University of Wisconsin-Madison
+1 608 263-2400 (http://www.wisc.edu/). located in the center of town, the university has been in operation since 1848, with more than 41,000 students enrolled each year.
Madison Area Technical College
3550 anderson st, +1 608 246-6100 (http://matcmadison.edu/matc/). matc has several campuses in madison and surrounding communities and offers a variety of two-year programs as well as non-credit courses.
Overture Center
501 state st, +1 608 258-4177 (http://www.overturecenter.com/). this venue is home to madison's most prominent performing arts organizations, including the madison ballet, opera, symphony, repertory theater, and children's theater. the facilities also include the madison museum of contemporary art, and galleries housing work by local visual artists. the building itself is gorgeous - the rooftop garden is particularly impressive - and well worth a stop as one meanders down state street. private tours are available.
Concerts on the Square
This very popular weekly summer concert series by the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra is held on the grounds of the State Capitol. Attendees sit on the lawn around the building, and most people bring a blanket to spread on the ground and picnic foods to eat.
Rhythm and Booms
This Independence Day celebration includes food, music, children's events, carnival rides, and other activities, culminating at dusk with the Midwest's largest fireworks display, timed to music broadcast by a local radio station.
Mifflin Street Block Party
A massive student-run block party held on the first Saturday of every May. Several blocks of West Mifflin Street are cordoned off for drinking, music, and food in what is one of the largest public gatherings in the country. Keep an eye out for overzealous policemen - read the stay safe section for more information.
The largest employers are the Wisconsin government and the University of Wisconsin. Additionally, there are a growing number of hi-tech employers and jobs, particularly in the bio-tech field. Madison has a very low unemployment rate compared to the national average.
Edgewood College
1000 edgewood college dr, +1 800 444-4861 (http://www.edgewood.edu/). located on lake wingra near the uw-madison arboretum, edgewood college is a small, catholic, liberal arts college.
Token Creek Chamber Music Festival
(http://www.tokencreekfest...). an annual festival held every august featuring great classical music in an intimate, rural setting.
Great Taste of the Midwest
This beer festival, put on by the Madison Homebrewers and Tasters Guild, is one of the biggest in the nation, with over one hundred brewpubs and microbreweries in attendance, and over 5,000 guests. The number of tickets is limited, and the popularity of this event means that they typically sell out within days.