Top picks
1. Orton Park Festival — Madison
Fri.-Sun., Aug. 28-30 | Orton Park, Madison The Marquette Neighborhood Association’s long-running, free summer fundraiser returns with local and touring bands plus aerial dance performances from Cycropia. A Madison tradition and one of the biggest free festivals of the late summer. Details
2. Black & Bronze Fest — Chicago
Sat., Aug. 29, 1-7 p.m. | Armstrong (Lillian Hardin) Park, Bronzeville A community celebration bringing music, food, dance, local businesses and families together in Bronzeville, with independent Chicago artists, spoken word, dance competitions, Black-owned vendors, a kids zone and youth-led programming on the neighborhood’s history. Details
3. Afroblend Day — Milwaukee
Sat.-Sun., Aug. 29-30, 10 a.m.-1 a.m. | Estabrook Park, Shorewood An inaugural celebration of African and Caribbean culture built around a summer sports tournament (soccer and volleyball, with teams representing Nigeria, Cameroon, Somalia, Gambia, Guinea, Jamaica and more), followed by an evening awards/networking event and a late-night Afrobeat/Amapiano/Dancehall after-party. Serves as the official lead-up to Afroblend Fest Milwaukee. Details / tickets
Also happening
Madison
- Middleton Good Neighbor Festival — Fri., 5-11:30 p.m.; Sat., 9:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | 2100 Bristol St., Middleton (South Beach lawn at Middleton High School). New beachy “Greetings from South Beach” theme, plus a Saturday-morning 5K, art fair, parade and the Good Neighbor Award ceremony. Details
- Dane County Farmers’ Market on the Square — Sat. mornings | Capitol Square. Details
- Overture Center summer exhibitions — through Sun., Aug. 30 | Overture Center for the Arts. Details
Milwaukee
- MKE Black Theatre Festival — closing weekend — through Sat., Aug. 29 | Marcus Performing Arts Center and other Black Arts MKE venues. A multi-week celebration of live performance, spoken word and play development wraps up with a world-premiere production exploring the civil rights partnership of Vel Phillips and Father James Groppi. Details
Chicago
- Panda Fest — Fri., Aug. 28, 4 p.m.-close; runs through Sun., Aug. 30, closing 8 p.m. | Butler Field. An outdoor Asian food festival with 100+ vendors, 200+ street foods, cultural performances and panda-themed extras. Tickets
- Dancing the Archive: Embodied Histories, Collective Power — Fri., Aug. 28, 7-9:30 p.m. | Harris Theater for Music and Dance. Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project performance honoring the city’s Black cultural and artistic legacy through movement. Details / tickets
- eta Creative Arts Foundation Annual Gala — Sat., Aug. 29 | eta Creative Arts Foundation, South Chicago Ave. The venerable South Side arts institution’s anniversary gala. Details / tickets
- Fridays on the Green — Fri., Aug. 28 | Black Ensemble Theater, 4450 N. Clark St. Outdoor cultural programming at the theater. Details
