Marty Simonson checks the tension of a support cable for an inflatable Santa after inflating the decoration in front of his home on Monroe Street in Madison, Wis. Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. Part of a seasonal display of dozens of similar decorations along the stretch, the 12-foot tall fixture needed to be re-situated after strong winds toppled it overnight. The holiday tradition, started in 2023 by Simonson’s neighbor Evan Jonovic-Heath, has now grown to feature as many as 70 other Santas in the neighborhood. Other neighbors’ displays were similarly affected by the gusts as well. “Last night was a rough night for Santa” Jonovic-Heath said on Friday. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Art of the everyday: Recent images by the Wisconsin State Journal's photojournalists
Ellie Mumford of Wayzata, Minnesota, kisses her husband Cooper Mumford on the forehead after he finished his first marathon Madison Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025 in Madison, Wi. Cooper Mumford is an ultramarathoner, but the Madison Marathon was his first time running a normal marathon.
One of two Bucky Badger clocks made by UW-Madison in the 1950’s has been restored and repaired by workers at the university’s Physical Plant and is working again for the first time in many years. Pictured Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, the clock was originally located on the First National Bank building on University Avenue and was moved to 21 South Park Street after the former building was destroyed in the 1970’s. Among the improvements made to the clock is the addition of a mechanism that automatically adjusts for daylight saving time, which will come in handy this weekend when the period ends early Sunday morning. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Construction of a new steeple for Holy Redeemer Catholic Church progresses outside the church on Johnson Street in Madison, Wis. Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. The former steeple was damaged by fire following a lightning strike in 2024. Adding copper cladding to the exterior of the project is Steve Huebner of Krause Konstruction of Coon Valley, Wis. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Randy Baldwin works on his “under the sea” themed Halloween display, which includes a Yellow Submarine photo opp, in the front yard of his home on Drake Street in Madison, Wis. Monday, Oct. 20, 2025. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
There was much cackling along the Yahara River on Madison's Near East Side Sunday as dozens of paddlers in witch or witch-like costumes made their way down the river in the Yahara Witches Paddle.
(From left) Joan Armbrecht, of Madison, and Kathy Sosnouski, of Fitchburg, shop for books during an outing with their book club, called Books and Birds, to the Friends of Madison Public Library’s Fall Book Sale at the bookstore in Central Library in Madison, Wis. Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Emmalyn Kopplin, a first-grader at Washington Elementary School in Beaver Dam, Wis. attempts to capture a drink from an unusually challenging water fountain during a trip with classmates to the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wis. Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Enjoying the season’s palette of fall color, Stephanie Petersen, left, and Emery Cauldwood share a walk through a stand of transitioning maple trees during a visit to the UW Arboretum in Madison, Wis. Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Performers with Hispanic Flamenco Ballet present a program showcasing Latin American culture and history for area high school students at the Barrymore Theater in Madison, Wis. Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. Through dance and music, the countries of Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil and Argentina were among those represented during the lively, colorful and educational event. A second program highlighting the country of Spain was also presented by the performers for a separate audience of visiting students. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Ella Eklund, a UW-Madison senior from Eagan, Minnesota, gets her photo taken by a friend as she does a cartwheel surrounded by plastic pink flamingos on Bascom Hill during the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association’s annual Fill the Hill fundraising event on campus in Madison, Wis. Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Evan Corkery, emerging professional at OPN Architects, helps set up an installation for the Blood Cancer United Light the Night event at Vilas Park on Thursday. The umbrella installation, called “Remembrance Island” and includes four stands with photos of individuals who lost their lives to cancer, is one of three illuminated displays by OPN Architects for Thursday night’s event. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
By the light of an ascending, just-past-full moon, Joseph Toelle of Oconomowoc guides his hand-sewn, four-string stunt kite Tuesday in the city’s Rockwell Park.
Dan and Mary Beth Lamb, of Sheboygan, and their grandson, Conor Lamb, 4, of Madison, check out the observation tower during a visit to Lake Farm County Park in Madison, Wis. Monday, Oct. 6, 2025. The grandparents were camping nearby and spent the day with Conor on his day off of school. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
A patch of autumn crocus adds late-season color for visitors to the UW Arboretum in Madison, Wis. Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
People play in a “king of the kourt” 3-on-3 basketball tournament organized by the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity Thursday outside UW-Madison’s Sellery Residence Hall. Four games took place at once on the two campus courts.
Sue Vang tends a display of flowers and produce gown at her family’s Oregon, Wis. farm during a weekly appearance at the Dane County Farmers’ Market’s Wednesday Market on October 1.
Tristen Lang of Minnesota sleeps next to his cow Daphne in a stall at World Dairy Expo on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025 at Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wi.
(From left) Pablo Sosa, Leah Diamond and Lynna Novak, all UW-Madison freshmen from Chicago, take a dip in Lake Wingra after finishing their classes for the day in Madison, Wis. Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Enjoying the area’s pleasant late-summer weather, Ally Rynes shares a moment with Opal, a four-month-old chihuahua mix she adopted from the Dane County Humane Society in August, during a visit to James Madison Park in Madison, Wis. Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Linda Wilson, employee at Door Creek Orchard, picks Cortland apples to sell in the store at the orchard in Cottage Grove, Wis. Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. Liz Griffith, co-owner of Door Creek Orchard, said this might be the last weekend for pick-your-own apples at the orchard, but to check their website for the latest updates. Reservations for a free time slot to pick apples are required for Saturday and Sunday. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Emily Oswald of Jefferson, Wis. juggles multiple duties while walking through the city’s downtown with her 10-month-old son, Graham, and her dogs, from left, Mav, Stella and Spud, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Brooklyn Gerke, 5, left, high-fives a window washer dressed as Mrs. Incredible on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025 at American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, Wi.
Students at Edgewood High School share mulch-shoveling duties as part of a volunteer effort at the UW Arboretum in Madison, Wis. Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The work is part of the school’s annual “Edgewood in the Community Day,” which offers the school’s entire student body the opportunity to put in practice a theme of service through variety of local outreach activities. The effort was educational as well - the volunteers learned about the history of the Arboretum grounds and the unique properties of some of the trees in the conservancy’s collection during conversations with David Stevens, curator of the Arboretum’s Longenecker Horticultural Gardens. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Enjoying a twice-a-summer tradition they’ve continued for 15 years, a group of friends share a leisurely, 90-minute float down the Yahara River in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. From left are Linda Marx, Jill Schneider, Diane Marx, and Sharon Fallon. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
With a nice stretch of late summer weather forecast to settle into the region, Mark Huston tends his garden of squash and pepper plants Monday at Troy Community Gardens in Madison.
Athletes ride down the circular parking ramp of Monona Terrace to start the biking portion of IRONMAN Wisconsin on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025 in Madison, Wi.
Sally Fitzgerald of Monticello, Wis. and her granddaughter, Charlotte Maney, 8, of Waterford, Wis. view exhibitors’ creations during a visit to the Great Wisconsin Quilt Show at Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis. Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. The annual three day gathering, which features workshops, exhibits and vendor offerings, continues through Saturday. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Jeff LeMay, a painter with the Wisconsin State Capitol, works on a restoration of the building’s ceiling murals in Madison, Wis. Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025. Original to the Capitol’s construction in the 1920’s, the first-floor decorative embellishments were last restored 30 years ago. LeMay and a conservator, Rachel Gilberti, are collaborating on the project, which is part of ongoing preservation of the structure’s historic design elements. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
A crew with Hallmark Drywall works on the steeple at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church on Johnson Street in Downtown Madison on Tuesday. The steeple suffered damage from a fire in May 2024 after the church was struck by lightning. The church, built in 1865-1869, is the city’s oldest Catholic Church.
Members of Unincorperated Dance Lab perform during Shifting Gears Bike Path Dance Festival on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025 at McPike Park in Madison, Wi.
People play in a “king of the kourt” 3-on-3 basketball tournament organized by the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity Thursday outside UW-Madison’s Sellery Residence Hall. Four games took place at once on the two campus courts.
Matt Raboin works to put the finishing touches on a 25-foot-tall troll figure constructed of wood scraps and re-purposed shipping pallets as he prepares for Saturday’s third annual Burning Troll festival on his farm in Mount Horeb, Wis. Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. The highlight of the event, which features several bands, sculpture artists, food trucks and aerial dance performances, will be the burning of the wood assemblage, a construction he has been working on since late spring. Raboin is expecting up to 1,000 attendees to this year’s ticketed celebration. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Contractors and electricians affiliated with the National Electrical Contractors Association and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 159 work to assemble lighting elements for the annual Holiday Fantasy in Lights event at Olin Park in Madison, Wis. Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. Opening Nov. 15, the nighttime drive-through display features over 60 unique attractions that are assembled by electricians and apprentices over a 10 day period. The attraction is free, but donations are accepted with a portion of the money raised benefitting local charities. Last year’s event drew approximately 80,000 vehicles over the the course of its run. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Violinist Lun Li, who is the guest soloist for Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra’s upcoming concert, Eroica, performs during an event at Leopold’s Books Bar Caffé in Madison, Wis. Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. The concert kicks off the Masterworks season on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Capitol Theater in the Overture Center. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Workers with Madison Window Cleaning employ rappelling gear while performing a seasonal cleaning of windows on the Overture Center in Madison, Wis. Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Overture Center theater technician Patrick Bley assists with a lighting stringing effort in the rotunda of the building as the center prepares for the upcoming holiday season in Madison, Wis. Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Jensell Manzano of Traditions seasonal lighting company strings strands of LED lights to trees on the plaza of The Edgewater in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. The preparations are in advance of the hotel’s annual tree-lighting celebration on Friday, which will feature music and dance performances, an opportunity to roller-skate with elves, craft-making activities and an appearance by Santa. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Overturned by high winds, an inflatable seasonal decoration hangs from a balcony at the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity on the campus of UW-Madison in Madison, Wis. Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Madison Ballet dancer Dana Sheldon, who portrays Clara in the company’s production of The Nutcracker, converses with young visitors during an appearance at the Middleton Public Library in Madison, Wis. Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. Presented by Madison Ballet’s Special Projects Initiative, the Nutcracker Storytime event offered attendees the opportunity to learn about the art of ballet and storytelling through movement. Dressed for the occasion at right is Madeleine Cunin, 2. Opening night for the nine performances of the seasonal favorite is Dec. 12 at the Overture Center. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Event attendees get a close look at the 30-foot Balsam fir during the annual Capitol Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony at the state Capitol in Madison, Wis. Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. The tree was donated by Dave and Mary Vandervelden family of Gillett. This year’s tree, themed The Learning Tree, is decorated with handmade ornaments from students throughout the state. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Open water areas of area lakes have been drawing vast numbers of migrating tundra swans, Canada geese, American coots, mallard ducks and other species to the Madison, Wis. area in recent days. Locations that have seen the congregations include the east shore of Lake Monona and areas of Lake Mendota near Warner Park, James Madison Park and University Bay, where this bald eagle was spotted Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Theresa Freund, director of the Mad City Ukes, leads the group as they perform at Dane County Regional Airport during Holiday Tunes in the Terminal in Madison, Wis. Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. A variety of performances will continue at the airport through the week, with a community sing-along on Saturday at 11 a.m. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Local artist Audifax, left, with help from Chad Gulseth, of Seidr Solutions, installs 10 metal panels to complete her 40-foot by 10-foot mural on a fence at a City of Madison Water Utility building at Reynolds Park in Madison, Wis. Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. The work is inspired by the history of the neighborhood, which incorporates the native landscape and the area’s Native American and African American history. The mural effort was organized by the Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood Association. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Brian Adams, with Ryan Signs, works on installing an exterior sign on the Madison Public Market building in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Members of the UW-Madison student organization Grupo Folklorico, including Valeria Moreno Lopez, perform a traditional Mexican dance called Huapango during the Las Posadas event hosted by La Follette High School’s Union Latina Club, in the school’s gym in Madison, Wis. Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Marty Simonson checks the tension of a support cable for an inflatable Santa after inflating the decoration in front of his home on Monroe Street in Madison, Wis. Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. Part of a seasonal display of dozens of similar decorations along the stretch, the 12-foot tall fixture needed to be re-situated after strong winds toppled it overnight. The holiday tradition, started in 2023 by Simonson’s neighbor Evan Jonovic-Heath, has now grown to feature as many as 70 other Santas in the neighborhood. Other neighbors’ displays were similarly affected by the gusts as well. “Last night was a rough night for Santa” Jonovic-Heath said on Friday. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
A pair of mature bald eagles share the branch of a tree overlooking Monona Bay in Madison, Wis. Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. Despite winter taking hold in the region, eagles can still be seen in the area, often near locations of open water like Wingra Creek, the Yahara River and unfrozen sections of the larger lakes. In addition to feeding on fish, the birds are scavengers and carnivors and will sometimes opportunistically scrounge food from other species. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Visiting monks from Tashi Kyil Monastery in Dehradun, India work to create traditional Medicine Buddha sand mandala during the opening day of the Wisconsin Tibetan Association’s three-day public celebration of the 90th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama at the association’s gathering space at 1502 Parkside Drive in Madison, Wis. Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. Free and open to the public, with donations to benefit the monastery welcomed, the observance will feature traditional prayers and chanting, meditation, children’s sand painting activities and cultural performances. The weekend concludes with a closing ceremony and the ritual dismantling of the mandala on Sunday afternoon. Working on the mandala from left are Lobsang Manjushri, Tenpa Jamphel and Tenpa Thapkey. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Danielle Nabor, left, of Madison, and her visiting friend, Grace Maynard of Marietta, Georgia, aren’t deterred by the day’s strong winds and freezing conditions as they explore the Lake Mendota shoreline at James Madison Park in Madison, Wis. Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Wyatt Bomkamp, of Janesville, uses an auger to drill holes through the ice as he fishes for bluegill on Monona Bay in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Patty Richardson video calls with her daughter in Texas as she walks through Allen Centennial Garden during a break from work, on campus at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wis. Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
River Horn, 11, left, and Lainey Bachhuber, 11, careen down a hill at Olbrich Park during a winter break sledding outing in Madison, Wis. Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Enjoying the area’s midwinter reprieve from the cold, John Stofflet guides his kayak under the East Johnson Street bridge during an outing Thursday on the Yahara River in Madison. A former longtime local news reporter and anchor, Stofflet is also an avid year-round kayaker who logged over 1,500 miles on local waterways last year. He typically travels between 4 and 7 miles each outing, depending on the weather. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Olin Jastram, 3, of McFarland, gets a close look at Henry Vilas Zoo’s newest polar bear, Nora, during a visit to the zoo in Madison, Wis. Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Nora, a 10-year-old female, arrived at the zoo on Tuesday from the Oregon Zoo in Portland, and will join polar bears Berit, a 26-year-old female, and Siku, a 16-year-old male. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Zachary Jerzyk, an avid reader who over the last three years has refined his ability to peruse books during regular walks, is undeterred by a mid-winter rain shower while exploring the fantasy novel, “The Ten Thousand Doors of January” by Alix E. Harrow, while making his way along Fish Hatchery Road in Madison, Wis. Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Lindsey Jager contends with the area’s influx of arctic air while walking along Langdon Street to her workplace on the campus of UW-Madison in Madison, Wis. Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Tarah Connolly, a PhD student at UW-Madison, looks at a quilt from the 1870’s that is on display at the “Find Your Quilt” exhibit in the Ruth Davis Design Gallery in Nancy Nicholas Hall at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wis. Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Mike Smale, a watershed programs specialist with the Clean Lakes Alliance, measures the thickness of Lake Mendota ice cover off the shoreline of The Edgewater in Madison, Wis. Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. The monitoring is part of the Alliance’s preparations for the Feb. 7th opening of the two-day 2026 Frozen Assets festival, which will feature a 5k Run/Walk on the lake as well as a variety of winter-related activities, demonstrations and attractions. Conducting the test about 50 yards from shore, Smale found the ice to measure 12 inches deep, more than enough thickness to support the large crowds the festival annually draws. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Tess Wagner and Asa Hooper-Lane take advantage of the area’s trend toward more moderate winter temperatures while enjoying a skate on the Vilas Park lagoon in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
As part of seasonal maintenance on dormant grape vines, Adam Rabe prunes back a row of four-year-old plants on the growing grounds of Cambridge Winery in Cambridge, Wis. Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. Welcoming the recent moderate temperatures after a stretch of frigid weather, Rabe resumed his weeks-long annual chore. Often working a sun-up to sun-down shift, he’ll typically cut back 300-400 plants a day on the vineyard’s eight acres of vines. The practice promotes the healthy growth of plants during the summer before the harvesting begins in late August and September. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Hoofers staff and students set up Lady Liberty, an inflatable replica of the Statue of Liberty’s head, as part of Winter Carnival events on Lake Mendota at UW-Madison’s Memorial Union in Madison, Wis. Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
As work progresses on an exterior renovation of the Red Gym building on the campus of UW-Madison a worker with Langer Roofing and Sheet Metal is framed in a row of the structure’s distinctive upper windows in Madison, Wis. Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. Completed in 1894 and originally known as the UW Armory and Gymnasium, the building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1993. While an interior renovation effort was completed several years ago, the current project involves re-mortaring the structure’s exterior, replacing brickwork and restoring the asphalt-shingled roof with era-appropriate slate tile. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Jared Palmer, of Fitchburg, left, and Nic Calvache, of Milwaukee, warm up with their accordions before the start of the monthly jam session at Muso on Winnebago Street in Madison, Wis. Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. The local accordion club was started by Susan Sorensen a year ago, and meets the second Monday of each month at Muso. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Wingra School students play on the playground during Wingra School Outdoor Day on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 at Westmorland Park in Madison, Wis.
Mason Dorn pulls a roughly 20-inch pike out of Lake Mendota on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026 in Madison, Wis.
With warmer temperatures settling in to the region, area residents enjoy the mild conditions while engaging in a variety of outdoor activities in Madison, Wis. Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. Here, a melting snow cover reflects a runner along the Capital City Trail near Garver Feed Mill. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Pastor Justin Dittrich, of Lake Edge Lutheran, prays with church member, Donna Gehrke, during a drive-thru ashes event on Ash Wednesday in the church parking lot in Madison. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Gilberto Bravo registers his selections in the spring primary election with his daughter, Ophelia, 3, at his side during a visit to Pinney Library in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Participants in a weekly art gathering at Pinney Library create block prints as part of a six week residency by local artist Bernie Witzack of the art-making enterprise, bernie & zuzu, left, in Madison, Wis. Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. During the six week run of the drop-in workshop, titled Together We Make: Collaborative Creativity, attendees were offered the opportunity to experiment with various art mediums by making ephemeral art for the simple joy of being creative. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Willa Cole Karch, 4, explores the tropical environs of the Bolz Conservatory during a visit with family members and friends to Olbrich Gardens’ annual Orchid Escape exhibit in Madison, Wis. Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. Presenting hundreds of orchid plants both large and small, this year’s display also features “Big Bugs, Big Questions,” an installation of large-scale insect sculptures designed to represent orchid-insect relationships. The show continues through March 8. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
A runner passes through a patch of light outside the Wisconsin State Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
A skater picks up the puck while playing pond hockey on Wingra Creek on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026 in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
Colton Rohde picks up trash along the shoreline of Monona Bay on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026 in Madison, Wis. Rohde has been picking up trash around the bay for six years, starting during the pandemic when he was motivated to get outside more often. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
Judges at the World Cheese Championship Contest wait to present a lesson on cheese judging on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
Bratwurst wins the Milwaukee Brewers Sausage Race at Lincoln Elementary School on Wednesday, March 4, 2026 in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
Volunteers disperse seeds as they work on a four-acre oak savanna restoration at Holy Wisdom Monastery in Middleton, Wis. Wednesday, March 4, 2026. There are 70 species of seeds being used for the project, which have been either collected from the property or donated by the Dane County Parks Native Seed Program. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Taylor Sundeen, a sophomore at UW-Madison from Minnesota, takes in the unseasonably warm temperatures as she reads a book on the shoreline of Lake Wingra at Vilas Park in Madison, Wis. Monday, March 9, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Laurel Franklin, left, land stewardship technician at City of Madison Parks who recently completed the Burn Boss Training, and Sarah Vaccaro, landscape and maintenance worker, perform a prescribed burn on a meadow at Cardinal Glenn Park on the Far West Side in Madison, Wis. Monday, March 9, 2026. The seasonal controlled burns help reduce invasive plant species and promote growth of native plants. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Molly Schmitt of Madison Irish Dance leads children through some basic steps of the dance during “Stories and Steps,” a St. Patrick’s Day-themed event at the Fitchburg Public Library in Fitchburg, Wis. Wednesday, March 11, 2026. The program featured the reading of a leprechaun story and an introduction to the dance form as part of the library’s ongoing event programming for young children. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Taking advantage of the day’s sunny, mild conditions, UW-Madison senior Lee Pro Vang retrieves holiday lights from the balcony of the rental unit he shares with roommates on West Mifflin Street in Madison, Wis. Thursday, March 12, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
UW-Madison computer science PhD student Guy Zamier does a front flip off a hand-made ski jump while his friend, UW-Madison freshman mechanical engineering student Tyler Doolittle, records on Monday, March 16, 2026 at Observatory Drive Scenic Overlook in Madison, Wis. A blizzard brought over six inches of snow to Madison overnight, an opportunity the two could not pass up.
An opportunity for UW-Madison School of Nursing students to create and interact with slimy compounds prompts feelings of nostalgia for participants in the tactile activity at Signe Skott Cooper Hall on the campus in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Presented as part of the school’s continuing wellness series of events, the exhibit offered future health care professionals a chance to experience certain benefits the sensory-based activity can promote, including stress relief, mindfulness, creativity and motor skill development. From left are Doctor of Nurse Practice program students Esther Afolayan, Evie Quarm and Maleva Butkiewicz. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Following the area’s recent heavy snowfall, a Sandhill crane stands atop the frozen surface of Lake Wingra in Madison, Wis. Wednesday, March 18, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Racine St. Catherine’s sophomore Jovanni Gonzalez, dressed as an angel, the school’s mascot, leads the celebration after a basket against Lake Mills in the WIAA Boy’s Basketball Division 3 state semifinal on Thursday, March 19, 2026 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
Making the most of the day’s warm temperatures, a group of senior students at UW-Madison engage in a game of Spikeball on the campus’ Library Mall in Madison, Wis. Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Pictured from left are Dex Frank, Zach Strain, Matt Eichenberg and Spencer Warshaw. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Enjoying a spring break from their 4K classes, Otto Germann, 4, and Eva Gilliard, 4, explore the grounds of Olbrich Botanical Gardens near an emerging patch of Snowdrop blooms in Madison, Wis. Thursday, March 26, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Enjoying the day’s summer-like temperatures, workers at Madison Boats assemble pier components on Lake Wingra as the business makes preparations for the coming season In Madison, Wis. Monday, March 30, 2026. Picture from left are Mitch Limp, Tyler Leeper and Bridget Dempsey. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
The blooms of a magnolia tree bring a spring look to the UW-Arboretum as the conservancy’s plantings begin their seasonal transition in Madison, Wis. Monday, April 6, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Voters cast their ballots in the spring election at Warner Park Community Recreation Center in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, April 7, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Alter boys from Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School in Monona are illuminated by the light passing through stained glass as walk behind the pews after mass on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Madison, Wis. Special services were are being held during the week due to a visit from the “Pilgrim Mother” statue, a wooden sculpture of the Mary commissioned by the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. The statue is traveling across the world before the 500th anniversary of the Our Lady of Guadalupe apparitions in 2031. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
Mikayla Yoder, 5, holds her six-month-old sister, Karianna, while visiting the Midwest Select Horse Sale with family at Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis. Thursday, April 9, 2026. Also taking in the event at right is the girls’ cousin, Julianna Yoder, 4. The annual three day gathering draws many members of the region’s Amish and Mennonite communities for displays and sales of driving horses. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
(From left) Henry Berkevich, 9, and his sister, Evelyn, 11, with their dad, Bob, in back left, from Columbus, and Bodhi Verhelst, 5, with his mom, Janice, of Oregon, spray water to simulate rain on a watershed model during UW-Madison’s Science Expeditions outside the Hasler Laboratory of Limnology on the Lakeshore Path in Madison, Wis. Friday, April 10, 2026. The annual science open house runs through Sunday with events throughout campus. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Responding to spawning cues that occur each spring, a muskie attempts to clear the Wingra Dam in an effort to migrate upstream into Lake Wingra in Madison, Wis. Monday, April 13, 2026. Each year, the spectacle draws steady streams of visitors to an overlook above the dam for a glimpse of the occasional jumps, very few of which prove successful. During the migration, which can last several weeks, the area around the dam is designated a fish refuge by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and fishing is not allowed. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
People walk amongst blooming Star Magnolia trees at the UW–Madison Arboretum on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
Marycielo Condori, of Madison, watches the sunset as a bolt of lightning streaks across the sky on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at James Madison Park in Madison, Wis. Parts of southern Wisconsin were hit by strong winds and large hail Tuesday evening in a second round of damaging storms in less than 24 hours. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
Members of the Wisconsin Rowing Team take part in morning practice runs on Lake Mendota near the Union Terrace in Madison, Wis. Wednesday, April 15, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Maren Lamoreux, 7, of Lanark, Illinois, learns how to throw a rope with the help of Ava Armstrong, right, a member of the equestrian team at UW-Platteville, during the Midwest Horse Fair at Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis. Friday, April 17, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Animal rights activists hold a press conference inside the Wisconsin State Capitol demanding action from local lawmakers following a failed break-in at Ridglan Farms this past weekend on Monday, April 20, 2026 in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
A zookeeper gets a photo of Bandit, a red panda who will be relocating from Henry Vilas Zoo to another AZA-accredited zoo and paired with a mate, during a going away party at his enclosure in Madison, Wis. Wednesday, April 22, 2026. Red pandas are endangered and the relocation was recommended by the Red Panda Species Survival Plan. The zoo plans to get another red panda to join their female red panda, Betty. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Lodi Middle School seventh-grader Noelle Boyer fastens protective netting around a newly-planted tree seedling during an outing at the Lodi School Forest in Lodi, Wis. Tuesday, April 21, 2026. In observance of Earth Day, 2,000 trees - one for every student in the district - are being planted in the 40-acre outdoor classroom this week as part of the “Lodi Grows Together” campaign. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Brandon Sigler of Millington, Tenn. tends a pen of alpacas after arriving for the Great Midwest Alpaca Festival & the Wisconsin Alpaca and Fiber Fest at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis. Friday, April 24, 2026. More than 300 alpacas will be competing in the annual two-day weekend event, which also features fiber arts classes, seminars and dozens of vendors offering yarn, roving, fiber equipment, and alpaca-themed items for sale. Admission to the festival is free, although there is an $8 charge per vehicle for parking. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
An artwork by local muralist Triangular on the exterior of Reynolds Transfer & Storage adds vibrancy to a rainy day as Vianney Renata makes her way past the display on East Mifflin Street in Madison, Wis. Monday, April 27, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
A vehicle that went through the ice of Brittingham Bay in Madison, Wis. following a carjacking last January is retrieved by members of the Dane County Sheriff's Office, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Manke Enterprises Tuesday, April 28, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL Personnel from the Dane County Sheriff 's Office, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Manke Enterprises, of Lodi, on Tuesday retrieve a 2018 Nissan Murano that went through the ice of Brittingham Bay after a carjacking in January. According to a criminal complaint, a man distraught over legal problems and a cancer diagnosis stole the car at gunpoint from an ex-girlfriend's boyfriend outside nearby UnityPoint Health-Meriter Hospital before driving it into the frozen water. He has since died.
Alison Jewer, of Milton, and her 2-year-old granddaughter, Zoe Powers, of Madison, check out Olbrich Botanical Gardens’ spring art exhibit “Tiny and Mighty: Wonders of Insect Life” by artist Jennifer Angus in the lobby area at the gardens in Madison, Wis. 29, 2026. The framed insect displays are set on a backdrop of Angus’ custom wallpaper that was made from scans of original cyanotype prints of botanical specimens. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Quinn Krantz retrieves tulip bulbs removed from the grounds of the Wisconsin State Capitol during a seasonal giveaway of the flowers in Madison, Wis. Thursday, April 30, 2026. Each year, under the guidance of the state’s Department of Administration, landscape crews replace the relatively short-lived blooms with summer arrays, drawing local gardening enthusiasts to the grounds where the bulbs are made available over the course of several days. This season’s crop of the tulips was cut short after many of the flowers were damaged in a recent hail storm. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
A beagle released from Ridglan Farms jumps around in the grass on Friday, May 1, 2026 in Marshall, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
Madison artist Adrian Pere walks under a test panel for his work, “Light Wings,” a fabric sunshade which will be suspended over 80 percent of the seating area at the Warner Park home of the Madison Mallards baseball team and Madison Night Mares softball team in Madison, Wis. Thursday, May 7, 2026. The piece, which will eventually incorporate a variety of colors, is comprised of 40,000 fabric strips, which Pere refers to as “feathers.” The installation will be displayed throughout the teams’ playing seasons and will be illuminated at night, creating a vibrant, moving light show for fans. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Menasha Police Department officers salute during the national anthem at the 36th Annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony on Friday, May 8, 2026 at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
UW-Madison students in caps and gowns take the bus to the commencement ceremony for the Class of 2026 at UW-Madison at Camp Randall on Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
Certified Veterinarian Technician Rachel White pets a beagle before an evaluation and treatment in a bathroom-turned exam room on Monday, May 11, 2026 at the Dane County Humane Society in Madison, Wis. A bathroom in the Dane County Humane Society barn was turned in to an exam room due to the volume of beagles being checked. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
Stoughton High School Norwegian Dancers perform at the state Capitol ahead of Stoughton’s Syttende Mai festival this weekend, in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, May 13, 2026. The annual event, celebrating Norwegian heritage, begins Friday and runs through Sunday in Stoughton. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
As preparations progress for the June 11 opening of the Goodman Pool, lifeguards Jennie Maly, left, Ella Cook and Nathan Streicher begin the chore of returning the facility’s collection of decks chairs to the perimeter of the pool in Madison, Wis. Monday, May 18, 2026, JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Volunteers at the World’s Largest Bratfest ready the grounds at Alliant Energy Center’s Willow Island in advance of Friday’s opening of the three day celebration featuring music, food and family activities in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Since 1983, the free festival has raised nearly $2 million for more than 100 area charities through the sales of over 4 million bratwursts. Here, crates of corn await roasting - another one of the event’s popular draws. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Gundel Metz, left, vice president of the Madison Veterans Council, talks with Kermit Hugo, who’s daughter, Rachael, with her photo displayed in the background, was a combat medic with the Army Reserve who was killed in Iraq in 2007, during a Memorial Day ceremony at the state Capitol in Madison, Wis. Monday, May 25, 2026. The banners at the event “Stories of Combat Medics: Compassion Under Fire” were sponsored by Rachael’s family. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Enjoying sunny skies and the area’s influx of summer-like temperatures, Jeff Battle takes flight over a ramp at Goodman Skatepark in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, May 26, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Morgan Ogle, of Oregon, cools off at the splash pad with her 9-month-old daughter, Remi, during a visit to Rennebohm Park in Madison, Wis. Wednesday, May 27, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Wausau firefighter Cody Volm walks through pumped in smoke during a simulated extraction at the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin Fire OPS 101 training on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
Subcontractors for Maguire out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota roll on an intermediate coat of epoxy paint on the new 600,000-gallon water tower located on Highway 14 and Lacy Road in Fitchburg, Wis. Friday, May 29, 2026. The painting project will take a couple of weeks to complete. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Boden Johnson, 2, finds joy in water spurting up from the ground at the splash pad at McKee Farms Park on Friday, May 29, 2026 in Fitchburg, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
The Progress Pride Flag is raised over the Wisconsin State Capitol as event attendees hold a smaller version of the flag in Madison, Wis. Monday, June 1, 2026. The flag will be displayed through the month of June for Pride Month. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Workers use scaffolding stairs as construction is underway on the new addition for the jail at the Dane County Public Safety Building in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, June 2, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
A worker uses scaffolding stairs as construction continues on the addition to the jail at the Dane County Public Safety Building in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, June 2, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Sun Prairie East's Abby Packard, center, holds up the WIAA Division 1 softball sectional champion award as the Cardinals celebrate their 5-2 win over Waunakee at Middleton High School in Middleton, Wis. Thursday, June 4, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
People watch from afar as Ben Crane lines up his driver to tee off on hole three during day three of the American Family Insurance Championship on Sunday, June 7, 2026 at TPC Wisconsin in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
Cara Streekstra, associate director of UW-Madison's Botany Garden and Greenhouse, shows the Agave victoriae-reginae plant in death bloom at the greenhouse in Birge Hall on campus in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, June 9, 2026. The plant, which is about 30 years old, blooms once before it dies. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Midwest Fire Fest guest sculptor Janina Myronova, left, and Liz Shropshire add paint to Myronova’s clay creation at West Side Park in Cambridge, Wis. Tuesday, June 9, 2026. An internationally-known artist currently engaged in a residency in Philadelphia, Myronova is a Ukrainian native presently based in Poland. The work will be fired at 2,000-degrees in a custom-built 15-foot-tall kiln for five days before being unveiled on Saturday evening, the opening day of the two day festival. Hosted by the Cambridge Arts Council and The Clay Collective, the annual event aims to strengthen the region’s identity as a destination for ceramicists, makers and artists from across the country. Featured events include live fire demonstrations in ceramics, glass and jewelry, molten sculpture, fire dancing, food carts and musical performances. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Alexis Spalding of Jefferson, Wis. and her 5-year-old Akita, Ouija, share a paddle board ride on Fowler Lake in Oconomowoc, Wis. Wednesday, June 10, 2026. Not only is Ouija comfortable on water, he’s comfortable on the big stage as well, as he appeared in this year’s Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York as part of the Working Group category. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Alessandro Faria, 2, and his sister, Alessia, 7, enjoy the spray of a water feature during a visit to the seasonal opening of the Goodman Pool in Madison, Wis. Friday, June 12, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
From left, Carmine Pecorale, Franklin St. Clair and his mother, Meghan St. Clair, embark on a paddle Monona Bay board venture while departing on a multi-person rental board from Madison Boats’ Brittingham Park location in Madison, Wis. Monday, June 15, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
A pedestrian uses an umbrella to shield themselves from the rain while walking west on E. Mifflin St. on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
On his way to perform at a wedding ceremony at Gates of Heaven Synagogue as a member of the No Name String Band, mandolin player Grant Ziolkowski plays his instrument during the walk along Center Avenue in Madison, Wis. Thursday, June 18, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
USA Soccer fans stand and cheer after the team defeated Australia 2-0 on Friday, June 19, 2026 at Breese Stevens Field in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
Researchers with UW-Madison’s Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease share the top of a man-made rock feature during a lunch break from studies of the area’s tick population at Harvey E Schmidt Park in Madison, Wis. Monday, June 22, 2026. Comprised of both graduate and undergraduate students as well as interns, the group’s goal is to better understand tick behavior and develop better ways to control ticks and help people avoid tick bites and tick-borne disease. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
As artists from across the country gather in Sun Prairie, Wis. this week for the city’s 2026 Mural Fest, Hannah Webb of Los Angeles commences work on her piece on the facade of the Pit Stop Pub Tuesday, June 23, 2026. The exteriors of nine locations throughout the downtown area are being transformed during the event which concludes Saturday with reveal party featuring live music, food trucks, local vendors and meet the artist opportunities. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Costa Rican artist Jessica Cheng is covered in sawdust as she shaves away at her piece, which will be a bench that looks like an octopus, at the Harry Whitehorse International Wood Sculpture Festival on Thursday, June 25, 2026 at San Damiano Park in Monona, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
Collin Schmit and Maddie Kaiser float down the Yahara River as a heat wave hits the region in Madison, Wis. Monday, June 29, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Jana Gedymin and her daughter, Quinn, 10, take in a view of an ascending full moon during a visit to Rockwell Park in Oconomowoc, Wis. Monday, June 29, 2026. The first full moon of the summer season, it is sometimes called the “Strawberry Moon,” a name with Native American connections that reflects the annual harvesting time for the fruit. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Avery Sime, 11, with Rutland 4-H, pets her Yorkshire gilt pig, Ethel, during the first day of the 100th annual Stoughton Fair at Mandt Park in Stoughton, Wis. Wednesday, July 1, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Following a fishing outing on Lake Wingra, enrollees in the Camp Wingra summer camp return their craft to the shore of the lake in Madison, Wis. Thursday, July 2, 2026. In addition to small group paddling and fishing instruction, the camp offers team-building activities, arts and crafts, nature exploration, and environmental education for children in grades 1-9. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
The UW Arboretum begins to take on a distinctly summer look as perennial sunflower plants mature above a walking path adjacent to the Curtis Prairie at the conservancy in Madison, Wis. Monday, July 6, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Larry Stumm, 12, left, and Dante Turner Strum, 13, share a paddle board during a carp fishing outing on the Tenney Park lagoon in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, July 7, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Pet therapy volunteers and their dogs attend a press conference at the Dane County Regional Airport, including, from left: Tami Rotar, with Bernedoodle, Darby, 7; Kay Smith, with Maltese, Jesse, 10; and Deb Hamele, with French bulldog, Chaos, 12, in Madison, Wis. Wednesday, July 8, 2026. The number of dogs and handlers participating in the airport’s pet therapy program has tripled over the past five years. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Jesus Juarez Sanchez of North American Midway Entertainment assembles a ride on the midway of the Dane County Fair at Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis. Wednesday, July 15, 2026. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Brian Elberth, left, and his nephew Rell, center, try to catch fish in Lake Mendota off of the Tenney Park Lock on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 in Madison, Wis. Particles from incoming smoke from Canada led to a vivid red sunset. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
