Monroe Street Festival (September)
Join us for this free family event on Monroe Street in Madison, WI. Live music and entertainment, shopping specials, and food from our local restaurants.
46th Annual Monroe Street Festival
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2024
The Monroe Street Festival is a cherished annual tradition celebrating our many locally owned businesses and our surrounding residential neighborhoods. The purpose of the Festival is to promote and sustain new and existing businesses, enhance the positive and vibrant image of Monroe Street, and attract visitors from all over to our lively sliver of the city. The celebration, which is held annually on a Saturday in September, features a range of activities to bring the community together including local shopping, food and drink specials, outdoor entertainment, children’s activities, and so much more.
This year we have an exciting community scavenger hunt, a thrilling addition to our annual vibrant street festival! Get ready to embark on an adventure that will take you through the heart of our business district, where you'll explore local shops, cozy cafes, and colorful street art. You can print your own copy here, or visit one of our three participating Monroe Street businesses on the day of the Festival to pick one up.
CLICK HERE FOR THE SCAVENGER HUNT FORM
Finish all ten questions and drop this sheet off at one of these three businesses for a chance to win a prize from that Monroe Street shop!
Participating Businesses: Mystery to Me, Garth’s Brew Bar, and Colectivo Coffee.
Monroe Street Festival 2024
1700 Block
10am - 3pm 40th annual Monroe Street Library League Book Sale, Monroe St. Library
10am – 5pm Lily’s Magical Treats – A Monroe Street Farmers Market Vendor!
10am – 5pm Artsy Fartsy – Local garden coach – Burda Growing Better - will be sharing her knowledge of autumn planters. Fall plants and planting supplies will be available for purchase.
10am – Noon Orange Tree Imports - Free face painting with Kinga of Radiant Smiles and balloon twisting by Seldon
1pm – 3pm Orange Tree Imports - Free balloon art by Tami of Funny Faces
10am – 5pm Art Gecko – Outdoor display of jewelry, textiles, and home décor. Music by DJ ChellChill, WORT radio “On the Horizon” host
Noon – 5pm Garth’s Brew Bar – Pick-up and/or drop-off the Festival Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win Monroe Street Gift Certificates!
10am – 1pm Monroe Street Art Center – Drop-In Art Workshop
1800 Block
10am – 5pm D-Chai Thai Massage - $20 for 10-minute massage
10am – 5pm Pizza Brutta – Pizza Oven (in front of Barriques)
10am – 5pm Katy’s American Indian Arts – moving sale
10am – 5pm Calabash – Outdoor specials
10am – 5pm I’m Board Games and Family Fun– Outdoor games
10am – 5pm Kettle Black Kitchen (KBK) – Food and drink specials
10am – 5pm Friends of Lake Wingra informational booth
10am – 5pm Urban League – Voter Awareness
10am – 5pm Bloom Bake Shop – Bloom Bus selling seasonal pastries and beverages and Whipoorwill Farm will be selling seasonal flowers.
10am – 5pm Mystery to Me – Come visit Mystery To Me Books! We’ll have free impromptu poems, book signings from local authors and writing games all day. Laura Bird and Kevin Kenkes will be signing books and playing games. Andrea Potos and Katrin Talbot will be writing poems at your request. We will also have $1 wrapped mystery books. Come grab one and be surprised what you find! Bring your creativity and we’ll have the rest. Laura Bird will be at Mystery To Me at 10:00 signing books and playing games, followed by Andrea and Katrin writing poems at Noon, and Kevin Henkes will be signing at 2. Pick-up and/or drop-off the Festival Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win Monroe Street Gift Certificates.
MONROE STREET at Harrison Street
10 am – 5pm Balloon Arch and Celebrations Selifes Station
10:00-11:00 A special walkabout appearance by Henry the Lion from Vilas Zoo
Monroe Commons - Music sponsored by Thrivent
10am Theramin Music with Mushka
11am Fixed Income – Rock and Roll from the 60’s and 70’s
Noon Dave Landau – Participative Children’s Music
1pm Grand Aul Day – Irish Music
2:30 pm Toco Beach Steelpan - Steel Drum Trio
4pm Mad City Funk – Classic Funk, R&B, Soul and Blues
1900 Block
10am – 5pm Frios Pops – A Monroe Street Farmers Market Vendor
10am – noon Alvarado Real Estate Group – Mini-carnival with games, free cotton candy, popcorn and prizes. Sponsored by Creando Exploratorium and Alvarado Real Estate Group.
10am – 5pm Gallo Men’s Clothier – a new Monroe Street Business!
10am – 5pm Strictly Discs – record sale
10am – 5pm Hive – end of summer sale all weekend
10am – 5pm Nakoma Hardwoods – a Monroe Street Farmers Market Vendor!
10am – 5pm Jonie & Libs Reusables – a Monroe Street Farmers Market Vendor!
10am – 5pm Lyna Boba truck – a Monroe Street Farmers Market Vendor!
10am – 5pm One & Only – food and drink specials
10am – 5pm Taco Taberna – food and drink specials
10am – 5pm REiCOVERY Reiki & Spiritual Coaching – Receive a promo code for 50% off a 45 minute Reiki treatment. Erin will be sharing simple tools and illustrations for kids and adults to manage energetic health in a hectic world. Free gift for attendees!
10am – 5pm Good Day Shop – shop a special vintage clothing popup with local vintage curators in our outdoor tent
10am - 2pm Milkweed Bodywork and Somatic Therapy - By-donation chair massage
2500 Block
10am – 5pm Lauer Realty Sponsored Lounge – grab a bite to eat on the street, and then relax with family, friends and neighbors. Play bowling and bocce ball.
10am – 5pm Sunne Boutique – Here at Sunne Boutique we will have a specialist on ear seeding in-store. Not sure what that is? Stay tuned for more information in our stories and posts. Also, next door in the parking lot of Lauer Realty will be the “Lauer Lounge” where you can relax and eat your take away food from Colectivo, Everly or one of our other Monroe Street restaurants. There will also be food vendors selling delicious treats and you can wait your turn to try BocceRoll! A lawn game that combines skee ball and bocce ball - from right here in Madison! And don’t forget the free nail art and temporary tattoos!! So. Much. Fun.
10am – 5pm That Batch Bakery – a Monroe Street Farmers Market Vendor!
10am to 5pm Dell Prairie Kettle Corn – A Monroe Street Farmers Market Vendor!
10am Collectivo - Pick-up and/or drop-off the Festival Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win Monroe Street Gift Certificates.
By CHOCOLATE SHOPPE ICE CREAM
11am– 4pm Bouncy Castle – Sponsored by Chocolate Shoppe
10am – noon Free balloon art by Tami of Funny Faces
11am Mideast Salsa – North African Salsa Music
12 noon Madison West Dance Team and the Madison Royals
12:30 Scandinavian Old Time Dance
1pm – 3pm Free Waterproof Glitter Tattoos by Funny Faces
1:30 Morris Dancers
3 pm Trinity Irish Dancers
Other neighborhood highlights:
8am – 2pm Dudgeon Monroe Neighborhood - The Social Justice Committee of the Dudgeon Monroe Neighborhood Association has designated September 21 as their “R” Sales Project to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle by holding a yard/garage sale.
Thank you to our 2024 sponsors
The Monroe Street Festival Is A
MONROE STREET MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION EVENT
The Monroe Street Festival is a cherished annual tradition celebrating our many locally owned businesses and our surrounding residential neighborhoods. The purpose of the Festival is to promote and sustain new and existing businesses, enhance the positive and vibrant image of Monroe Street, and attract visitors from all over to our lively sliver of the city. The celebration, which is held annually on a Saturday in September, features a range of activities to bring the community together including sidewalk sales, grab and go food specials, outdoor entertainment, children’s activities, and so much more.