Time again for my annual round-up of Madison-area community festivals, which begin next weekend. I can’t wait for the beer tents and live music! Amazingly, Madison County is booked for only one of these festivals (probably due to its large fees).
| Events | Dates | Of note |
| Syttende Mai (Stoughton) | May 18-20 | The Norwegian celebration features a 20-mile run from downtown Madison to Stoughton. In addition, check out the strongman competition called the “Viking Games.” |
| Fitchburg Days | May 18-20 | Meanwhile, Fitchburg Days allows us to celebrate our Irish heritage in Fitchburg. That means annual performances by Pat McCurdy but not The Kissers this year. No more fireworks, either. |
| Verona Hometown Days | June 1-3 | Hometown Days is one day shorter this year, starting on Friday instead of Thursday. Organizers made up for it with two bands on Friday and two on Saturday, including mainstay Cherry Pie. The big parade takes place on Sunday. |
| Fireman’s Festival (Cottage Grove) | June 14-17 | This festival has a little bit of everything, from the Smokin’ Hot BBQ contest to a horse pull. Plus, Legion and Home Talent League baseball games take place all weekend. |
| Oregon Summer Fest | June 21-24 | See cars from all decades in the annual car show, and enjoy ribs and BBQ chicken at the Oregon-Brooklyn Lions Club “Thrilla on the Grilla.” Also, you have the opportunity to take a hot air balloon ride. |
| Monona Community Festival | July 3-4 | I’ve always enjoyed the hole-in-one challenge, which seems to be won with some frequency. And believe it or not, the festival hosts the annual Wisconsin Wife Carry Championship. |
| DeForest Area 4th of July Celebration | July 3-4 | Definitely the worst website of all the communities. The parade is the central feature. Assuming no changes from last year, expect a concert and pony rides. |
| Waunafest | July 26-29 | Waunakee has such strong community spirit, which is why this event has the largest attendance … and also the largest beer tent. Be warned that parking can be difficult. The Lions Club hosts a huge grass volleyball tournament. |
| Sweet Corn Festival (Sun Prairie) | Aug. 16-19 | As the name implies, you can’t attend this event without eating some of the 75 tons of sweet corn. Since the event is at Angell Park, you will see midget car racing and a tractor pull. |
| Middleton Good Neighbor Festival | Aug. 24-26 | Here we are at the end of the summer festival schedule. Check out the huge craft fair and the parade on University Avenue. Don’t drink too much, as there are only like five porta-potties, sadly. |
Note: I didn’t include the McFarland Family Festival since it takes place in the fall.
I didn’t expect to find decent BBQ in Oregon, but I was pleasantly surprised by the offerings, especially the sauces, of 
I also enjoyed the jumbo smoked bone-in chicken wings ($0.75 per wing), which are plump and sport a char from the grill. The garlic parmesan sauce did not disappoint. Your other choices in sauces are BBQ and mild buffalo.
