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Happy weekend, Madison!
In today’s happening-today edition: Veteran hosts unite on air, gold and silver surge, and International Festival + events worth checking out today & tomorrow.
Today’s sponsor (Money.com) built a free comparison tool that helped me cut my car insurance premiums in half. It took about 3 minutes, and honestly… I wish I’d done it sooner. If you haven’t shopped around in a while, you can easily check the best rates here.
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📰 In the news
Fresh rhythms across town: Madison’s music scene keeps growing with karaoke, DJs, and cello at Harmony Bar & Grill and Lola’s, plus chorus rehearsals and 2022 Performer of the Year David Landau — read the full roundup.
Veteran hosts unite on air: Magic 98 has launched ‘A New Day with Lanette Hansen,’ featuring longtime host Hansen and former WISC-TV anchor Charlotte Deleste. The debut brings a fresh, familiar wake-up for Madison listeners — get all the details.
Long-delayed project moves forward: Madison plans to buy 17 properties near Pinney Library to complete the Royster Corners development on the East Side, advancing a neighborhood vision proposed more than a decade ago — read the full story.
Gold & silver are hot: Coming off gold’s best year since 1979, the momentum is carrying well into 2026 with silver remaining one of the most talked-about assets. Curious why they’re back in focus? American Hartford Gold has a free guide that explains what’s happening and how people are approaching it today. It’s free – and definitely worth a read.
Someone Googled you this week: Whether you’re dating again, selling something locally, or just meeting new neighbors… people are going to look you up. Like it or not, the internet has a way of surfacing past mistakes and outdated information that no longer reflects who you are. Thankfully, there’s a really easy way for you (or someone you care about) to clean up all that up – learn more here.
Highlights this week:
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🚗 Are you quietly overpaying for car insurance?
Together with our sponsor Money.com
Auto insurance premiums have been climbing across the country… and most folks won’t notice until it’s time to renew and they’re hit with a higher bill.
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I learned that the hard way. I had the same policy for half a decade. Autopay was on, I saw the charges come in every month and never thought twice about them. Turns out I was paying well above the national average ($175/mo) for a single car… for years.
This free comparison tool lets you check rates from multiple insurers in just a few minutes. It costs nothing to look, and it could save you hundreds this year.
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🫶 We got your back
Color pop, Madison-style: Flamingo Swirls Mural splashes pink-on-blue joy across a neighborhood laundromat wall, created by Emily Balsley, Ray Mawst, Brian Kehoe, and Triangulador as a wink to Madison’s city bird. Permanent, cheerful, and photogenic, it brightens commutes and weeks alike.
Stitcher’s west-side fix: Sunset Yarn is a cozy, community-minded spot with walls of color, smart project advice, and last-minute notions that rescue a WIP. When your stash feels too familiar, it offers new inspiration and a gentle nudge toward your next cast-on.
Fresh pours, zero pretense: Whether you’re lager-loyal or hop-happy, Working Draft Beer Company keeps things lively with crisp European-style lagers, juicy pale ales, and whatever the brewers are exploring now. Folks drop in for a pint and end up lingering for trivia, a pop-up, or one more.
An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.
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📆 Around town today & tomorrow
Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →
All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.
🐾 Adoptable Pets @ PetSmart | Saturday (3/7) at 10:00 AM – Errands at PetSmart Madison East meet an instant mood lift with a monthly meet-and-greet of adoptable cats and dogs. Expect wagging, whiskers, and a little fur on your sweater. Same-day adoptions are limited, so pre-apply at underdogpetrescue.org/adopt, then come say hi.
🌍 International Festival @ Overture Center for the Arts | Saturday (3/7) at 10:00 AM – Skip the TSA and take a world tour at Overture, with nearly 30 free performances by Dane County artists. Snack your way from samosas to strudel, browse crafts for sale, and meet local businesses with global roots. Show up in person, or stream select performances.
🍞 Spice & Slice: A Focaccia Workshop @ The Deliciouser | Saturday (3/7) at 12:30 PM – If your idea of self-care is carbs, olive oil, and kitchen gossip, come knead focaccia with Team Deliciouser. You’ll tour their spice lab, taste bold Italian blends, then cook pillowy focaccia, no-cook bomba sauce, and a gabagool sandwich, with a 10% discount to stock up.
📖 Madison Reads Leopold @ UW-Madison Arboretum | Saturday (3/7) at 1:00 PM – Slip into the Arboretum Visitor Center for a come-and-go community reading of Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac, plus pieces by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Margaret Renkl, and Alberto Ríos. Leopold helped shape this place, so let the land have the mic, free, no registration.
🎸 Dar Williams and more @ Atwood Music Hall | Saturday (3/7) at 8:00 PM – Finally, a concert where your knees get a vote. Dar Williams brings the smart, soul-warming folk, with Joy Clark opening, and you actually get to sit, listen, and breathe. Seated show, $35 advance, $40 at the door, and worth every penny.
🐾 WildSide Discovery Day! @ Dane County Humane Society Equine Barn | Sunday (3/8) at 9:00 AM – Skip errands for a couple hours of bone study, microscopes, and crafts at the DCHS Equine Barn. All ages, self-paced, with turtles, a hawk, and nerdy talks, plus optional laser tag for the inner child you swear is just for the kids. Tickets are $15.
🗝 Wisconsin Vintage Fest @ Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center | Sunday (3/8) at 11:00 AM – Swing by Monona Terrace for a one-day vintage spree, impossible to resist. Over 80 handpicked vendors with Y2K-and-earlier gems, from denim and jewelry to toys you swore you’d never see again, and yes, free admission. Relive your glory years, upgrade your closet, thank me later.
Live music & entertainment:
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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🔥 Worth a peek
We’re always on the hunt for useful resources, deals, services, and products we think you’ll love. Here’s what caught our eye this week.
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📻 Madison report
Weather forecast
Today – High: 53°F – Low: 33°F – Precip: 46%
Patchy fog and a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11am. Mostly cloudy. High near 53, with temperatures falling to around 43 in the afternoon. West wind around 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. West wind 10 to 15 mph.
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Tomorrow – High: 61°F – Low: 46°F – Precip: 0%
Sunny, with a high near 61. Southwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. Southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
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Updated Victorian in Madison’s Marquette neighborhood features a 3-season porch, original woodwork, and pocket doors. A renovated kitchen and main-floor half bath add ease. Upstairs holds four bedrooms and a spa bath with heated tile and soaking tub, plus a balcony. Walk-up attic ready to finish, covered porch, patio, and parking near Orton Park, BB Clark Beach, and Willy St.
Take a peek inside →
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