The Day Ahead, May 2: Free Comic Book Day, giant puppets and stiltwalkers on the Square, ’80s prom and more

The Capital Times
May 2, 2015

Pop-up deals

Mad City Bazaar opens for the season on Saturday at 10 a.m. and runs through 4 p.m. The pop-up flea market is on the site of the Madison Public Market at Washington Plaza, 1800 East Washington Ave. at First Street. The event features locally made food, crafts, art and vintage treasures from vendors like Jenny Blasen Pottery, Juniper Soap Company, Honeybee Bakery, RosyMade Designs, and many more.

madcitybazaar.com

Biff! Pow! Save!

With “Avengers: Age of Ultron” opening in theaters Friday, comic book stores are building on the caped excitement with Free Comic Book Day. Everyone who shows up to either Westfield Comics location, 7475 Mineral Point Road and 944 Williamson St., or Capitol City Comics, 1901 W. Monroe St., from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday can take home up to five new comic books, no strings attached. Local artists will be on hand to sketch attendees, as will costumed Stormtroopers from Madison’s 501st Legion.

Freecomicbookday.com

Strut your stuff

Mexican artist Laura Anderson Barbata has spent the last semester as the UW Arts Institute’s Interdisciplinary Artist in Residence, holding lectures and talks about the role of parades and puppetry in public spaces. It all comes to a bang with “Strut!” a community parade feature over 30 groups, from stiltwalkers to dancers to puppeteers and more. It all takes place on Saturday with the parade at 2 p.m., a celebration and dance-off at 3 p.m. at the Madison Children’s Museum (100 N. Hamilton St.) and a book signing at 5 p.m. at the Edgewater (1001 Wisconsin Place). It’s all free.

go.wisc.edu/strut

The ’80s called

Sequins, leg warmers and big hair are back for a night of ‘80s-inspired dancing at the Majestic Theatre’s “80s Prom: A Totally 80s Dance Party.” The party will begin at the Majestic Theatre, 115 King St., at 9 p.m. on Saturday. DJ Nick Nice will spin the tunes and there will be prizes awarded for Prom King and Queen. Tickets are $5.

Majesticmadison.com

Strong momentum

Madison Youth Choirs will present a spring concert series, “Momentum,” on Saturday and Sunday focused on movement and featuring Dalcroze Eurhythmics expert Diane Popowycz and choreography by W. Earl Smith of the Madison Ballet. A total of 336 singers will be featured. Concerts are scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday by the Purcell, Britten and Holst (boychoir) groups; 3 p.m. Sunday by the Choraliers, Con Gioia, Capriccio and Cantabile (girlchoir) groups and 7:30 p.m. Sunday by the Cantilena, Cantabile and Ragazzi (high school ensemble) groups. All concerts take place in the Capitol Theater of the Overture Center, 201 State St. Tickets are $15, available online (overturecenter.org), by phone (258-4141) and at the Overture Center box office.

overturecenter.org | 238-7464

Dance with personality

Some 50 girls from six community centers around Madison will perform on Saturday, May 2, at 2:30 p.m. as the culmination of 30 weeks of instruction from local undergraduate dancers. The UW-Madison Dance Department has been expanding its program for the past three years. “Performing Ourselves Showcase: I Dance Because …” will be performed at the Margaret H’Doubler Performance Space, Lathrop Hall, 1050 University Ave. Admission is free.

performingourselves.com/events

Spring in Germany

Mark your calendar for Maifest, the German celebration of Spring! Essen Haus and the Dane County Humane Society are teaming together for an all day, family-friendly Maifest Festival from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, outside Essen Haus, 514 E. Wilson St. Free admission with live music by Jason Rowe (12-4 p.m.) and the Goodtime Dutchmen (4-8 p.m.). Expect to see a Kids’ Zone with crafts and games, along with maypole dancing with the Oak Apple Morris Dancers.

essen-haus.com | 255-4674
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