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Top 5 things to do in Madison this week July 8-14

Mingos, art fair, fete, and more

By Aaron Seligman, MacaroniKID Madison publisher July 7, 2026

Every week, Macaroni KID Madison highlights free/low-cost (and NEVER sponsored, just our honestly curated favorite) ideas to do with kids in the Madison area in addition to the events and family-friendly ideas in our newsletter and on our calendar.

This week check out:

  1. Mingo Mania. The family ticket deal is great for games, and Thursday go for a free time to meet and greet with the players, giveaways, and of course the petting zoo. Plus reminder - Breese Stevens is a great spot to watch World Cup games with kids - plenty of open (and easily visible) space when they get wiggly.
  2. Fête de Marquette. Thursdsay-Sunday at McPike Park. We love the open spaces, kids activities, huge range of great Madison food carts and music, plus check out the kids karaoke and other performers. Pro tip - bike there!
  3. Environmental Fun FairSaturday a the Lussier Center - find tons of hands on learning, games, and nature exploration for kids all morning.
  4. Art Fair on (and off) the Square. Saturday afternoon and Sunday, instead of the Farmer's Market (moved to Breese), stroll around the Capitol Square and see tons of local and national artists. And kids can DIY off the square.
  5. Kids in the Rotunda Summer Sessions. Not your regular weekly group, but you'll find kid-friendly performances free at Overture and other area locations at a few points this summer. The first one is this Saturday!
    Make sure to check out, our ongoing summer fun, weekly live music around Madison and more family fun opportunities!

What did we miss? You can add events to our calendar (it's free!) and contact us about promoting your event or organization.