Good morning, Madison! In today’s edition: A cozy winter ball, a snowy owl watercolor class, an MLK free community dinner, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

🏆 Most popular this week

Curated by popular demand — here are this week’s most-clicked events, local spots, and stories.

Upgrade your cozy corners: When your sofa, shelves, or sanity need a lift, Good Day Shop carries thoughtfully made homewares, textiles, candles, and gifts from local and independent makers. Pick a piece that quietly pulls a room together and gives your week a little breathing room.

Indoor games, zero wind: Pickle Pro Courts offers TV-bright lighting, permanent nets, and netting between courts for drama-free rallies. Open play and private courts are available, plus paddle and ball machine rentals for dialing in your shots.

Support parks through photography: The 2026 Madison Parks wall calendar is available for $5, and proceeds support Madison Parks Foundation. It is available in person and online. Photo entries for the 2027 calendar are due Monday, September 7, 2026, and shots with people enjoying Madison parks score higher than wildlife or lake views. Get purchase and contest details.

A Cozy Winter Ball @ Dancesport of Madison Studio | Saturday (1/10) at 12:00 PM – Winter mood calls for a cozy ballroom spin at Dancesport of Madison. Earlier workshops to warm you up, dessert-forward hors d’oeuvres with a few Summer Nights favorites, and your ticket covers Ballroom Brunch next morning. Only 40 spots, $35, book before the snowbirds do — see the event listing.

Spotlight on local standouts: Madison Magazine announced the timeline and categories for its 45th Best of Madison readers poll, with 157 categories in six sections and changes. Winners will be named in October 2026 — see the categories and timeline.

Replacement for Lincoln Hills advances: Wisconsin’s State Building Commission approved funding for a second Type 1 juvenile correctional facility in Fitchburg, part of roughly $185 million in projects, with completion expected in late 2028 — see what’s planned statewide.

Are you overpaying? The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. I was paying over $300 for ONE car until I checked out various quotes, switched providers, and ultimately cut my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably losing money too — this free comparison tool makes it easy.

Gold & silver are hot: Gold just had it’s best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150% in 2025… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. If you’re curious about adding precious metals to your portfolio as a market hedge, American Hartford has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.

A new haircare solution: My hair’s been thinning and I’ve been quietly ignoring it, hoping it’ll fix itself. Plot twist… it hasn’t. When I finally started looking into what I should do, there were so many options I didn’t know where to start. I stumbled on Keranique, and its simplicity really sold me. One kit, no pills, no choosing products, and no confusion whatsoever. It’s also on sale with a money-back guarantee (although I doubt you’ll need it).

📆 Sneak peek at next week

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.

🎤 Juneau Black @ Mystery to Me | Tuesday (1/13) at 6:00 PM – Trade your true-crime podcasts for a book talk with Juneau Black, the duo behind Shady Hollow’s latest caper starring fox sleuth Vera Vixen. Expect an author chat, woodland intrigue, and murders strictly on the page, plus enough autumn vibes to make soup throwing sound reasonable.

🍽 Formative Dishes @ The Deliciouser | Tuesday (1/13) at 6:15 PM – Nothing beats watching two Madison legends cook the greatest hits of their formative years, then remix them with grown-up swagger. Tory Miller and Patrick O’Halloran serve a five-course, story-forward dinner, equal parts nostalgia, technique, and soul. One night only, seats are scarce, so behave accordingly.

🌿 Badgers on Tap: Can We Harness Nature to Fix Climate? @ One Social Food Hall | Tuesday (1/13) at 6:30 PM – Grab a pint at One Social Food Hall while WPR’s Rob Ferrett moderates smart talk on carbon removal, nature-based fixes, and Midwest agrivoltaics. It’s brainy, not boring, with trivia, bingo, and prizes. Learn a thing, sip something, feel slightly smug, Madison-style.

🦉 Snowy Owl Watercolor Class @ Olbrich Botanical Gardens | Thursday (1/15) at 6:00 PM – Olbrich is hosting a snowy owl watercolor class where you get the zen of wet-on-wet without the terror of drawing. They print the owl right on your paper, you supply patience, they supply everything else. Beginners welcome, 8×10 masterpiece, $72 or $58 for members.

🎭 Miscast @ The Bur Oak | Thursday (1/15) at 7:00 PM – Whether you know every Sondheim lyric or just enjoy a little chaos, watch top local pros tackle roles they absolutely shouldn’t. A seated, $20 romp from Music Theatre of Madison, back by popular demand, and celebrating 20 years with the wrong casting, and the right laughs.

❄ IMAP’s Winter Festival @ Isthmus Montessori Academy | Friday (1/16) at 3:00 PM – Bundle up and swing by Isthmus Montessori Academy’s Winter Festival for activities, local vendors, and food, plus the smug joy of leaving with a calendar and a new winter hat. Bring cash and card, because every booth has its own rules. Open to the public.

🍽 MLK Free Community Dinner @ Gordon Dining and Event Center | Friday (1/16) at 4:30 PM – Kick off the King holiday weekend with a free community dinner at Gordon Dining. Bring your appetite, not wallet, for a buffet of fried and baked chicken, mac n’ cheese, mashed potatoes, vegetables, sweet potato pie, and more, linger for conversation in Dr. King’s spirit.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📣 Own or manage a local business?

Meet BaseLocal Business — a free and easy way to get your business happenings in front of our readers.

How it works:

• Sign up (it takes less than 5 minutes)
• We’ll manually verify your business is legit
• Once verified, you’ll be able to share events, news, and special deals with us any time

Everything you share is reviewed, and approved submissions are automatically considered for future newsletters. AKA… your business has a much higher chance of being featured in front of thousands of Madison locals who live, shop, eat, and share good things with their friends.

We also regularly spotlight verified businesses just because we think they’re great.

Click here to get started (it’s free) →

📻 Madison report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 33°F – Low: 20°F – Precip: 80%

A chance of snow before 7am, then snow and patchy fog. Mostly cloudy. High near 33, with temperatures falling to around 27 in the afternoon. West wind 5 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. Later: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. Northwest wind 20 to 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.

—

Tomorrow – High: 31°F – Low: 24°F – Precip: 1%

Mostly sunny, with a high near 31. West wind 10 to 25 mph. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 24. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Most popular house this week

Assessed at $473,200, this home backs to a beautiful greenway and pairs a great floor plan with generous gathering spaces. A huge kitchen anchors the main level, opening to an expansive living room for easy everyday flow. The walkout lower level adds flex space with a fireplace for cozy evenings and quick access to the outdoors.

Ready for updates to the bath, soffits, decks, and carpet, it sets the stage for a personalized refresh that preserves strong fundamentals. Prime location and a smart layout add upside, and offers will be added to the system on 12/31/25.

Take a peek inside →