What to know about snakes in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has 21 snake species across the state + 14 are considered "rare" and listed as endangered, threatened, or special concern. Only 2 species are venomous.
In Wisconsin, any snake that’s a solid color or has lengthwise stripes is non-venomous.
There is on average about one reported rattlesnake bite every four years in Wisconsin.
There has only been one documented rattlesnake-related death in Wisconsin since 1900.
There was once a bounty in Wisconsin on rattlesnakes, rewarding captors $5 per tail. In 1975, the bounty was lifted + the eastern massasauga rattlesnake was placed on the Wisconsin Endangered and Threatened Species List.

Pro Tip: If you want to learn how to identify snakes + properly keep them off your property, the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources offers some peace-of-mind answers and a few guidelines to keeping yourself and the snake safe.

#MUSTDO

Today

Madison Night Market | Fri., Oct. 22 | 4-9 p.m. | State St. + Gilman St. | Free entry | Celebrate Madison’s unique creative culture with live music, artists + visiting food carts. 🌙

Saturday

Madison Forward vs. FC Tucson | Sat., Oct. 23 | 7 p.m. | Breese Stevens | $18+ | Cheer on the Flamingos + celebrate autumn with a Fall Festival filled with snacks, face painting + more festivities. ⚽
Fall Festival at Eugster’s Farm Market | Sat., Oct. 23-Sun., Oct. 24 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | 3865 State Rd. 138, Stoughton | $11.50 | A family day full of wagon rides, apple picking + pumpkin patches.
Randy Rainbow: The Pink Glasses Tour | Sat., Oct. 23 | 8 p.m. | The Orpheum Theater | $39+ | Musical satire of the hottest topics by Emmy-nominated singer, writer + comedian. 🎭

Sunday

Garden Stroll | Sun., Oct. 24 | 1-2 p.m. | UW-Madison Arboretum Visitor Center, 2880 Longenecker Dr. | Free | Bring the whole family for a stroll through the gardens + learn about plants, animals, and fungi. 🍃
Pints for Pups | Sun., Oct. 24 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Garver Feed Mill, 3241 Garver Green | Free entry | Support Underdog Pet Rescue with a drink + plenty of adoptable dogs. 🐶

Monday

Matt Costa and David Ramirez | Mon., Oct. 25 | 8 p.m. | High Noon Saloon | $20+ | Enjoy the sounds of this folk-pop co-headliner performance.

Tuesday

Kids in the Kitchen: Tricky Treats | Tues., Oct. 26 | 5-6:30 p.m. | Virtual | $10+ | Join Chef Lily for zucchini zombie cookies, alien avocado pudding + more spooky treats. 🕷️

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

PLAN OUT THE REST OF OCTOBER

NEWS NOTES

Weather

51º | Cloudy | 10% chance of rain ☁️

Announced

The delayed Camp Randall south end zone expansion project will officially begin once the final Badger’s home game is played this season + be completed in time for next season’s opening game. The project will cost $77.6 million and add club seats, expanded food and beverage options, and climate controlled amenities. 🏈 (Channel 3000)
The City of Madison reminded citizens this week that Freakfest 2021 and the Trick-or-Treat portion of the Downtown Madison Family Halloween on State St. and Capitol Square have been canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. You can find more information regarding the cancelations + official city updates here.

Closed

Barriques — the coffee roaster + cafe — located at 2166 Atwood Ave. will close its doors before the end of the year. Co-owner Matt Weygandt shared that it will not be renewing their lease at that location, but will continue to operate its other Madison locations on Monroe St., W. Washington Ave., University Ave., and Old Sauk Rd. ☕ (Isthmus)

Civic

This Sat., Oct. 23, you can purchase compost bins at Garver Feed Mill (3241 Garver Green) to help Dane County cut back on food waste. Bins are available from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. for $69.99 + there is about 10 years left until the Dane County landfill is full. ♻️ (Wisconsin State Journal)
Dane County is looking for more landowners to join its Continuous Cover Program. This program — which provides funding to landowners who “convert and maintain continuous vegetative cover on agricultural lands” — helps to reduce soil erosion, increase water filtration, and promote organic wildlife habitats. The funding is over a 15-year period after a contract is signed. (ABC27)

Job

Johnson Public House is looking to hire kitchen staff for its newly renovated space at 908 E. Johnson St. You can reach out to the coffee shop via email + benefits are offered for those who work 35 hours or more a week. 💼

Sports

Tomorrow, the UW-Madison women’s hockey team will face off against Ohio State at 2 p.m. + play them again on Sun., Oct. 24 at 3 p.m. The Badgers are ranked no. 1 and Ohio State is ranked no. 2. 🏒
On Fri., Nov. 5, the UW-Madison men’s hockey team will play the Minnesota Gophers at the Kohl Center + the game is a red out. The first 5,000 fans to show up to the game will get a free red t-shirt.

Cause

The 26th annual NBC15 Share Your Holidays campaign officially kicks off on Wed., Nov. 3 + 139 barrels were distributed to 63 locations across Dane County this week. Help them reach their goal of providing 5 million meals this holiday season. (NBC15)

Arts

The UW-Madison Art Department will host its annual Open Studio Day on Sat., Nov. 6 from 12-6 p.m. at the Humanities Building (455 N. Park St.) and the Art Lofts (111 N. Frances St.). There will be 50 artist studios open + you can meet student artists, see their work, and get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at their process. 🖼️

Outdoors

Madison Mom has shared a roundup of 5 great places to take your kids camping within 3 hours of Madison. Check out the list + see more from the Wisconsin Adventure Family account @dineodowd.

📸 City of Madison

The Madison Art Commission is sponsoring the temporary illumination of the CommuniTree in the 600 block of Williamson St. for Aaron Howard, a blacksmith + artist who heavily contributed to the Madison art scene that died this week.

Aaron constructed and designed many pieces for the Madison Children’s Museum, such as the Hodge Podge Mahal: a 2-story climber, the Stair Trek Zip, Zap, Zoom: a 5-story climber, Urb garden tree + the spiral staircase at the new outdoor Wonderground.

CommuniTree will be illuminated nightly from 7 p.m. until 12 a.m.

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