Friday, December 16, 2011

Come to the Winter Garage Sale Fundraiser on Saturday, from 6-8pm at the High Noon Saloon. Enjoy entertainment by Ladies Must Swing and purchase last-minute gifts for friends and family while helping a great cause. Proceeds from the garage sale will benefit Primates Incorporated - the nonprofit raising funds to construct an enriching and spacious primate sanctuary in southern Wisconsin. Visit primatesinc.com or call Amy at 220-2166 for more information.

The Unemployed Worker's Council meets monthly. This week, the guest speaker is Terrie Albano, editor at People's World newspaper speaking about volunteer journalism and the labor movement. They meet Saturday at 11 a.m. at the South Public Library Meeting Room, 2222 S. Park St. Contact Jennifer at jen.leonard87@gmail.com for more information.

Music, stories, and colorful costumed Yuletide characters from across time and cultures will be part of this year's Winter Solstice Pageant. The Pageant, organized by Circle Sanctuary and now in its 33rd year, will be held Friday evening, from 7 - 9 pm in the New Auditorium of the First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Drive. Participants are invited to bring canned goods for Circle Sanctuary's charity food drive for the Barneveld Food Pantry at Barneveld Lutheran Church. A suggested donation will be collected at the door. Contact Naomi of Circle Sanctuary at 924-2216 for details.

United Wisconsin is calling for a 'Day of Action' this Saturday. Volunteers from around Wisconsin will be participating in a Total Recall Day of Action at signing stations around the state, collecting recall signatures as well as food and toys to benefit local charities. Go to www.unitedwisconsin.com to see a full list of recall signing stations, including Baraboo, Portage and Sauk. Check out the website over the next few days as more Total Recall events are added often!

'Our Austerity Christmas Caroling!' this Saturday from noon – 2:00 pm at the Governors Mansion (99 Cambridge Rd. in Maple Bluff). Join the UW-Madison Campus Solidarity Committee for some Christmas caroling and theater outside the Governor's Mansion. The mansion is open 12-2 for a Christmas tour that day. Participants are encouraged to wear Dickensian period costumes --think "A Christmas Carol" or "Oliver Twist"--- or you best rags. Props, signs, theatrics around the "Christmas Carol" theme most welcome. Carpools are being arranged from the Memorial Union (leaving at 11:45) for those who need a ride. For more details, check out the Facebook event!

Madison's Indoor Blues Festival and benefit is this Sunday. This will be probably the best all-star blues jam Madison has seen in a long time, featuring Clyde Stubblefield, Jim Schwall, Westside Andy, Jim Liben, Rev Raven and many more. Billy McDuffee was one of Madison's most beloved musicians and all proceeds goes to his family. Music starts after the Packer game and goes on until - whenever. A small suggested donation will be collected at the door. Come on down to the Knuckledown Saloon, 2513 Seiferth Rd, (one block east of Stoughton Rd on Pflaum Rd). For more information, call Knuckledown at 222-7800.

Celebrate the holiday season with music at Olbrich Botanical Gardens on Sundays, at 2 p.m. Olbrich’s holiday concert series offers a medley of seasonal music. A small donation is suggested for each concert. This Sunday's feature is Larry Jankowski "The Electric Organ”/Organ Music.

This Sunday at 2:00 pm, Friends’ Meeting House (1704 Roberts Ct. – just off Monroe St.) is hosting the monthly meeting of PFLAG. The topic is "When Do I Speak Up?" and a holiday treats sharing time will follow the program. For information email ptandkj@gmail.com

The Freewheel Bike Collective at 1804 S. Park St. #5 is having a meeting to discuss what the open shop hours should be during the winter months. It will be held this Sunday at 7:00 pm. For more info go to freewheelbikes.org or email danespudic@gmail.com.

Evansville’s Ever Green Holiday Market : Gifts, Food, Yoga, Live Music and Merriment! This Sunday, local and sustainably crafted gifts, from: Ojibwa dream catchers, handcrafted instruments, CSA sign-ups, toys, farm fresh gift boxes, kombucha, goat’s milk soap, family yoga sessions, organic straw mulch and live acoustic music. This will be held at The Eager Commerce Building, 7 East Main St., in Evansville from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For details contact Amelia at amelia@freemarketorganics.com.

Don't miss the showing of Eric Baillies, Craig Grabhorn & Nina Bednarski's Art "Forward Reaction: Truth Hits The Streets," works from spring's political upheaval. These historical works connect directly with the Wisconsin struggle, but carry the universal language of solidarity, love and the light of the human spirit when beaming with determination. It is free and open to the public from 3 to 8 Friday and 10am to 4pm at the Common Wealth Gallery, Madison Enterprise Center 100 S. Baldwin St. 3rd floor. For more information, call 442-9663