Winter Carnival, Feb. 5-7, UW Memorial Union area: If you can’t escape winter, you might as well go with the snow. The Wisconsin Union’s long-running Winter Carnival is a chance to do just that, with the Memorial Union and its frozen backyard, Lake Mendota, becoming a choose-your-own-adventure zone. There’s learn-to-skate sessions and themed skate nights; a pancake breakfast, hot chocolate stops and chili cook-off; rail jam and the ice-pulley kayak challenge; ice fishing and ice climbing; and more. The weekend wouldn’t be complete without Lady Liberty — towering, iconic, and very inflatable — watching over the lake like she owns the place. Find the updated schedule at union.wisc.edu.

She Carried Us: Legacies of Labor, Love and Liberation, Feb. 2-27, Madison College Gallery; reception Feb. 5, 5:30-8 p.m.: If you haven’t been to an exhibit at Madison College’s art gallery, it’s worth checking out. Just inside the Wright Street entrance (where there is also a visitor parking area), the gallery is full of thoughtfully curated works in a variety of rotating exhibits. This is an annual exhibit in honor of longtime academic advisor Dzigbodi Akyea; the theme for 2026 is “She Carried Us: Legacies of Labor, Love and Liberation.” The name says it all; the works honor Black women as a crucial component of our communities. The exhibit supports the Dzigbodi Akyea Scholarship for Black students pursuing a liberal arts program at Madison College. There will be an opening reception Feb. 5. from 5:30-8 p.m.

A Love Letter, Feb. 5-15, Art House 360, Verona: Theatre LILA collaborates with the contemporary and hip-hop-inflected Madison dance company Barrio Dance for an experimental dance-theater production. It’s about love — but, like love itself, it takes unexpected turns and leads the audience into new places. Theatre LILA’s Jessica Lanius calls A Love Letter “immersive” and says that the new venue ART House 360, 401 W. Main Street in Verona, enhances that connection. Shows are at 7 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday; tickets at theatrelila.com.

Sean Patton, Feb. 5-7, Comedy on State: Sean Patton shows up with the full package: a recent run on the FX sitcom English Teacher; a brain that runs hot; and yes — the beard and body you can practically nestle into. His stand-up features that specific Patton skill of taking a perfectly reasonable premise and driving it straight into the guardrail — on purpose — while you’re still laughing. Shows at 7 p.m. Feb. 5 and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Feb. 6-7; tickets at madisoncomedy.com.

Ironbound, through Feb. 15, Overture Center-Playhouse: Forward Theater Company presents the Wisconsin premiere of a play centered on a timely topic: the experience of an immigrant in America. Ironbound, by Martyna Majok, tells the story of a couple decades in the life of a woman from Eastern Europe who lands on the East Coast in the late 20th and early 21st century looking for a better life, and love, in a new country. How will her life plans change over the years while fighting for a secure existence? Read Rebecca Jamieson's review here. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, plus 2 p.m. on Feb. 7 and 14. Tickets at overture.org.

Li Chiao-Ping Dance, Feb. 5-7, Margaret H'Doubler Performance Space, Lathrop Hall: The multidisciplinary, mixed-media dance theater work Here Lies the Truth comes to an end with these performances on the UW campus after having premiered at the Overture Center in 2022 and been performed across the country in the time since. The piece tries to get at whatever “the truth” may be in terms of “race, power, access, equity and positionality.” This collaboration from choreographer Li Chiao-Ping, composer Tim Russell, dramaturg Cláudia Tatinge Nascimento, and visual artist Douglas Rosenberg includes theater, live music, spoken word and film, incorporating documentary footage from the 2020 George Floyd protests. Performances at 8 p.m. Feb. 5-6 and at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 7; a talkback is scheduled after Thursday night’s performance. Tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.

Scandihoovian Winter Festival, Feb. 6-8, Mount Horeb: Since winter is looking to stick around awhile, it should at least come with a sense of humor — and in Mount Horeb you don’t have to troll far to have a good time at the Scandihoovian Winter Festival. There’s pointy red hats, Nordic treats, and wholesome chaos in the form of a fat tire bike race, a Frozen Turkey toss (yes, really), plenty of kids’ activities, and an adult spelling bee. Find an updated schedule at mounthorebchamber.com.

Orchid Escape, Jan. 31-March 8, Olbrich Gardens, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: After the recent stretch of frigid temperatures, many may be thinking of escaping to somewhere warm. A retreat right here in town is Olbrich Gardens' Bolz Conservatory, with the annual “Orchid Escape” display through March 8. Along with a multitude of beautiful orchids, this year’s event includes a focus on insects that are part of the plants' ecosystem. Tickets for timed entry are required, and available at olbrich.org.

Peter Dominguez, Friday, Feb. 6, Arts + Literature Laboratory, 7:30 p.m.: Do, fa, mi, do — the bass is usually the one laying down the foundation while everyone else dances on it. For this concert, titled “Bass Salute to Madison,” Peter Dominguez is skipping the supporting role and taking the room solo at ALL. The UW Jazz Studies professor will pull from his Bass Salute album and other originals and arrangements. If you’ve ever left a show thinking, “honestly, the bass player was the whole thing,” this may be the concert for you.

C’est La Vie, Feb. 6-21, Bartell Theatre: Though this production is new, the concept is familiar: a lifetime includes a lot of scenes you don’t realize mattered until later. C’est La Vie, presented by Madison Public Theatre, features a collection of short works, written by Gretchen Suárez-Peña, that examine “the little things that make us all human,” as described by the playwright. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (except 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 21) and 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.

Sudan Archives, Friday, Feb. 6, Majestic, 8 p.m.: The music of singer-songwriter Sudan Archives brings together threads from various genres and cultures into a rhythm-centric world all her own. The 2025 album The BPM leans hard into many flavors of electronic dance music, particularly styles that grew in the Midwest. Along with Sudan Archives' ethereal vocals floating above the fray, some songs are grounded by her violin work. With Cain Culto. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Frozen Assets Festival, Saturday, Feb. 7, Edgewater + Lake Mendota, 10 a.m-3 p.m.: This annual day of winter recreation and entertainment for all ages has helped the Clean Lakes Alliance raise more than $1 million for lake monitoring, clean-up and educational projects during the past decade-plus. The day begins with a 5K run/walk and includes other active happenings like snowshoeing, lake hockey, ice skating, games and crafts. If you’re more into observing, there are performances by Central Midwest Ballet and David Landau, Seven Hills Skydivers jumps, Kites on Mendota (also from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday), IceCube project demonstrations, and much more. Find schedule updates at cleanlakesalliance.org/frozen-assets.

Grilling for Peace, Saturday, Feb. 7, Lake Wingra, 11 a.m.: Some fundraisers ask you to dress up; this one asks you to dress warm. Participants are invited to bring a grill and cook out on frozen Lake Wingra near Vilas Park (grilling spots first come, first served). It’s hosted by Savory Sunday — the Madison nonprofit that has been serving a hot meal every Sunday for 20 years at the Capitol or James Madison Park. Donations of money and nonperishable food items help keep the meals coming. More info at facebook.com/GrillingForPeace.

Souper Bowl, Saturday, Feb. 7, West High School, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.: UW-Madison Habitat for Humanity’s annual Souper Bowl fundraiser offers a hearty lunch, of course, but also community and the chance to go home with a handmade ceramic bowl. You pick your bowl first (important), then eat soup (also important) served up by community notables. With music, a silent auction and sports mascots, the whole place has that cheerful midwinter we’re-in-this-together energy. It all supports affordable housing work right here in Dane County.

Dance Festival for a Cause, Feb. 7-8, Madison College-Mitby Theater, 1 p.m.: Dance training is expensive; Dance Festival for a Cause is built to help local families in need sail over that financial hurdle, with participation fees earmarked for Madison Contemporary Dance scholarships. The weekend includes performances each day at 1 p.m., open to the public; the mornings offer master classes for dancers, and an afternoon networking fair (starting at noon) featuring companies, services, and opportunities all in one place. Find more info at madisoncontemporarydance.com.

The Hobbit, Feb. 7-22, Madison Youth Arts: Bilbo Baggins is an icon for anyone whose favorite plan is to “stay home.” The Hobbit is what happens when that plan collapses — cheerfully, catastrophically — into a world filled with dwarves, riddles, trolls, goblins, and one extremely persuasive wizard. Children’s Theater of Madison’s stage version of Greg Banks' adaptation of the fantasy classic keeps the story moving (90 minutes) and leans into the best Tolkien truth: courage isn’t always indicated by wielding swords and shields. Performances at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 and 6 p.m. Sunday, plus 7 p.m. on Feb. 20. Tickets at overture.org.

Shortwave Records showcase, Saturday, Feb. 7, Crystal Corner, 7 p.m.: Kudos to the Crystal for hosting wild, multi-act evenings showcasing local bands. This line-up put together by busy Madison label Shortwave is as silly as it is subversive. German Art Students channel Jonathan Richman. Nester puts a happy face on hard rock. The Flavor That Kills delivers catchy rock with huge hooks. Body Futures brings their power pop in from Milwaukee. And scene vets should be able to guess who late lineup addition “Airwik Shinkcrest” is.

Sherri Shepherd, Saturday, Feb. 7, Barrymore, 7 p.m.: If you know Sherri Shepherd, it’s probably from her years co-hosting The View — where she could go from warm to fired-up in one sentence and somehow make both funny — or her current talk show, Sherri. On her stand-up tour, she won’t have to share the table or the mic, so be prepared for quick gear-shifts that turn a casual observation into a punchline that lands hard. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Jason Moran & the Harlem Hellfighters, Saturday, Feb. 7, UW Memorial Union-Shannon Hall, 7:30 p.m.: If you like a good piano rag — or you just want a big band to light up the room — this is the place. Jason Moran brings his Harlem Hellfighters project, which places the spotlight on James Reese Europe and World War I-era musicians who helped set the table for the jazz era. Moran isn’t the type to turn history into homework; it’s music you can feel, with piano at the center and a horn section that can go from razor-sharp to full glow in a breath. Tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.

Ye Vagabonds, Saturday, Feb. 7, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: Led by brothers Brian and Diarmuid Mac Gloinn, Ye Vagabonds' new album, All Tied Together, takes Irish music into serious spaces. (For example, the single “The Flood” calls attention to the housing crisis.) With five Irish National Radio Best Folk Albums awards, the band is known in their home country as the “new wave” of Irish traditional music. Madison folk music explorer John Everett Hardin (Bright Arcana) opens. Tickets at theburoakmadison.com.

Yid Vicious, Saturday, Feb. 7, Harmony Bar, 9 p.m.: If you’ve lived in Madison for a while, you’ve probably seen Yid Vicious, the joyous klezmer band. Its name suggests a punk-klezmer hybrid, and the band is dedicated to preserving traditional klezmer music while infusing it with more contemporary sounds. The folk style grew from the Ashkenazi Jewish culture of Central and Eastern Europe and eventually adopted elements of American big band and jazz. While YV’s clarinet/violin/tuba/accordion vibe can be mournful, it's more often an invitation to get up and dance. The band has played everywhere from the Memorial Union’s Great Hall to Overture Center's Kids in the Rotunda series. At this show, the band is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Mazel tov!

Winter Festival of Poetry, Sundays, through Feb. 8, Cafe Coda; Feb. 15-March 8, Delta Beer Lab, 2 p.m.: A potent potable and some poetry on a midwinter’s afternoon? Yes please. The annual Winter Festival of Poetry is switching it up this year, moving to two festive locations, Cafe Coda and Delta Beer Lab for these Sunday afternoon readings. Readings continue at Coda through Feb. 8; from Feb. 15 on, readings are at Delta. Upcoming readers include Marilyn Annucci and Andrea Musher (Feb. 8), and many others.

Find the individual Picks collected here, and as part of the full calendar of events.