Top 10 Unbelievable Fun Facts About Madison, Wisconsin: Discover the City's Hidden Gems!

1. Bike-Friendly Monopoly

There's a two-wheeled twist on Monopoly in Madison, where the Community Chest cards say "Advance to Platinum Bike-Friendly Community, pass GO, collect 200 smiles!": The League of American Bicyclists recognized Madison as a Platinum Bike-Friendly Community and it ranks second in the Places for Bikes City Rating, but ironically, only about 5% of locals commute to work on their silver spokes, with just 51 more bike commuters in 2019 compared to 2011.
Source => madisonbikes.org

2. Aquaman's Lake Mendota

Who knew Aquaman held seminars at a Midwestern lake? Lake Mendota's the place to be: with 26 miles of shoreline and a depth of 83 feet, it's the most studied lake in the U.S., home to the UW-Madison Center for Limnology and comfortably nestled within Madison, a city cradled by two of five picturesque lakes in its scenic isthmus.
Source => authenticwisconsin.com

Discover the surprising connection between the magical world of Harry Houdini and Appleton, Wisconsin! Uncover his secrets and try recreating his legendary illusions at a special museum. ✨

=> Fun Facts about Wisconsin

3. Flamingo City Mascot

Forget lawn gnomes and tired garden decor, Madison prefers its feathered friends as hot pink, leggy, and delightfully kitschy: Madison, Wisconsin officially designated the plastic flamingo as the city's official bird in 2009, honoring a legendary prank by UW-Madison students who used $80,000 to cover Bascom Hill with 1,008 plastic flamingos in 1979, led by the mock political organization "The Pail and Shovel Party."
Source => nbc15.com

4. Brat Fest Extravaganza

When a Wisconsinite craves a good sausage party, Madison knows how to bring on the brats: Madison, Wisconsin hosts an annual Brat Fest during spring, offering an array of events for all ages, made possible by the generous contributions of its presenting sponsors.
Source => bratfest.com

5. Madison's Unique Isthmus

Is your city feeling isthmus-tified? Madison, Wisconsin sure is: One of only two major U.S. cities built on an isthmus (alongside Seattle), it boasts a unique street grid layout, with the Wisconsin State Capitol perched atop a neck of land cradled by Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, whilst the Yahara River adds its own twist by running through the isthmus and secretly connecting the two lakes.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Shrimpressive Climate Research

In a shrimpressive turn of events, Madison, Wisconsin might just hold the key to figuring out how our aquatic friends will cope with the slippery slope of climate change: Researchers at UW-Madison have uncovered fossil records of zooplankton that date back 56 million years, revealing a significant decrease in diversity during a period of intense climate change, raising concerns for modern marine ecosystems and their tiny heroes that form the foundation of the food web.
Source => spectrumnews1.com

7. Moo-tastic Farmers' Market

If you're ever feeling hungry and hankering for some homegrown deliciousness in Madison, Wisconsin, just follow the faint mooing of cows and the satisfied sounds of locals munching on fresh cheese curds: The Dane County Farmers' Market in Madison is actually the largest producer-only farmers' market in the United States, hosting up to 150 vendors during the summer months. It exclusively supports local farmers by only allowing vendors who grow or produce their products within Wisconsin to participate, making it a mecca of fresh produce, meats, cheeses, and specialty items, as well as an acclaimed attraction featured by publications such as USA Today and Fox News.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Sobering Party Rankings

It seems the party tide at UW-Madison has sobered up just a tad, like a 2am stumble to Taco Bell or a cold shower named Delaware: This year, the University of Wisconsin-Madison dropped to 8th on The Princeton Review's top party schools list, but found itself crowned as the best in the nation for health services and catching a solid third place for "Lots of Beer." Cheers!
Source => tmj4.com

9. Ironman Triathlon Challenge

Bike, swim, and run like a fish riding a bicycle up a hill, that's also running a marathon: Madison, Wisconsin hosts the Ironman® 70.3 triathlon, where participants face a daunting 56-mile bike route through the picturesque Dane County, swim in Lake Monona, and commence a race at Olin Park, available for practice all year round.
Source => visitmadison.com

10. Lincoln's Lucky(?) Toe

Abe's got a twin, but no magic toe: Madison, Wisconsin's regal Lincoln statue atop Bascom Hill is actually a duplicate of a sculpture located in Kentucky, and despite popular belief, rubbing its toe isn't known to bring good luck! Sculpted by Adolph A. Weinman, the statue shows a collected and commanding Lincoln with one hand steadying his chair and the other casually resting, all while an eagle with outstretched wings adorns the chair, representing the U.S. governmental seal. At the statue's base, a granite pedestal displays the names of the 36 states that joined the Union before Lincoln's tragic assassination in 1865.
Source => publicart.wisc.edu