As the capital city of a state that values forward thinking, Madison fosters innovation in everything from food and drink to festivals and 5Ks. Yet among this unique sense of progression, you can also feel the strong roots of the city in the Capitol building and the influence of historical figures such as Frank Lloyd Wright. Madison serves as an idyllic balance between tradition and innovation, which is perhaps why it’s consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the United States.
Although Madison is the second-largest city in Wisconsin, it certainly does not compare in size to other cities that frequent these lists, such as Nashville or Seattle. But, as they say at the Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau, “We punch above our weight class.” Madison offers a sense of community like a small town while having the resources typical of a city from a much higher “class.”
Madison’s transformation to a big-city downtown culture brings more people to live downtown year after year, prompting the city to nearly quadruple its spending on downtown development from 2014 to 2015. As a political and cultural hub of Wisconsin, Madison is constantly growing and pushing the envelope to give its citizens and guests new things to love about this great city. Here are just a few:
The Great Outdoors:
From its clean lakes to its plethora of parks and races, Madison provides a perfect backdrop for a population of active, adventurous people who enjoy sports year-round. This midwestern city was one of only five cities in the U.S. designated as a platinum-certified biking community, and it has also been named the best college football town and one of the greenest cities in America. Perhaps most impressive fact of all is that Madison is often at the front of developing new ways to get active in the community.
Take, for example, stand-up paddleboarding. Although the sport is typically associated with coastal cities, Madison was ranked by USA Today as one of the 10 best places to learn to stand-up paddleboard by USA Today. Summer Jarosky, the manager of Madison’s Wingra Boats, says this is due to Madison’s wide variety of lakes to paddle on, from calm, shallow water to choppy waves. If you are looking to take the sport one step further, you can find your Zen on the lakes with paddleboard yoga or try a brand new mix of paddleboarding and lacrosse, stand-up paddleboard polo.
Other new sports to try around Madison include bubble soccer, which is playing soccer with the upper body in a giant plastic bubble, and cyclo-cross, a mix between cycling and an obstacle course. If you are looking for something family friendly, there is always a new 5K popping up, such as the Jingle Bell Run or the Haunted Hustle. And if you like your sports to be intense, Madison hosts the Wisconsin IronMan, a 70.3 mile triathlon, every September.
In the city where Earth Day was started, even the brutal Wisconsin winter cannot keep the people of Madison from getting outdoors. Jarosky says the driving force behind new sports is the people here. “I think it’s because people of Madison have a willingness to try new things,” Jarosky says. “And that’s just really exciting for people like myself that get to help create these opportunities.”
Big Ideas:
Whether it’s due to UW-Madison or the bustling night life, nearly nine out of 10 people living in downtown Madison are between the ages of 15 and 34. Curt Lenz from the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau believes this injection of youth leads the community in fresh, open thinking and reminds people in Madison that it is good to take chances. This culture that encourages innovation and forward thinking has led to startup businesses all over the city.
The biggest startup success story in the Madison area is Epic Systems, a health care software company that anticipated the future need for electronic medical records. Epic was started in a basement in 1979 and has now grown to employ nearly 10,000 people and serves 190 million patients around the world. Epic was founded on innovation and has put measures in place to foster and encourage this same thinking in its employees.
Gillian Fortney, a human resources recruiter at Epic, says many of the buildings on the Epic campus have themes such as “Dungeons and Dragons” or “Alice in Wonderland” to purposely create a fun, exciting environment that preserves a sense of community.
“If you feel like you are able to make a difference, then you’re more likely to innovate, to be creative,” Fortney says. “You’re more likely to really try and make a difference.”
While Epic is one successful case, the list of startups in Madison goes on and on. Inventive Madison thinkers have come up with everything from Yumbutter, organic butters served in pouches, to Exact Sciences, the makers of a home test for colon cancer. Madison values the forward thinking that is characteristic of these startups, but businesses also benefit from being in Madison. Fortney says the city serves as a great recruiting and retention tool. She also thinks Madison has the perks of a big city, but the cost of living of a much smaller one, which benefits both businesses and their employees.
In Madison, new ideas are not only heard, they are welcomed and celebrated, which is why 81 percent of businesses in downtown Madison are locally owned. Lenz says the value placed on progress makes for a community of acceptance and an exciting environment that is always innovating. “I like to see Madison as an incubator, it really brings out the best in forward thinking,” Lenz says.“That’s really our state motto in so many ways.”
All You Can Eat (And Drink):
In Madison, the drive to innovate and take risks is met with a willingness to try new things, which makes for a food and drink scene that can hold its own against Chicago or New York City. Madison offers a vast array of culinary options, including ethnic foods, brunch restaurants, world-class chocolate and more. Diners here not only care about eating high-quality food, but they also want to try something new and support local restaurants and farmers.
One of Madison’s newest restaurants, Lucille, is a family friendly, pizza and beer restaurant on the square. Lucille offers a Wisconsin spin on classic Detroit-style pizza with fermented Spotted Cow beer and Wisconsin cheddar cheese baked on pan pizza crust. The restaurant’s beer bar always has 23 beers on tap that change daily. As if that’s not enough, Lucille — which is housed in a renovated bank — provides a unique dining atmosphere with historical pieces such as old light fixtures from the Capitol building. Maddy Van Elzen, the director of hospitality for Lucille, says they wanted the restaurant to feel modernized yet classic, which is also how they approach their food and drink.
Locally owned and sourced restaurants such as Lucille are a new trend happening downtown. According to Samara Kalk Derby, a restaurant reviewer at the Wisconsin State Journal, Madison’s Capitol Square — the former home of several banks and a McDonald’s — used to be dead at night. With the opening of fancier restaurants over the last 10 years, crowds started flocking to the square, and many restaurants now have over an hour wait in the evening. Some of the most popular places to eat include Graze, Hamilton’s On The Square, Cooper’s Tavern and The Old Fashioned — make sure you try their cheese curds.
While you’re out for dinner, why not stop and try a locally crafted beer? The Madison area is home to 56 craft breweries, which is the largest number in any city in Wisconsin. Brewers and distilleries such as Death’s Door Spirits, Ale Asylum and Yahara Bay Distillers have gained national recognition from sources including GQ and Esquire. There are also tons of new brew pubs popping up around the area such as The Thirsty Goat, Rockhound Brewing Company and Lucky’s 1313 Brew Pub — which is definitely where you want to be on Badger game days.
Wisconsin may be known for its cheese curds and beer — and there is certainly no shortage of either in Madison — but even the most dedicated diners would be hard-pressed to try all of the options Madison has to offer. Kalk Derby says Madison’s food scene has quickly evolved into one typical of much bigger cities, and it shows no signs of stopping. Wisconsin foodies, welcome to paradise.
Parties and Places: Perhaps the thing that Madison residents enjoy the most is the sense of community in the city. Although there are almost 250,000 people in Madison, there truly does seem to be something for everyone, which helps foster a sense of belonging. Festivals and events held all over the city throughout the year help bring people together and allow them to get involved.
One popular location for festivals in Madison is Central Park, a large urban park that opened in 2014 after decades of planning. In addition to a weekly Eastside Farmers’ Market, the park hosts Central Park Sessions — a series of live concerts throughout the summer — and La Fête de Marquette — a neighborhood festival with French flair, food, music and drinks. In 2014, Central Park hosted the first annual Yum Yum Fest, which is very appropriately named. Yum Yum Fest is an engaging event where you can try dishes and drinks from 24 of the best restaurants in Dane County all in one place. In addition to the delicious food, all proceeds benefit the Madison Parks Foundation — a win-win for everyone.
Beyond Central Park, Madison has events for all seasons, passions and ages. This summer, lovers of the animated movie, Shrek, celebrated the third annual Shrekfest with costumes, competitions, movie screenings and all things green. For Halloween, Madison hosts Freakfest, the region’s largest ticketed party and music festival. Freakfest began as a way to contain the infamous chaos of Madison Halloween, but has grown into a six-hour display of live music and crazy costumes that draws in people from all over the state.
It is easy to celebrate when the weather is nice, but Madison’s Winter Festival will get you out during your annual hibernation, too. Each year for the festival, the Capitol Square is covered in snow, and visitors take part in activities such as snowshoeing, ice sculpting and skijoring, which is like walking a dog while wearing skis — an awesome and hilarious combination.
Events in Madison are great because so many different people attend them. Lenz says that he sees children, university students and elderly people at the same events, all getting enjoyment out of them for different reasons. “It’s going back to that community atmosphere,” Lenz says. “They want to be able to enjoy each other, and that’s what’s so great about it.”
Maggie Baruffi
Whether it is reading a book, traveling to a new place or watching the latest documentary, Maggie’s desire to learn and explore new things is a driving force in her life. She feels at home in Wisconsin amidst the cheese and friendly Midwesterners, but dreams of ditching the winter for good to live in a beach house on the ocean. While her dream job is to be a professional movie or food critic, Maggie hopes to find a job in communications that allows her to continuously develop her skills and try new things.