📝 Where are Madison’s lesbian bars?

🚶 Make Way For the Pedestrian Mall

• The 400 through 600 blocks of State Street begin a new life today as a pedestrian mall. The new city experiment kicks off today and bars vehicles from using that portion of the street after 3 p.m. on weekdays and after 10 a.m. on weekends. That means pedestrians and bikers are free to roam as they please.
• The project will run through October (or until snow plowing is necessary). The city plans to collect data and feedback from both residents and businesses on their experience with the pedestrian mall to determine whether or not to keep it around for future years.
• As part of the project, the city has installed planters and benches along the blocks as well as painted murals on the street as visual cues to keep cars off the road. (Though one Reddit user has pointed out that the city might want to use a second coat of paint next time.) [Isthmus, Reddit]

🎶 Music in Olin Park

• Friends of Olin Turville and Madison Parks Division are hosting a series of outdoor concerts this month at the Olin Park Pavilion. The first show is tonight featuring Ladies Must Swing. The show starts at 6 p.m. (rain or shine) and concert goers are encouraged to bring their own picnic items, chairs and tables will be provided. [FOOT, YouTube]

❤️‍🩹 Your Lunchtime Read: The Legacy Left Behind by Ron Gerbig

• “Ron Gerbig was a man who was living on the streets of Madison for over 20 years. He may not have had a house, but he did have a home.
  
  Ron was known for living in a couple key spots in Madison. Many remember him sitting by the Walgreens on State Street, or up on the square, but most recently people remember passing him outside the CVS Pharmacy on Bedford Street. [...]
  
  Those people can only see Ron now through their memory. In February of 2024, Ron passed away due to a heart attack. Though he no longer sits at his spot, his friendly face and quiet demeanor will not be forgotten.” [Channel 3000]

⬆️ Last Week’s Answer

Space hunks?! Where?! Meep Meepleton's World of Fun, that’s where!

🥳 Big shoutout to reader Dann H. for being the first to guess correctly!

The shop opened at 912 Willy Street in 2021 and has since become a favorite for local collectors, kids, and anyone looking to feed their inner child. If you’re looking for more cool collectibles, check out Sig’s Treasure Chest at 222 North St.

⬇️ This Week’s Clues

Where can you find this graveyard of confiscated IDs? I’m only giving one hint this week because it’s practically giving it away. Here’s your hint.

• This shop is well-known in the Madison community for selling beer — legally — after the usual 9 p.m. cutoff time.

Dyke Dive: Madison’s Coolest Lesbian Pop-Up

Madison is a proudly gay-friendly city. Yet, we don’t have any lesbian specific bars, despite having an active and vibrant lesbian scene. One event that serves Madison’s lesbian community is a monthly pop-up called Dyke Dive that’s been around for nearly a decade.