Bright spots from the past week; Street crews out at 6am tomorrow for student move out; Rally for Regents, and more!

Hello neighbors,

I wanted to share a few bright spots from this past week with you. Before I was on the Common Council, I served on the Madison Food Policy Council for several years. During my time there, we consistently discussed the need for a food terminal that would be a place where farmers could send produce and other products to be easily processed and purchased by restaurants, local grocers, and food pantries. That dream became a reality this week with the opening of The Foodshed Partnership facility, and it was an honor to be at their ribbon cutting. Christy McKenzie from our own District's Pasture and Plenty has been a critical member of the core group bringing the Foodshed Partnership to fruition. We are so grateful for the hard work happening by these incredible people to improve our community.

This week also marked the grand opening of our new Men's Shelter. This brand new, purpose-built shelter will officially open to guests on September 1. This site is designed for healing and helping get folks to permanent housing as quickly as possible. While the shelter was designed to be a 24/7 facility, that goal isn't currently possible given the budgetary constraints of the city and county. That's why Shelter Friends of Dane County was created. If you want to help folks who are currently experiencing homelessness in our community, this is one way to do so meaningfully.

Updates and Notices

• On Sunday, August 16, Streets Division crews will be out starting at 6am collecting items and emptying carts. Crews expect to continue working gathering up items in the moveout area until probably around 12pm on Sunday, 8/16. On the August Student Move Out page, you will find all the information you need about the student move out period.

Public Information Meetings (PIMs)

• Capital Avenue Reconstruction (Virtual), Tuesday, August 18: The City is planning a reconstruction project on Capital Avenue (University Avenue to Lake Mendota Drive). A public information meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m., Aug. 18, 2026, via Zoom. Registration prior is required.

Events

• Rally for Regents, Wednesday, August 19, 6-8pm. Ash Street will be closed for this free carnival, including food trucks, and West High Dance and Cheer teams. Go Regents!
• Madison Night Market is back, Thursday, August 20: The Madison Night Market brings together iconic brick-and-mortar storefronts and the region's top makers, from State Street retailers to visiting food carts, pop-up restaurants and live music – it's a one-of-a-kind urban street festival.
• Live at The Glen | Vets on Frets, Thursday, August 20: Spend an easygoing evening with Vets on Frets(external), an acoustic guitar group made up of talented military veterans who bring stories, camaraderie, and classic tunes to every performance. 
• Friends of Hoyt Park Third Thursday Walks, Thursday, August 20: Join FoHP Volunteer John Harrington for our Third Thursday Walk series highlighting the prairie flowers found in both the Ready and the Overlook prairies from 6:30-7:30pm. Families welcome!
• Live at The Glen | Louka & Co., Friday, August 21: Get ready for an unforgettable evening on the Glen Patio with Louka & Co, a dynamic group known for their eclectic blend of bluegrass and beyond. 
• Volunteer at The Glen, Saturday, August 22: We seek passionate individuals and groups committed to giving back to the community and connecting with the City of Madison golf courses. Gain experience, foster personal growth, and build relationships within the community.  
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Edna Taylor, Saturday, August 22: Nature Journaling ~ Join Naturalist Sheila Knerr to explore easy nature trails on this free family friendly walk. Come and learn the basics of nature journaling as a way to slow down and look at your surroundings in a new way. Bring a pen and paper for writing or sketching.
• Healing in the Outdoors Community Art Festival, Monday, August 24: From 4-8pm at Galaxy Park, the area will be transformed into a space for visual and performing arts, creative expression, and community building. Create a giant mural, enjoy hip hop and spoken work performances by young artists, and join art stations for all ages.
• Save the date: Madison Good Neighbor Gathering 2026, Sunday, September 13: Come to Brittingham Park from noon-4pm for this family-friendly festival of fun!
• Save the date: The 7th Annual Regent Neighborhood Art Walk will be on Saturday, September 26th from 10:00am-4:00pm (rain date is 9/27).

Parks Alive Dates!

Parks Alive builds stronger neighborhoods and connects neighbors to their parks through fun, family-friendly activities, music and free food. Events are held in parks across the city and throughout the summer. Connect with your neighbors and engage with your community at a Parks Alive event near you! Events start at 5:00 p.m.

• Parks Alive | Sandburg Park, Tuesday, August 18
• Parks Alive | Hammersley Park, Wednesday, August 19
• Parks Alive | Owl Creek Park, Thursday, August 20

Interested in volunteering for Parks Alive? Volunteers Welcome! Learn more and register online!

Movie in the Park Dates!

• Movie in the Park | Hamilton, Saturday, August 22

Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.

Announcements and News Releases

• The 2026 Brush Collection Season is Ending Soon: All Madison residents have at least one remaining set-out date for brush collection in 2026.
• Virginia Terrace Closure for Underground Utility Work: Parisi Construction has closed Virginia Terrace between Regent Street and Rowley Avenue to construct underground utilities as part of the City of Madison's Virginia Terrace, Norwood Place, Rugby Row and Hillington Way construction project. 
• Shape Downtown Streets: Alder Will Ochowicz to Host Traffic Safety Meeting: Join Alder Will Ochowicz of District 2 for an in-person discussion about traffic safety in the downtown area. This meeting will take place on Tuesday, August 25, in Room 215 of the Madison Municipal Building, from 6 to 8 PM. 
• Lane Closures on Fish Hatchery Road for Cannonball Path Extension Project: Beginning Monday, August 17, motorists traveling on Fish Hatchery Road can expect lane closures as construction begins on the Cannonball Path extension project.
• 2026 Fall Leaf & Yard Waste Schedule Now Available; Collection Begins in October: The set out dates for the fall 2026 leaf and yard waste schedule are now available on the Streets Division website. Each neighborhood has three assigned dates to set out leaves and yard waste.
• Aug. 10 update from Chief Patterson: I continue to check in with the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) daily. On Monday, DCI publicly identified the officer involved during last month's incident on Madison's near east side.

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.

Boards, Commissions, and 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.

• Urban Design Commission: The Urban Design Commission meeting will take place on Wednesday, August 19, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include informational presentations on mixed-use buildings in District 14 and District 19.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online

If you would like more information about becoming a member of the City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here.

Thanks for reading! There will be no update from me next week, as I'll be away.

Take good care,

Regina Vidaver