Family events in Dane County, WI

This family-friendly experience at Havens Petting Farm features stories, creative coloring, and gentle, hands-on time with the animals. Play continues at the corn box and the hay mow swing. Admission is $10 per person and includes story time, and children under 2 are free. Guests can continue exploring the farm during business hours.

Gleam turns Olbrich Botanical Gardens into an after dark art experience with glowing installations and soundscapes that celebrate creatures of every kind, from tiny insects and nocturnal wildlife to mythical beings and plants that feel larger than life. Light artists from around the world contribute vivid color, movement, and imaginative scenes that come alive in the evening. The Lodi Art Club is planning an autumn field trip to take in the exhibition, and non-members are welcome to participate. Tickets must be purchased in advance from the Gleam website because there are no onsite sales. Admission is $18 for adults and $10 for children ages 5 to 12, with a discount available to Olbrich Gardens members. A ride option from Lodi is available.

This gathering celebrates Latine Heritage Month with Toki MSCR’s third annual Convivio at Toki Playground. Attendees can enjoy music, food, and creative art activities in a festive setting. Pack a chair or a blanket for comfortable seating. A selection of light appetizers will be available, and a food truck will offer additional options for purchase, so bring money if you would like to buy something.

Madison Night Market, held in partnership with Wisconsin Science Festival and Science on the Square, celebrates the city’s fast growing downtown with artisans, entrepreneurs, and food lovers. Following a record-setting year in 2025 with more than 129,000 visits reported by Placer.ai, up 10 percent from 2024, the market continues to reflect the momentum in Madison’s Central Business Improvement District, where 56 new businesses have opened or been announced over the past 18 months. Family activities, performers, and entertainment will be announced soon.

The Einstein Project's mobile makerspace arrives with 3D printers, laser cutters, laptops, and plenty of prototyping materials. Participants can create 3D prints and laser-cut projects to take home. This program welcomes kids of all ages, and children under 10 will need help from an adult. Activities are planned for the library parking lot, with the Community Room as the backup location if it rains. Please note that library staff may take photos during the program.

Presented by FPC Live, Lenny Pearce brings the Toddler Rave World Tour to The Sylvee. This is an all ages event. Presale is offered through All Access with no code required and free membership. Tickets are available at The Sylvee box office during business hours.

Enjoy a relaxed, drop in format where participants may arrive at any time within the event hours. Create an apothecary-inspired trio of potion bottles filled with swirling, magical liquid, then add seasonal charms and labels. Each bottle is finished with black hot glue that resembles a wax seal to help it last. After the potions are complete, visit the pumpkin painting station to decorate a pumpkin from a local farm with paint, feathers, and sparkles. Suitable for all ages and family friendly. Children under 12 should participate with an adult companion.

Amateur bakers are invited to showcase a favorite recipe at the Downtown Sun Prairie Fall Fun Pie Baking Contest in Cannery Square, while tasters sample slices and cast votes for their top picks. Entries are accepted at the Sun Prairie Farmers Market in Cannery Square. Participation is free and open to individuals or teams, limited to one pie per entrant. Each entry must include a recipe card, pies must be homemade from scratch, and the contest is for amateurs only. Disposable pie plates are preferred, and any non disposable plate must be clearly marked with a phone number. By entering, participants agree that the Farmers Market Advisory Committee may publish photos and recipes without compensation. Guest judges will taste the pies, and the public can sample until the pies run out with one vote allowed per person in each category. Honors include Best Tasting Overall, Most Creative, Best Savory Pie, Best Sweet Pie, and Best Looking, with the Best Looking award decided online the week after the contest, plus a separate Celebrity Judge pick. Winners will be announced on social media. After the contest, the family friendly Fall Fun event continues.

Duncan's Dog Daycare provides nail trimming for dogs at the Mounds East location. It is held on the third Saturday of each month to help maintain regular paw care.

The 7th/8th Grade Crusader Youth Football team hosts the Madison Lancers (White) to wrap up the regular season in Capital Region Youth Football League action at Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart in Madison, WI. This final matchup offers a last chance to sharpen up before the postseason, with each series carrying weight as both sides try to build momentum. After months of summer conditioning, long practices, and steady teamwork, the Crusaders look to bring it all together on their home field and finish on a high note.

Faded Roots Boutique and The Roots Cellar, a local grocery, are joining Downtown Sun Prairie’s fall festivities with a neighborhood celebration that blends shopping, music, food, and hands-on creativity. Enjoy a curated outdoor artisan market, toe tapping live music from Mad City Jug Band, fall fashion and local food, plus pumpkin decorating while supplies last. Runnin’ On Empty will serve up bites from its food truck, creating a relaxed autumn outing that families and friends can enjoy together. Explore a wide range of makers and specialty vendors, including Bliss & Bloom with bohemian inspired jewelry, Bloom & Gather with a bar of fresh flowers, Botanifresh offering botanical lemonades and clean living items, Covered Bridge Crafts with knit hats and warmers for your head, Deliciouser featuring seasonings with samples, Driftless Chocolates with chocolates, Double Bend Leather with leather accessories and goods, Lizbeth Designs with jewelry in beaded and sterling styles, NueMade with bracelets and candles plus bookmarks, Phoenix Art with wooden creations touched with whimsy, Ruby Rose Gallery with jewelry and natural stones, Terrene & Tide with permanent jewelry along with plants, The Stillroom Scientist with home fragrances and self care items, Unbranded Cowgirl with small batch tallow based skincare, and Wisco-N-Sin with handcrafted mixes for Old Fashioneds.

The Wildcat Blitz fundraiser brings the community together at Hop Garden in Belleville with live music, raffles, auctions, and more. Proceeds support Belleville Youth Football, helping fund athletes, equipment, and continued program development.

Schumacher Farm Park transforms into a Halloween playground with family-friendly activities spread across the grounds. Stroll the farmyard to meet storytellers, step into a witch-themed house, visit fortune tellers, play games, create crafts, toast marshmallows, and watch balloon creations take shape. Enjoy music from the Waunakee High School Fiddle Band, then catch a magician’s show inside the rustic, historic barn. Face painting and temporary tattoos are available in the Center for Rural History, and a wagon ride carries guests through fields where spooky characters appear along the way. The celebration is decorated throughout and planned to continue in any weather, with most visitors being young families with school-aged children. Proceeds support the Friends of Schumacher Farm and initiatives such as prairie restoration, educational workshops, and community events. The evening is made possible by dedicated volunteers in roles that include wagon loaders, fortune tellers, storybook readers, witches, face painting and temporary tattoo stations, as well as admissions and parking attendants.

Full Harvest returns to Warm Belly Farm with a full day of seasonal fun across the grounds. Visitors can wander vibrant fall displays, choose a pumpkin, and meander through Funny Bones Forest. Autumn flavors are on the menu with treats and drinks, and shopping is available at the retail tent and the garden center. Live entertainment sets the tone, with Beaches & Cream performing, and Neil the Real Deal appearing as a featured attraction. Food trucks serve a variety of options, including Paul’s Smokehouse, Olive Branch, Brew House Coffee, Bocadillo’s, and MW Amusement Concessions. Expect photo-friendly scenes, chances to try line dancing and other special happenings, and new giveaways and prizes offered throughout the season.

Every Sunday features a family-friendly deal. Children 12 and under get a complimentary kids entrée, valued at up to $15, with the purchase of an adult entrée. The offer is limited to one free kids entrée per adult entrée. It cannot be combined with other promotions, specials, or dip certificates, and it is not available on holidays.

This much requested Wings of Fire book club focuses on the 12th installment, The Hive Queent. Participants will discuss the book, make a craft, and enjoy a snack. Copies of the book are available to check out in advance. The session takes place in the Makerspace and welcomes both longtime readers and those new to the series. For kids ages 8 and up. Library staff may take photos during the program.

This relaxed, low-pressure setting offers a chance to play commander with beginners and very casual players. Participants may attend on their own or with partners, friends, and family.

The SP West High School bands present a fall concert at the West PAC. This event showcases the school’s band ensembles in performance.

Enjoy a fall band concert at East High School. This event offers live band music in a school setting.