When it comes to parking, stick to the side streets or one of the nearby garages. Just be sure not to park in front of a bus stop or anyone’s driveway!

Nope. Leave your furry friends at home for this one.

The iconic Willy Street Fair parade kicks off at 11 a.m. Sunday.

You can buy tickets at the Common Wealth Development booth during the fair. The drawing will be at 5:00 p.m. Sunday.

There’s a Party on Willy Street This Weekend and You’re Invited

, so it seemed only fitting that our guide today explores the whole Dudgeon-Monroe neighborhood. You may know it as the home to Madison’s only Trader Joe’s but this near westside neighborhood is full of hidden treasures.

To get the inside scoop on Dudgeon-Monroe, we caught up with two members of the neighborhood association, Diego Saenz and Lisa Grueneberg. Here are their must-sees and must-dos in the area.

 DMNA has really great places to eat or get a drink. You'll often find me eating a slice of Salumetto at 

, sitting down for the bone in pork shank at 

, taking a Hawaii Style tuna bowl home from 

, or trying not to drip from my waffle cone of Ultimate Oreo and Zanzibar (or Zoreo whenever they have it!) from 

The plethora of dining options is one of the best things about Dudgeon-Monroe. We can walk out our front door and have almost too many choices of where to go to eat. For special occasions 

Lake Wingra is a treasure! Anyone visiting the neighborhood should stop by 

 and experience Lake Wingra. With its undeveloped shoreline, no motor boats, and a large portion of the lake shore being the Arboretum, going out on the lake feels like you are in a national park. Strolling down Monroe Street and exploring the shops and restaurants is a great weekend activity. There’s something for everyone!

The neighborhood is made up of people from all over the world who intentionally chose to live in an area with smaller lots, sidewalks, and high walkability. It results in a very friendly environment for social outings and events. Most residents came from elsewhere and love Madison because they chose it! On our block, you can hear parents speaking Swedish, Hebrew, and German to their bilingual children.

All the news you need to know about Madison today. 

🏡 Get to Know Dudgeon-Monroe

This weekend is the city’s biggest annual summer picnic: 

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people converge on the Capitol Square downtown to feast on some of the city’s finest food and watch live entertainment. This year, Taste of Madison will host more than 70 restaurants featuring over 200 menu items, 26 beverage stands, and three live music stages.

The two-day food festival has been around since the 1980s. Aside from being a showcase for many local and regional eateries, the event is a fundraiser for non-profit and charitable organizations. Last year, Taste of Madison donated more than $96,000 to local charities.

You can expect to find food and flavors from across the globe at Taste of Madison. From 

deep fried cheese curd filled donuts at Bonnie’s Balls

, everyone is sure to find something that suits their taste.

Taste of Madison will run Sept. 2 from 2:00 to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 3 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Dane County Farmers’ Market will still operate as usual on Saturday.

The event itself is free to attend but the food, of course, will cost ya. Some vendors are cash only so planning a trip to the ATM before hitting the Capitol Square isn’t a bad idea.

Taste of Madison is expected to welcome more than 250,000 to the Capitol Square this weekend, here's what you need to know. 

🥡 Get to Know Taste of Madison

Situated just east of the Capitol Square, the Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood is home to many of Madison’s hidden gems (literally).

Tenney-Lapham is within walking distance of downtown, Willy Street, and the now-bustling portion of East Washington Avenue near the Capitol.. The isthmus neighborhood is home to lakeside mansions, old-style brick apartments and condos, single-family homes, and new skyscraping apartment buildings. (Plus the neighborhood association has its 

To get the scoop on this part of town, I turned to two experts who also happen to be on the City Cast Madison team: lifelong neighborhood resident Dylan Brogan, and Bianca Martin. Here are their recommendations.

 is the best cocktail bar in town. And the 

 is the best dive bar in town. What more does one need?

The Caribou Tavern is also warmly referred to as the ‘Bou’. They have a famous cheeseburger, and for good reason. Plus, the 

, no competition. My last statement is also not secret, nor a controversial opinion, so I feel great saying it. Winslow, thank you for your service. And 

 has a great eggs benny. I get that with the side salad with green goddess dressing. Chef’s kiss. Bonus, they’re owned by the same family who runs the hip and quality Johnson’s Public House cafe aka JPH for regulars.

 has become a real hotspot in recent years and has become a venue for some big acts (this summer’s lineup included Weezer, Modest Mouse, Bon Iver, Jason Mraz, and Brandi Carlile). The best part is you don’t even need a ticket to hear the show. Just bring a lawn chair to 

 — kitty-corner to Breese on East Mifflin — and enjoy. For not actually being inside the venue, the acoustics are darn good.

. I have a suspicion that it’s one of the many reasons this area is a vortex for good, charming things and solid people. And it’s a great place for jewelry gifts if you like pretty and scientifically cool natural things.

Looking for an easy way to brighten someone else’s day?

🏘️ Get to Know the Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood

As an alumna of UW-Madison, I’d like to think I know the area pretty well. But things have changed in the more-than-a-few years since I graduated.

To get a true insider’s look at the area, I caught up with 

, current UW-Madison students and the top editors at 

 Here are a few of their favorite places, eats, and activities around the UW-Madison campus.

If you want a good place to study, check out the 

. It's a really pretty building with cozy spots to get work done, plus it has an outdoor patio.

If you don't want to hit the books but instead are looking for an underrated drinks spot, check out 

 — and don’t miss trivia nights on Tuesdays!

If you need to just get outside and soak up some sun, hit up 

 It's just south of Regent Street and it's a nice spot to play sand volleyball or throw a blanket down and enjoy a good book.

Locally-owned places have the best food on State Street. Check out 

If you're on the west side of campus, waffles from 

For drinks, nothing beats Plaza's atmosphere. It's a Madison icon and the 

 on campus, plus it's queer-friendly and the drinks are cheap.

 has $5 top-shelf drinks and free pizza (if you're there at the right time on Thursdays).

 on Regent Street offers fancy drinks at affordable prices with a side of smooth jazz. It's practically a modern speakeasy.

 puts on multiple student productions each season, and 

 hosts concerts throughout the year showcasing student musicians. Shannon Hall also hosts plenty of iconic speakers and performers throughout the semester, too.

Since thousands of new, bright-eyed baby Badgers are currently preparing to descend upon the isthmus for move-in week, now is the perfect time to get to know the campus neighborhood a little better.