Downtown Madison will come alive this Thursday, Sept. 17, 5-9 p.m., as the Madison Night Market returns with a vibrant celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The popular event is expected to draw 20,000–25,000 people to State Street and the surrounding area for an evening of food, art, music, and culture.
“This is really the second year that we’ve centered all of our Madison Night Markets around a theme,” Matt Tramel, the executive director of Madison’s Central Business Improvement District, tells Madison365. “We have five dates a year, and at each market we’re just trying to celebrate a lot of Madison’s incredible culture.”
Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) officially kicked off Tuesday, and Madison’s Central Business Improvement District (BID) plans to celebrate the contributions of the city’s Hispanic and Latino communities with art, food, culture, and performances throughout the evening.
“For Thursday’s market, we’ll be celebrating Madison’s incredible Hispanic culture. As we always do, we’ll have local performances and artists in Peace Park, along with buskers throughout the market performing, as well,” Tramel says.
The Madison Night Market takes place every month from June to October on N. Carroll and W. Mifflin streets around Capitol Square, State Street and Gilman Street.
Peace Park, located midway along State Street, just west of the Capitol Square, will serve as the heart of the festivities, featuring performances from local favorites like Chicahuac Compañía Folklórica de Madison and Orquesta Salsoul, while buskers, brick-and-mortar businesses, crafters, artisans, restaurants, and more than a dozen food trucks will transform downtown into a one-of-a-kind showcase of Madison’s rich Hispanic community and diverse local talent.
Chicahuac Compañía Folklórica de Madison will bring traditional Mexican folklórico dancing to the Peace Park Performance Stage from 5:15-6:45 p.m., featuring regional dances from Veracruz, Chiapas, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas and Jalisco in collaboration with Mariachi Corcel de Madison.
Founded in February 2026, Chicahuac includes children and adults and seeks to promote Mexican culture through performances at festivals, cultural celebrations and community events throughout Wisconsin.
Orchestra SalSoul de Madison will follow with Latin rhythms and soul music, bringing together local musicians who represent Madison’s international diversity. The Madison Area Music Awards have recognized the group, and it has received multiple Wisconsin Area Music Industry Award nominations.
“It’s a really special opportunity, especially as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, to bring local artists and performers downtown,” Tramel says. “It gives us a platform to showcase Madison’s culture, diversity and talent. It’s the primary place in Madison where everyone can come together and ‘do everything all at once.’
“We also have State Street and Capitol Square businesses setting up booths outside their stores, along with local crafters, artists, artisans and restaurants,” Tramel adds. “Add in about 16 food trucks, cultural institutions and the restaurants around the Square, and it becomes a true showcase of everything Madison has to offer.”
The Madison Night Market’s Family Activity Zone, located where State Street meets Capitol Square, will feature activities for children and families, including:
- MADabolic Madison: Exercise challenges for people of all ages and abilities.
- MSCR: The Art Cart, a free traveling art program offering outdoor art-making activities for children ages 3 and older and their families.
- Witte Kitte Face Painting: Kid-friendly face painting.
- The Alexandra Store: Balloon creations, including animals, characters, hats and flowers.
There will be buskers and performers throughout the market on Thursday, including Madison Circus Entertainment, Eric De Los Santos on marimba, Wendy Lynn Markus on electric violin, David Hart IV on saxophone and Anna Sinder on Argentine Tango.
“We are looking for some good weather on Thursday. Unlike our last market in August, all of the [University of Wisconsin-Madison] students will be in town,” Tramel says. “They come out in force, and the energy they bring is amazing.”
