The annual Orton Park Festival days will celebrate 60 years on Aug. 29-31 with live music, local food, and community spirit under the beloved oak canopy of Orton Park on Madison’s East Side.
This year’s Orton Fest features local, regional, and national acts. From famed Nashville singer-songwriter Lilly Hiatt, to a long-awaited reunion set from legacy band Poopshovel, to Chicago’s funkiest, most soulful band, Hot Like Mars, and regional favorites Them Coulee Boys.
Cycropia Aerial Dance kicks off the three-day festival with a performance under the park’s sacred oak trees on Family Night on Friday, Aug. 29. A full day of music and festival fun is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 30. The Jazz Brunch will take place on Sunday and 9 a.m. and the festival closes Sunday evening with a set from nationally acclaimed indie-rockers, Ratboys, starting at 6:15 p.m.
“Orton is where music, history, and community come together,” said MNA President Marlisa Kopenski Condon in a press release announcing Orton Fest. “This anniversary year is a chance to honor the neighborhood roots that built it and the generations who have kept it alive.”
In addition to great music, Orton Park Festival will feature vendors from local restaurants, businesses, and artists, as well as craft beer and wine tents. Kids’ games, a community art project, and the ever-popular MNA auction will return, as well. The 60th anniversary will be marked with community toasts and proclamations from both the City of Madison and the State of Wisconsin.
Orton Park Festival is hosted by the Marquette Neighborhood Association and funds important community grants and scholarships. The event is free and open to all.
