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City Cast Madison

Rob Thomas

Hundreds of people lined up on the street on May 6

, the $32 million building at 671 W. Badger Rd.

But the celebration continues long after that grand opening, as the center establishes itself as a Black-led space for gathering, learning, and creating together, with performance spaces, art galleries, and makerspaces.

The center was the brainchild of Rev. Dr. Alex Gee, pastor at Fountain of Life Covenant Church next door, and his sister Lilada Gee. Alex Gee sees the space as sort of the opposite of a Black history museum — while the center would honor the past, it would focus on the future.

The architectural design of the building 

 to create a welcoming and aspirational feeling, and the collaborations and creative sparks that would result from creating spaces for Black Madisonians to come together.

The City Cast Madison team went last week to the center (which has an excellent podcast recording studio, by the way), where 

 about seeing his vision for the space become a reality, and what comes next.

The center will start hosting walking tours following its official opening July 1. Here’s a peek inside the center and all it has to offer Madison and the greater Wisconsin community.

The center features two theaters that can also be used as multipurpose spaces. The larger theater has room for between 191 and 361 people, depending on seating arrangements, perfect for live performances, film festival screenings, cultural celebrations, and more.

A smaller theater can hold between 113 and 239 people, and is ideal for wedding receptions, banquets and corporate events. The building also contains art gallery spaces to showcase Black art.

Membership is required to enter these meeting rooms and co-working spaces, where Black talent and business community members can come together to collaborate and support each other.

This intimate Black-designed lounge is designed for weddings, concerts, and other special events, with access to the center’s Black Porch Deck overlooking Madison.

The center is full of small classroom-style rooms that can be rented for meetings and seminars, as well as maker spaces (also rentable) full of art supplies for people to work together on painting, textile, photography, and sculpture and digital arts projects.

This dedicated space is for seniors to gather for wellness and health events and social activities, including access to a large games library to play together.

This colorful space was created by and for Black women as a place to connect and recharge together.

The Center for Black Excellence and Culture opened its doors last month to much fanfare. The $32 million facility is envisioned as a hub of Black creativity and entrepreneurship. Take a look at everything it has to offer, from theaters to art galleries to wellness spaces.

What's Inside Madison's Center for Black Excellence and Culture

Take a Look Inside the Center for Black Excellence and Culture

Everything to know about Madison neighborhoods: Where to go, eat, shop, drink, and more.

Madison Neighborhood Guides

Neighborhood Guides

 and officials talk about overthrowing its government as it did in Venezuela, the future of the Cuban people has been especially personal to Madisonians.

For decades, Madison has had direct ties with the city of Camagüey as part of the 

Madison-Camagüey Sister City Association

, with cultural exchange trips to the city and now, Cine Cubano, 

 taking place monthly at the Cardinal Bar.

The next screening will be March 8 at 1 p.m. and, in honor of International Women’s Day, will be a double feature of movies celebrating Cuban women. “Hasta Cierto Punto (“Up To a Certain Point”) is a 1983 romantic drama, while “Lucia” is a 1968 drama that looks at three women named Lucia at different periods of Cuba’s history.

Tourism in Cuba is prohibited for U.S. citizens

 by the State Department, but short-term travel for other purposes is allowed. Here’s what you need to know about Camagüey.

Camagüey is the capital city of the province of the same name, Cuba’s largest province, with a population of over 333,000 people. It’s located in the central-eastern region of the country, and is known for its wide, flat savannahs, good for agricultural development. The province stretches to both the north and south coasts, and there are 120 kilometers of beaches – roughly a quarter of the beachfront in the entire country.

Camagüey was founded in 1514 as Santa Maria del Puerto del Principe (Puerto Principe), but was moved inland to the Indian village of Camagüey, and moved several times during civil strife in the next century, including being raided by pirates. Legend has it that the city’s maze-like design, with narrow, winding streets and hidden alleys, were designed to thwart the invading buccaneers.

The city retains many traces of its colonial ancestry in its architecture, and the old city center has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The city is full of Baroque churches and golden high altars, including 

, which was built in the 19th century on the site of a 16th-century chapel. In 1998, the cathedral was completely restored using funds raised from the visit of Pope John Paul II to the city. But the most symbolic church in the city is the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, built in the 18th century and is renowned for being the church where Cuban revolutionary Ignacio Agramonte was baptized.

Camagüey has been nicknamed the “City of Clay Pots,” and clay pots are everywhere in the city to catch rainwater. Another local legend has it that if you drink water from one of the pots, you will never want to leave the city.

For film fans, Cinema Street has five different restored movie theaters and movie-themed cafes and businesses. Another big attraction is the local ballet, the Teatro Principal, which brings the entire town together in their finest clothes on the weekends.

Restaurants in Camagüey highlight the favorite cuisine of the region, including matajibaro, which is mashed green plantains mixed with pork cracklings, cassava bread, Cuban broth and milk candies for dessert.

A recent travel guide recommended El Carmen

 for high-end food like pork medallions, and El Solar for the cheapest, most delicious lobster you’ll find in the entire country. Street vendors sell churros and soft-serve ice cream for dessert.

Madison has had a decades-long relationship with its sister city of Camaguey, Cuba.  Here's what to know about the country's largest interior city, from its maze-like streets to its historic cathedrals.

Everything You Need to Know About Madison's Sister City in Cuba

Your Guide To Madison’s Sister City of Camagüey, Cuba

If you go out for a nice dinner or fancy cocktails on Valentine’s Day, you might think that downtown Madison has always been a wholesome, PG-rated place to be.

But did you know the city, especially the area known as First Settlement District, has a kinky past? Read on to learn about the places and people that gave Madison its sexy reputation in the Midwest, and how that ethos is continuing today.

These days, the 100 block of East Main Street is full of nice restaurants like the Tipsy Cow and Argus BarGrille. But in the 1970s it attracted entertainment of a different kind. The Dangle Club and the Mustang Inn were 

considered to be Ground Zero for Madison’s Red Light District

, with strippers at the Dangle and topless bartenders at the Mustang. Down the street, This Is Heaven offered sauna massages for both “male and female clients.”

King Street had its own porn shop, and residents remember that 

the streets were full of sex workers and their customers

, “a freewheeling open-air market of streetwalkers and pimps.” In the ‘80s, neighborhood residents got sick of all the crime and worked with police to drive out the prostitutes and unsavory establishments, paving the way for the First Settlement District we know today.

The story of Madison’s LGBTQ+ history can’t be told 

. The development was not only a 22-room residential hotel, but considered the epicenter of Madison’s LGBTQ+ community at the time. It included the Club de Wash music club, the Barber’s Closet speakeasy (accessible only through a secret door), and a masculine gay bar in the basement known as Rod’s.

Rod’s was named after Rodney Scheel, a prominent gay rights activist in Madison who opened Madison’s first out gay bar, The Back Door in 1972, and bought Hotel Washington in 1975. Scheel died in 1990, and the hotel burned down in 1996.

Known for “salsa, sexiness and social conscience,”

 on Wilson Street became another gay-friendly spot after Ricardo Gonzalez leased and ran it from 1974 to 2003. Known in particular as a dance bar with an emphasis on jazz and Latin music, the Cardinal was a place that could host a “leather and lace” fetish party one night and a political fundraiser the next. The Cardinal was reborn in 2023 for a new generation of sex-positive Madisonians, including those fetish nights.

While Madison may look different today, its kinky heart still beats strong. On the City Cast Madison podcast today, 

local consent advocate and kink expert Lili Luxe talks to host Bianca Martin

 about places in Madison that are still kink-friendly, and what attracts people to the scene.

For Valentine's Day, take a deep dive into the kinky history of Madison, from the Hotel Washington to the Cardinal Bar to Madison's now-defunct "Red Light District." 

Uncovering Madison’s Kinky Past

In my past “Sister City” features about 

, I relied on online research to discover these foreign cities. (The City Cast Madison expense budget doesn’t have a line item for overseas travel.)

But for today’s Sister City feature on Vilnius, Lithuania, I have some expert help. Madison Minutes reader and former Madison resident Landyn R. now lives in Vilnius, and he and a couple of his Madison expat friends answered my questions on why he loves living there. Here’s what makes Vilnius such a special place.

Vilnius is the largest city in Lithuania and, like Madison, its capital city. It’s located in the southeastern corner of the country where the Vilnia and Neris rivers meet. With a population of over 747,000, it is the most populous city in all of the Baltic states.

Pretty old! Its history dates back to the Stone Age, and in 1323, it became the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Over the centuries, the city has become a center of science and culture, attracting migrants from east and west, and developing a diverse population of Orthodox, German, and Jewish citizens. Occupied over the years by the Germans, the Russians, and the Teutonic Knights, Lithuania became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Landyn said that life in Vilnius is centered around getting out and enjoying the city. When he sees people out picnicking in the parks or kayaking on the Neris, he’s reminded of seeing Madisonians at Olbrich Park or boating on the lakes. The people are also very friendly, although they don’t do Midwestern small talk.

Landyn’s friend Chessie said they love to get out and explore all of Vilnius’ little communities – the arts communities, the farmers’ markets, the sewing circles. Their friend Willow loves to swim in the lakes in the summer.

Art and architecture buffs will love exploring the churches and buildings of Vilnius – the city’s Old Town has been named a 

 for its medieval layout and mix of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and classical architecture. 

 is a must-visit, as the 14th-century castle was the center of the Grand Duchy and was restored in the 1950s as a symbol of Lithuanian heritage despite pushback from the Soviets.

The museums in Vilnius cover literal centuries of history, from the 

, which is housed in the city’s former KGB headquarters.

Hungry for pink soup? Bright pink cold beetroot soup called 

uch a part of Lithuanian culture that Vilnius launched the first 

 this summer, where folks dress up in pink (bring your Forward FC gear!), and celebrate in the streets with music, waiter races, and other Instagrammable events.

For traditional Lithuanian food, Landyn recommends the restaurant 

, a potato dumpling filled with meat or cheese and the 

. His favorite restaurants in Vilnius are “

, a bar and restaurant with delicious beers, cocktails, and the typical bar food here, 

, crispy fried pieces of dark rye bread with plenty of garlic and a cheesy sauce.”

Chessie likes the little Soviet-era cafeterias that still exist in the town, where you can get a hearty meal for just five euros. And Willow thinks you should check out 

, a chain that makes traditional Georgian cheese-filled flatbreads.

Thanks, Landyn, Chessie and Willow, for showing us around Vilnius!

Everything You Should Know About Madison’s Sister City Vilnius, Lithuania

Your Guide to Madison’s Sister City of Vilnius, Lithuania

Every east side neighborhood festival in Madison has its own flavor, and 

 may be the sassiest. That’s not just because the festival, which takes place July 26 and 27 in the 1900 and 2000 blocks of Atwood Ave., is co-sponsored by Schenk-Atwood-Starkweather-Yahara (SASY) neighborhood association.

It’s also a true neighborhood festival reflecting the friendly, scrappy east side spirit, featuring many of the city’s favorite musicians, food vendors, and arts and crafts vendors. Here’s your guide to doing AtwoodFest right.

In classic sassy fashion, AtwoodFest started life in 1982 as Atwood Summerfest, even though Milwaukee had started its own much larger Summerfest 14 years earlier. Originally a fundraiser for the Goodman Center (then the Atwood Community Center), it transitioned in 2014 into becoming a joint venture hosted by the Barrymore Theatre, Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center, and the SASY Neighborhood Association, and was renamed AtwoodFest.

It just wouldn’t be an east side festival without a parade, would it? AtwoodFest kicks off with Convergence 2025 at 11 a.m. which symbolizes the neighborhood coming together. It starts at one of four different locations around the neighborhood – Yahara River, Circle Park, Hawthorne Park, and the Goodman Center.

Folks will go to one of those four groups all gussied up – costumes, hula hoops, and decorated bikes and wagons are encouraged. Then, members of the Madison percussion group the Handphibians will lead paraders from each location through the streets until they all converge at noon on the Atwoodfest grounds.

After that musical start, AtwoodFest has three stages of live music on both days, each with its own different flavor. The Sugar Maple Stage, sponsored by the Sugar Maple Traditional Music Festival, has folk, bluegrass, and Americana music that fits in with the annual August festival.

Meanwhile, the stage named after funk legend Clyde Stubblefield features local treasures like 

 (5:15 p.m. July 26), and Allman Brothers tribute band 

 (great name) at 6 p.m. July 27. The third music stage is named after the late blues legend Luther Allison, and features Wisconsin rock octet 

 (6:45 p.m. July 26) and Madison ska-fusion band 

Speaking of beer, the beer tents will be serving drafts from multiple local breweries, including Delta Beer Labs, Young Blood, and Hop Haus. 

 will feature lots of local restaurants and food trucks serving their best, including 

, which has been described as an open-air bazaar for its wide variety of craftsmen and artisans.

Since 1982, AtwoodFest has celebrated the spirit of Madison's east side SASY neighborhood and raised money for good causes. This year's festival takes place this weekend, with three stages of live music, a very special parade, and lots to eat and drink. 

Madison's AtwoodFest Marches to Its Own Beat

Your Guide To AtwoodFest, Madison’s SASY-est Festival

This week, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway is leading a delegation of Madison officials to 

. The two cities have a lot in common, both small cities in agricultural regions with a climate that includes nice summers and cold winters.

But you don’t have to organize a full delegation to visit Obihiro, Japan. Here’s what life is like in the city.

Obihiro is a city on Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s main islands, in the Tokachi Subprefecture. (Subprefectures are sort of like provinces, only smaller – Hokkaido is a prefecture with 14 subprefectures alone has 14 of them.) Obihiro has a population of 160,000.

The city is located in the agricultural heartland of Hokkaido, surrounded by wide-open plains and the majestic nearby Hidaka Mountains.

, a Japanese farmer and explorer who led a group of pioneers called Banseisha. Obihiro was formally incorporated as a city in 1933.

Much like a U.S. Western state like Colorado or Montana, horses were an instrumental part of settling and developing Obihiro, and the animals are a big part of the city’s cultural identity.

Obihiro celebrates the strength of horses with a unique kind of event called “

.” It’s sort of like a cross between a race and a tug-of-war, in which draft horses pull heavy sleds that can weigh over a ton on a sandy, hilly track.

The city has three major festivals throughout the year. The 

 in August may sound a little drab, but it is actually an energetic event which features a taiko drumming celebration that takes up several city blocks and a massive two-hour public dance competition.

 celebrates the flower, with literally thousands of them decorating Obihiro Central Park. And Wisconsinites will find kindred spirits at the 

which features fireworks, food stands, and snow and ice sculptures of mythical creatures.

Otherwise, visitors can hike in the Tokachi Millennium Forest nearby, check out Manabe Garden, Japan’s first conifer garden, or take a day trip to explore the Hokada Mountains. At the end of the day, relax in 

 or one of the city’s other hot springs.

, a train station that has been closed since the 1980s. However, since its name means “happiness,” visitors will come and paste notes on its walls in the hopes of starting their own journeys to happiness.

, which literally translates as “pork bowl.” The dish features a bowl of rice topped with pork simmering in a sweet sauce.

If you’re looking for something different, head to 

, an alleyway that’s stuffed with small 

 and other unique food stands offering cuisine from many different countries.

, including soft-serve ice cream, milk pudding, and cheesecake. Wisconsinites will feel right at home!

One of Madison's sister cities is Obihiro, located on the island of Hokkaido in Japan. The city has a lot that will be familiar to visitors from WIsconsin, including an agricultural heritage, an Ice Festival in the winter, and a love of sweet dairy treats. 

What To Do in Madison's Sister City of Obihiro, Japan

Your Guide to Madison’s Sister City in Obihiro, Japan

, and seemingly more coming every day. Grab a latte, get your nails done, do your banking, and support the growing number of minority-owned businesses that call the Hub home.

We recently took a look at the building to see what’s there and find out what’s coming next.

The Black Business Hub at 2352 Park St. is a $25.5 million, four-story, 81,000-square foot building designed to be an incubator and an accelerator for minority-owned businesses. In addition to being a physical space that can accommodate over 100 businesses, it’s home to the organizations and support networks that can help those businesses thrive.

, and while it officially opened its doors last August, new businesses are steadily moving into the building. Last month, 

a new four-story “Colorful Characters” mural

 designed by artist Michael Ford, and featuring several South Madison leaders such as Lori Mann Carey and Wayne Strong, was unveiled on the parking structure next door to the Hub.

While the upper floors are devoted to offices, retail businesses, and co-working spaces, the main floor is set aside for food entrepreneurs. The new 

 opened in May, specializing in Blue Mountain Coffee from the mountains of Jamaica.

The coffee shop also sells jerk chicken tenders and fries as well as chocolate truffles. A perfect drink on a hot summer day is sorrel, a tart and sweet ruby-red iced drink made with infused dried hibiscus petals.

 will open its doors in the Hub’s shared commercial kitchen to serve food for lunch and dinner, focusing on its soul food specialties on Saturdays and Sundays. And the elegant space for 

 looks ready for its grand opening at the end of June.

In front of the food businesses is an expansive open space for people to eat and drink. On Saturdays, that space will be given over to the 

, which will include local entrepreneurs selling both food items like seafood, tacos, and fresh juices, as well as candles, jewelry, art, hair care products, and more.

Speaking of hair care, head upstairs to get styled at 

It’s the second location for the barbershop, joining the one at East Towne Mall. Or get your nails or hair done at 

Chanell Ardor Schools of Beauty and Culture

, Madison’s first Black-owned cosmetology school.

The Black Business Hub opened last summer to support and accelerate minority-owned businesses, and new ventures are constantly opening in the Park Street building. Here's a few places to check out, whether you want to grab a coffee, get your nails done, or do some shopping. 

What's at Madison’s Black Business Hub

Check Out Madison’s Black Business Hub

Just 40 miles outside of Madison is the world's second largest scrap metal sculpture. 

 weighs in at 300 tons and is the centerpiece of a whimsical sculpture park in the Town of Sumpter just off Hwy 12. Other sculptures in the park include two huge “Komodo Dragons”, a “

”, and the “Bird Band and Orchestra.”

is open seasonally from April 1 through Dec. 23. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. but may vary depending on weather conditions. It is free and open to the public, and appropriate for all ages and leashed dogs are welcome. The paths are flat, and level, though are gravel-paved which may be difficult for some visitors. I’d budget about one hour to enjoy the sculptures.

I was lucky enough to be exploring the Bird Band and Orchestra when a squirrel was moving her kits to the chest cavity of one of the bird sculptures. While it’s highly unlikely that other guests will witness this exact event, the interaction between the art and the natural world is unavoidable in the park.

From the sounds of songbirds to the insects and bugs living in the sculptures, the relationship of the living world with the fantasy of the art adds to the magical experience of Dr. Evermor’s Sculpture Park.

⚙️ Madison’s Dr. Evermore Sculptures

If you want a taste of Dr. Evermore’s art without trekking out to Sauk County, you can find the 

 on South Paterson Street, just off the bike path. Additionally, the Madison Children’s museum is home to the two headed 

Where will I go next? Send me ideas! I’m looking for places to check out that are two hours or less from Madison. Email us at 

In our new feature, City Cast Madison producer Jade Isere-Ramos takes us on a road trip to check out a popular attraction near Madison. Today, Jade heads to Dr. Evermor's Sculpture Park just off Hwy. 12.

What You Need to Know for a Trip to Dr. Evermor’s Sculpture Park

Jade’s One-Day Getaway: Dr. Evermor’s Forevertron

Madison is already blessed with neighborhood festivals almost every weekend of the summer. But there are plenty of other festivals held in towns and neighborhoods outside of the city limits, many of which reflect the unique flavors of those communities.

, for example, host Bianca Martin chats with Sarah Ebert, president of the 

 (pronounced “SIT-n-duh MY”). The event celebrates the town’s Norwegian heritage with parades, food and drink, and music and crafts.

Here’s a few more community festivals going on around Dane County that are worth a short drive.

Celebrate Madison’s Italian heritage at this long-running festival at McKee Farms Park, which includes live music, a pasta dinner, bocce tournament, and presentations on Madison’s Italian cultural history.

For over half a century, Verona Hometown Days has brought the community together. Enjoy the fireworks on Friday night, the car show on Saturday morning, and the kids’ activities, live music, and local food vendors all weekend long.

The town gathers in Grundahl Park for a carnival, the 5K Norsk Run, the Frolic Parade, a volleyball tournament, and more.

Roll out the barrel for two days of live polka bands under the big tent. New Glarus Brewing Company beer will be served, and free polka lessons will be taught so even newbies can keep up on the dance floor. And June 14 is also 

, so visitors can enjoy unlimited samples of you-know-what.

For 94 years, the Cottage Grove Volunteer Fire Department has not only kept the community safe, but sponsored this free community festival. Enjoy carnival rides, a parade, and a kids’ tractor pull.

For 99 years, this free event has brought “good clean family entertainment” to town, including livestock judging, a “dog stunt show,” a pie 

 a pizza eating contest, and a “Battle of the Barbarians” strongman competition.

There was some question last year about whether the Monona festival would return for 2025. But it’s back in Winnequah Park, bringing kids’ activities, live music, food carts, and one of the area’s most impressive Fourth of July fireworks displays.

Waunakee’s big festival in Community Park features a beer garden, a carnival and midway, a corn hole tournament, a parade, and plenty more.

Madison has its share of summer neighborhood festivals, but many nearby communities also come together for their own summer fests that reflect their local flavors. Here's some of our favorites, from Syttende Mai in Stoughton to the Sweet Corn Festival in Sun Prairie. 

Neighborhood Guides

Take a Look Inside the Center for Black Excellence and Culture

Your Guide To Madison’s Sister City of Camagüey, Cuba

Uncovering Madison’s Kinky Past

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