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Your Guide to January in Madison

Posted on January 4, 2024   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Hayley Sperling

Hayley Sperling

MADISON, WIS. JAN. 30, 2019: A sole individual walks down State Street in Madison, Wis. with extreme temperatures in Madison, Wis. Jan. 30, 2019.

Don't let the cold keep you home, there's plenty going on around town. (Lauren Justice / The Washington Post / Getty Images)

City Cast

Your Guide to Madison in January

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If the new year has you excited to get out and about around town, you’ve come to the right place. The City Cast Madison team recently rounded up some happenings around town this January, here’s a look at some of the highlights.

Festivals and Celebrations

🎸 Now in its 10th year, Wisconsin Fest is a five-day music festival that celebrates eight unique music genres across three Madison venues.

🤹 Did you know Madison has a juggling festival? Presented by the Madison Area Jugglers, the 47th annual Madfest Juggling Extravaganza is, well, exactly what it sounds like.

☃️ Looking for some family fun? Check out the Sun Prairie Frozen Fest. It’s eight days of activities that range from ice skating and crafting to a candlelight snowshoe hike and a night at the museum with Jimmy the Groundhog.

💡 Honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by attending UW-Madison’s MLK Symposium with acclaimed writer, actress, and teacher Anna Deavere Smith at Memorial Union. Madison’s King Coalition is also hosting a score of events to celebrate the civil rights icon.

Night Life

⚡ Trivia, but make it themed! This month, the Rigby is hosting Adventure Time trivia. Dress up in a costume for extra points.

🌺 Cocktails in a conservatory? Yes, please. Sip botanically-inspired drinks and dance with some of Madison’s favorite DJs at Olbrich Gardens’ Cocktails in the Conservatory. (This event is 21+ only.)

👑 Looking for a night of glitz, glamor, and fierce performances? FIVE Nightclub is hosting the annual Wisconsin Drag Awards to celebrate Madison’s vibrant and diverse drag community and crown this year’s royalty.

Food and Drink

🥡 Whether you’re looking to try something new or maybe just don’t feel like cooking, Winter Restaurant Week is the perfect opportunity to sample some of Madison's local offerings without breaking your budget.

🍻 Beer and Cheese Fest is back for the 14th year and this time around, the theme is 80s, baby. So pull out your best neon tracksuit and get your perms ready to party. (This event is 21+ only.)

🍸 If beer isn’t your vibe, that’s ok! N/A Day is making its Madison debut this month at the Bur Oak with a lineup that includes non-alcoholic beer and seltzer, kombucha, mocktails, non-alcoholic wine and spirits, tonics, sparkling water, coffee, energy drinks, CBD products, and more.

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