Leaf set out dates starting now; Highland & University closed 10/9-13; Virginia Terrace tree removal 10/14 will cause power outage for the day; Events & announcements

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Hello neighbors,

It's officially fall, and the leaves are falling! Thus, the 2026 Fall Leaf & Yard Waste Collection has begun; First Set Out Date for Some Neighborhoods Is 10/4/26. 

We often get asked why the city ends leaf collection before the leaves have finished falling. On this, we can blame climate change. The leaves stay on the trees longer than they used to, but snowfalls don't yet come much later than historically. The city uses the same personnel and equipment for leaf pickup and snow removal, so once the equipment (in particular) transitions to snow removal, it's difficult to switch back to leaf pickup. I know this is a pretty unsatisfying answer, but the best option if your leaves are still falling after leaf pickup ends is to compost them on your property, or take them to a drop off site. 

Reminder that the Highland and Campus Drive ramp intersection will be closed October 9-13, reopening on October 14. Notably, pedestrian traffic will also be detoured during this time frame, needing to use “Old" University Ave, Walnut St., and the bike path to get around that intersection.

On October 14, Urban Forestry will be removing two large trees at 453 Virginia Terrace – one on the Norwood Terrace side of the property, and the other on the Virginia Terrace side. This removal will be complicated and disruptive.

First, MGE will be de-powering the electrical lines here so the trees can be safely removed. MGE identified 20 homes that will be without power during this time. Power may be out from 8am to 3pm, but efforts will be made to reduce that time as feasible. Second, the street will be closed to allow a crane to help ensure the tree removal occurs swiftly and safely.  

Updates and Notices

  • Public Records: Please be advised that, pursuant to Wis. Stat. §§ 19.31-19.39, all electronic communications, including emails and information submitted through City websites, and sent to City officials or staff are considered public records and are subject to being released in public records requests.

Public Information Meetings (PIMs)

Announcements and News Releases

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

  • School Vaccination Clinic - Leopold Elementary School (Madison), Monday, October 5: All vaccines are free for eligible individuals. Children six months and older who lack insurance, are under 19, and are either Alaskan Native or American Indian, as well as those with BadgerCare, Quartz, GHC, or Dean insurance.
  • Popular Education Strategies for Social Change: A workshop for community organizers, Monday, October 5, 4-6pm. Madison Arcatao Sister City Project is hosting three Salvadoran social movement leaders in Madison October 5-6, 2026. They will be leading a community organizing workshop on Monday, October 5 rooted in Pablo Friere's philosophy of Popular Education. “Pop Ed" has been used extensively in social movements around the world to drive collective social change from the ground up. This is a unique opportunity to engage with and learn from experienced movement leaders from the global south. Monday, October 5, 2026, 4 PM-6:00 PM with socializing after; Village Co-Housing Community Room, 1104 Mound Street, Madison. Suggested Donation: $10 thanks to a generous grant from the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV) of Madison. Registration required and limited to 20: contact info@mascp.org to register and with questions.
  • Thurber Park Artist-in-Residence Opening, Tuesday, October 6: The City of Madison and the Madison Arts Commission is holding an opening for the new Thurber Artist in Resident, Samantha Jane Mullen.
  • Aldo Leopold Park Fall Fun, Wednesday, October 7: Come to the park on Oct 7 for complimentary sandwiches, social dance, frisbee, bike lessons and repairs.
  • Free Homebuyer Education Class (in person), Saturday, October 10: Take the first step to owning a home and join us in this Home Buyer Education Workshop. This FREE Homebuyer Education workshop takes place in-person at a Madison area location to be determined on Saturday, October 10, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm! Lunch will be provided.
  • Bird & Nature Adventures | Owen, Saturday, October 10: Insect Super-Powers ~ Join UW Professor Marjorie Rhine for a free fun family friendly guided outing to look for and learn about fascinating insects we see on plants and along the trails. Discover how insects play starring roles in samurai helmet design and Japanese art, textiles, haiku and anime (Japanese animation)!
  • 9th Annual Picnic in the Park, Saturday, October 10: Celebrate with the Madison Parks Foundation at this year's Picnic in the Park on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at Warner Park Community Recreation Center (WPCRC), 1625 Northport Dr. 
  • Bird & Nature Adventures | Turville Point, Sunday, October 11: Seeds and Leaves ~ Fall is the season of leaves changing colors and seed dispersal! Join Master Naturalist Stephanie Briand on a free, fun and family friendly Fall scavenger hunt to look for different kinds of seeds and leaves.
  • Movie at The Glen | Shrek, Sunday, October 11: We asked for your movie requests and have answered.  For the conclusion of our movie watching season, we will show Shrek.  
  • Teejop Art: First Nations Cultural Landscape Tours of the Teejop Community Art Project : Join UW–Madison's First Nations Cultural Landscape Tour guides for conversation and kid-friendly activities exploring the 14,000+ year history of Ho-Chunk people in Teejop (Four Lakes), as part of the Teejop Community Art Project. No registration required, just drop by any time. 
    • All Locations (Indigenous Peoples' Day) - Sun, Oct 11 (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p. m.)
    • UW Madison Arboretum - Sat, Oct 17 (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.) · rain date Sun, Oct 18 (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
    • Olbrich & Hudson Parks - Sat, Oct 24 (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) · rain date Sun, Oct 25 (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
  • Olbrich Gardens host GLEAM – now through October 24. Don't miss this installation of light art from around the world inspiring a world of illuminated enchantment, expanding your imagination beyond what is known.

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

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.

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

Take good care,

Regina Vidaver

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