Week of May 11, 2026

District Niners,

• The long wait for a farmers' market in the 9th District will end with a Friday May 15th ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of the Junction Ridge Farmers Market at 9 AM!!  Come out to celebrate, visit with friends and neighbors and support the beginnings of a long-lasting partnership with our vendors.
• Auto thefts.  Do take the time to secure your vehicle. Reports of thefts and catalytic converters across the city are up. If your vehicle is parked on the street, consider parking in a well-lit area to prevent thieves from operating “comfortably" in the dark.
• Save the date:  May 20th MPD Community (Town Hall) Conversation with Chief Patterson.

Boards, Commissions & Committee Meetings

Note: This is not a complete list of meetings for this upcoming week. All meetings and their details can be found at the Meeting Schedule page.

• Finance Committee: The Finance Committee meeting will take place on Monday, May 11, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include recognizing up to $1,148,000 from Dane County for operations at the permanent men's shelter.  
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
• Board of Parks Commissioners: The Board of Park Commissioners meeting will take place on Wednesday, May 13, at 6:30 p.m. in the boardroom of the Parks Lakeside Offices at 330 E Lakeside St. Agenda items include adopting the Southeast Area Plan and adopting the Southwest Area Plan.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agendas
  • Register for public comment

Announcements & News Releases

• Southwest and Southeast Area Plans Submitted for Final Review and Adoption:  The Southwest and Southeast Area Plan project teams have submitted a Final Draft Plan for review and adoption. Both plans will be introduced to the Common Council during its Tuesday, May 5, 2026, meeting
• Your Final Spring Yard waste Collection Begins Soon; Get Your Final Spring Set-out Date Online: Every neighborhood has just one more spring yard waste set out date. This will be the final spring yard waste collection by the Streets Division for 2026. Curbside collection will return in the fall.
• Concerts on the Rooftop Returns to Monona Terrace: Monona Terrace invites the community to celebrate summer with the return of its popular Concerts on the Rooftop series. Guests can enjoy live music against the stunning backdrop of Lake Monona and downtown Madison. The rooftop and Lake Vista Café open at 5:30 p.m., with performances from 7 to 9 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
• All Madison Public Library Locations Closed May 14 for Staff Day; Other May Hour Changes and Closures: There are multiple closures and hours changes taking place during the month of May at Madison Public Library.
• Please visit the City news webpage to find additional news and announcements and to subscribe to receive notification of news releases as they are posted.

Events

• Animal Cruelty Investigations and Response Workshop, Tuesday, May 12, 2026 (This event occurs on multiple dates): This free, two-day hands-on workshop is open to law enforcement, prosecutors, veterinarians and rescue and sheltering organizations. It aims to raise awareness about animal cruelty, forge key partnerships and empower participants to mitigate and prevent cruelty within their communities. Join us!
• FOOT Madison Tango, Wednesday, May 13: Change of tune! Looks like we'll have a little more time to enjoy the wonderful dance floor in historic Normal Hall (the building we've incorrectly been calling the Olin Park Pavilion). Madison's Parks Division has delayed its renovations projects for a while, so we now can have a spring FOOT-Loose Dance Series.
• Frank Lloyd Wright Trail Welcome Weekend, Friday, May 15- Sunday, May 17 (This event occurs on multiple dates): Monona Terrace is delighted to be part of the Frank Lloyd Wright Trail's Welcome Weekend, and we're offering additional tours as part of this special occasion.  Join us to learn more about Wright's controversial "dream civic center" and his indelible imprint upon the project.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Starkweather Creek Area, Saturday, May 16:  Bike the Creek ~ Join Tara Dary and Friends of Starkweather Creek for a guided bike tour along the greenways, parks and yards beside Starkweather Creek.  Bring your bike or rent a B-Cycle at a nearby station at Goodman, Blue Plate Diner or Garver Feed Mill.
• Learn to Play Ultimate Frisbee, Saturday, May 16: Learn the basics of Ultimate frisbee rules, scoring, movement, throwing, catching, strategies and more. This event is free to attend. Advanced registration is required. 
• Sketch at The Glen & Forest Hill Cemetery, Saturday, May 16: Join Urban Sketchers Madison for a lovely day of creativity and artful expression.  Urban Sketchers - Madison is a group of local folk who enjoy drawing with a focus on sketching our city from life and sharing those sketches with others.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Warner Park, Sunday, May 17: Nature Writing ~ Join Naturalist Lynn Persson for a free guided walk to enjoy the natural areas at Warner Park.  Bring pen and paper.  We will take time to stop along the way to contemplate things.      Write down a few notes of draw a simple picture about what you see, how you feel, and the beauty around you.
• Movie at The Glen | Goonies, Sunday, May 17: Help us kick off the summer season with The Glen's first movie night of 2026! Goonies is a classic movie from 1985 about a group of teenagers who find a map leading to a hidden treasure. They must overcome concealed traps, natural obstructions, and a gang of desperate thieves in their race for the loot. Join us for yard games, crafts, and socialization at 4pm.  The movie will begin promptly at 5pm.

For other events, check out the City events calendar 

Your well-being

The cold months of winter have lost their grip, and we are gradually transitioning into spring with more sunlight to boost your mood and energy levels and hopefully encourage you to engage in outdoor activities.  Believe it or not, engaging in outdoor activities will reduce stress levels (and there are many) and improve mental health.  So, take some time to enjoy the warmth of the sun and don't forget to activate your smile.

Until next time,

Joann