Madison Night Market Celebrates the University of Wisconsin

Showcase of Local Businesses, 100+ Unique Vendors, Live Music and Food Trucks

DOWNTOWN MADISON, WI – Madison’s Central Business Improvement District (BID) welcomes the entire community to the return of the expanded Madison Night Market on May 8, from 5-9 p.m. Last year’s expansion onto N. Carroll and W. Mifflin Streets on Capitol Square is back, along with State Street and Gilman Street, showcasing more local artisans and food vendors in the heart of Madison’s fast-growing downtown district.

Celebrating the University of Wisconsin and its graduates!

Coming just 2 days before UW-Madison’s Spring Commencement, the first Madison Night Market of the year will celebrate the University of Wisconsin’s impact on and commitment to our community.

• Bucky on Parade photo-op: Downtown Madison’s own Madison Traditions Bucky will make a special appearance on the 500-block of State Street along with a beautiful ballon display, providing a great photo op for graduates (along with the rest of the Madison community).
• Discounts for UW Health nurses: Nurses Week runs from May 6-12, and select vendors at the Madison Night Market will offer exclusive discounts for UW Health nurses and all other nurses in our community.
• Special vendors: Be on the lookout for vintage badger apparel and other licensed gear throughout the market.

Madison is known for great shopping, amazing food and a talented arts scene, and the Madison Night Market brings our urban experience together in celebration. Vendors and State Street retailers combine to showcase handmade products, local art, artisan gifts, artisanal foods, and fresh produce. The event includes live music, special visiting food carts, and pop-up restaurant experiences.

NEW: Family Activity Zone

Fun for the whole family! Where State Street meets Capitol Square, you’ll find the Madison Night Market Family Activity Zone, filled with a rotating slate of family-friendly activities to keep kids (and their grown-ups!) engaged and entertained. Stay tuned for a new batch of activities for each market in 2025. The May 8 market will feature:

• Family Fitness Challenge with MADabolic Madison: Put yourself (and your kiddos) to the test with simple fitness challenges that will keep adults and kids alike on their toes.
• Madison Reading Project: Stop by Madison Reading Project’s Big Red Reading Bus for information about local resources and reading programs for kids and families—along with some special giveaways for your little bookworms.

Live music lineup

Peace Park Music Stage
452 State Street
5:00 – 6:30pm: Soul Impressions
7 – 9pm: Sam Ness

Capitol Square @ State Street
5:00-9:00 p.m. – Eric De Los Santos

200 Block of State
5:00-7:00 p.m. – Wendy Lynn Marcus

Frances Street Plaza
6:00 p.m. – Becca Murray

The most up-to-date market details, including vendors and participating businesses, can be found here: https://madisonnightmarket.com

Follow along on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/madisonnightmarket/

And on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/madisonnightmarket/

Stay up to date on ALL downtown events here: https://visitdowntownmadison.com/events/

The Madison Night Market is brought to you by Madison’s Central Business Improvement District and the City of Madison. Special thanks to our generous sponsors: Madison Gas & Electric, Steve Brown Apartments, Bubbl’r, and Henry Vilas Zoo.

ABOUT MADISON’S CENTRAL BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT (BID)

The BID represents more than 370 businesses and 250 property owners. It is dedicated to supporting the economic vitality, safety and vibrancy of downtown Madison. We serve the greater State Street, Capitol Square and First Settlement district, working collaboratively with property owners, small businesses and city stakeholders to make downtown Madison the best place to shop, dine, work, live and explore. As a special assessment district, we provide important services, including marketing, public programming, small business support and storefront advocacy to ensure a thriving downtown.

Locally Crafted Sunburst Sparkler Beverage Expands with Two New Flavors

MADISON – The flavor lineup of Sunburst Sparkler — locally crafted, fruit-infused, caffeinated sparkling beverages created by the Wisconsin Union and Karben4 teams — has expanded with two new flavors, Kiwi Berry Bang and Raspberry Ginger Rush.

All Sunburst Sparkler flavors are on shelves now at all Wisconsin Union-run dining locations, some campus vending machines, and some Madison area retailers’ locations, such as Woodman’s Markets, Barriques, and Triangle Market.

            Kiwi Berry Bang blends strawberry, kiwi, and guava juice concentrates with tea-derived caffeine for a tropical-inspired, new Sunburst Sparkler flavor option. Raspberry Ginger Rush brings together raspberry and ginger with a hint of lime as a zesty Sunburst Sparkler lineup addition.

            Kiwi Berry Bang and Raspberry Ginger Rush join the original four Sunburst Sparkler flavors lineup of Cherry SubLime, Flamango Tango, Poppin’ Peach Punch, and Berry Burst. Like the originals, these new flavor options contain no added sweeteners, feature real fruit juice as the only source of sweetness, and have tea-derived, natural caffeine. Each can contains between 15 and 35 calories and are $3.69 per can at Wisconsin Union-run dining locations.

            “We’re excited to expand the Sunburst Sparkler line with two new flavors of our locally created, naturally caffeinated energy drinks,” said Carl Korz, Wisconsin Union associate director for dining and hospitality services. “This is such an incredible alternative to the artificially flavored energy drinks out there. You’re still getting a sustained burst of energy but without added sweeteners like stevia or hard-to-pronounce chemicals and additives.”

            Other Wisconsin Union-made food and beverage products include Terrace Lemonade and Terrace Strawberry Lemonade produced in collaboration with Karben4 and Wisconsin Union Beef Snack Sticks produced in collaboration with Bucky’s Varsity Meats. The Wisconsin Union also offers exclusive Wisconsin Union gifts and merchandise at its Badger Markets at Memorial Union and Union South as well as at its online Terrace Store.

            Purchases of Wisconsin Union food, beverages and merchandise help support the nonprofit’s work to create free and low-cost events, community spaces and student leadership opportunities.

Patrons can visit union.wisc.edu/about/wisconsin-union-products to learn about some Wisconsin Union-made products, including the Sunburst Sparkler lineup.

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About the Wisconsin Union

The non-profit Wisconsin Union strives to enhance and support student leadership and community engagement, including through recreational, cultural, educational and social opportunities and by providing world-class support services, such as in event management. The Wisconsin Union includes student leadership opportunities available through the Wisconsin Union Directorate, the Center for Leadership and Involvement, the Wisconsin Singers, Fraternity and Sorority Life, and the Wisconsin Homecoming Committee; Memorial Union; Union South; various dining options throughout downtown Madison; UW Conference Centers; and the Fluno Center. Learn more about the Union and its tradition of providing experiences for a lifetime: union.wisc.edu.

About Karben4 Brewing

Founded in 2012, Karben4 (K4) was built to make great beverages while never taking itself too seriously. The team is committed to brewing high-quality, innovative beers and other drinks that push the boundaries of traditional brewing. Check K4 out online at karben4.com.

UW–MADISON’S CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP & INVOLVEMENT CHANGES NAME TO OFFICE FOR STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS, LEADERSHIP & INVOLVEMENT

MADISON – The University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Center for Leadership & Involvement (CfLI) has updated its name to the Office for Student Organizations, Leadership & Involvement (SOLI) to better encompass the Office’s offerings and mission. 

Under its new name, SOLI will continue its work facilitating the registration and advisement of UW–Madison’s more than 1,000 registered student organizations (RSOs), as well as overseeing leadership development opportunities such as the Leadership Certificate Program, Student Leadership Program and Wisconsin Experience Bus Trip. 

Housed within the Wisconsin Union, the Office is led by Barb Kautz-Wittwer, interim director of student leadership and involvement.

“Our work is three-fold: cultivating student leaders, getting students involved on campus and registering and providing resources to student organizations,” Kautz-Wittwer said. “After surveying students and campus stakeholders, one thing that rang loud and clear was the need to better represent our role with student organizations. This new name — Office for Student Organizations, Leadership & Involvement — brings together all that we do and paints a clearer picture of how we serve students.”

SOLI remains dedicated to supporting students with leadership and connection opportunities on campus and beyond. 

“The Office for Student Organizations, Leadership & Involvement continues to provide students with integral opportunities to engage with campus and beyond, building real-world skills, fostering connections and creating a sense of community along the way,” said Mark Guthier, Wisconsin Union director and associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs. “We’re excited that the Office’s new name makes it even easier for students to discover these incredible resources, no matter where they are in their UW–Madison journey.”

Individuals can find more information regarding SOLI at soli.wisc.edu. 

About the Office for Student Organizations, Leadership & Involvement (formerly the Center for Leadership & Involvement)

The Office for Student Organizations, Leadership & Involvement (SOLI) assists University of Wisconsin–Madison students in intentionally connecting with the far-ranging leadership opportunities throughout campus, including student organizations. The Office supports students in making meaning of their leadership experiences and in developing leadership capacity and the ability to affect positive change. Learn more about SOLI at soli.wisc.edu. 

Carnelian Art Gallery announces new exhibition

MADISON, Wisconsin, April 8 – Carnelian Art Gallery, located at 221 King St., Suite 102, in downtown Madison, is pleased to announce its second art exhibition of the year, titled “Dreams In the Undergrowth.” The show will kick off with an opening reception at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 16, at the gallery and last through the end of June. As always, light refreshments will be served.

Opening night for Carnelian’s show is also Gallery Night for the city of Madison. Organized by the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Gallery Night “offers art lovers and art novices alike an opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of exhibitions, opening receptions, special events and demonstrations at venues throughout the city. During Gallery Night, dozens of venues open their doors to invite the public in to see and shop for original artwork,” according to MMoCA.

“Dreams In the Undergrowth” exhibiting artists include Hanna Bruer, Rick Ross, Karen Laudon, Erin Liljergen, Susan Kaye and Ray Zovar. They each specialize in either two- or three-dimensional abstract artworks, which focus overall on themes surrounding the subconscious, human emotions, nature and the environment.

This exhibition’s opening reception will include a live painting session by Hanna Bruer. The session is set to commence at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 16, and last until 7:30 p.m. Bruer in her sessions converts a blank canvas into an active work of art, letting the bystander experience her creative process from start to finish.

Her paintings combine illegible text and grunge textures to create visceral atmospheres. They are inspired by her struggles with mental health. Bruer’s canvas serves as a personal journal to create something beautiful out of adversity.

She has created paintings at venues like the Majestic Theatre and Memorial Union Terrace in Madison, as well as for MMoCA Gallery Nights. Her works and story have been featured in the Wisconsin State Journal, Madison Magazine, Isthmus, the Cap Times, as well as on NBC News.

“We are so excited to feature the works of these six talented artists in ‘Dreams In the Undergrowth’,” said Emilie Heidemann, Carnelian Art Gallery marketing director. “Each artwork invites the onlooker to entertain what lies beneath the surface of their conscious reality. There’s something very powerful about that.”

“This is a show you won’t want to miss,” said Evan Bradbury, the gallery’s owner and head curator. “I’m so proud to have such talent adorn the walls of Carnelian Art Gallery.”

Seeking Sponsors for New Monthly workshops in Downtown Madison for women

Become a Sponsor and Empower Multicultural Women Entrepreneurs

We are now located in downtown Madison, connecting and educating low-income women who dream for more!

We invite you to support Midwest Mujeres’ monthly workshops and become a sponsor for this month’s in-person education series, helping multicultural entrepreneurial women thrive. Your sponsorship directly supports our Voices and Dreams Academy, a six-month accelerator designed to uplift low-income women — especially women over 50 — through hands-on training in financial literacy, branding, public speaking, and storytelling.

Your contribution will help us provide meals and high-quality instruction to 15–20 inspiring women entrepreneurs. In return, your brand will be recognized by our 20,000+ followers across social media, our blog, and in our email newsletter. Together, let’s launch this year’s cohort and make a lasting impact—one voice, one dream at a time.

LINK to Give: https://donorbox.org/midwestmujeres

We are a registered nonprofit organization, and if you have questions, email us at info@midwestmujeres.com

Learn about our board and who we work with: https://www.midwestmujeres.com/about

Link to April’s workshop and sponsor (Big Thanks to Ascendium!) https://www.midwestmujeres.com/post/unlocking-the-possibilities-midwest-mujeres-first-in-person-event-in-our-new-space-with-leflore-ac