Monday April 21 through Friday April 25
• Madison County High School (MCHS) will be holding cheerleader tryouts for the 2025-26 school year from 3:15 p.m. until 5:15 p.m., in the MCHS gymnasium. Please note there will be no tryout practice on Wednesday, April 23. Anyone who did not attend the Wednesday, April 9, meeting will not be allowed to try out. Any exceptions must be approved by Ruth Ann Latner. For more information, please contact Latner at ruth.latner@mcsbfl.us, or call (850) 464-0236.
Friday April 25
• One of the highlights every year during the Down Home Days festivities is when Pinckney Street becomes a big stage for the annual street performance by the students of Becky’s Dance Step Studio. This year, the performance is scheduled at 6 p.m. The performance will take place on Pinckney Street, in front of the Madison County Courthouse Annex, in downtown Madison. Dancers of all ages will perform selections from their upcoming dance recital.
• One of the annual early treats for the Down Home Days celebration is the a cappella sing held at the Madison Church of Christ, in Madison. The gospel sing takes place beginning at 7 p.m. The audience is invited to join in as various worship leaders sing a collection of favorite hymns. After the singing, everyone is invited to enjoy light refreshments and catch up with friends in the fellowship hall. The church is located at 199 NE Range Ave.
Saturday April 26
• North Florida College (NFC) and the Madison County Chamber of Commerce will host a Sentinel Sprint 5k & Fun Run starting at 8 a.m., followed by a fun run at 9:15 a.m. The 5k costs $25 for an individual registration. Race check-in and race day registrations will be at the Colin P. Kelly Fitness and Wellness Center on the NFC Campus. The Fun Run costs $15. Entrants will also receive a ticket for additional swag pickup at the NFC tent at Down Home Days. For more information and to register, visit madisondownhomedays.com/5k-funrunregistration. The Colin P. Kelly Fitness Center is located in Building 12 at 325 NW Turner Davis Dr., in Madison.
• Everyone loves a parade, and one of the events locals look forward to each year is the annual Down Home Days Parade. The parade line up begins at the North Florida College main entrance and the route will continue down Base Street (U.S. Hwy. 90) to downtown Madison. The theme for this year’s parade is “Retreat to Vintage Florida.” The parade is being organized this year by Tri-County Electric Cooperative. The parade will begin promptly at 10 a.m.
• Antique and Classic car owners will have the opportunity to display their vehicle at Down Home Days. Registration for the Antique and Classic Car Show starts at 8:30 a.m., on North Range Street, in Madison. The parade line-up will begin at 9 a.m. beside O’Neal’s Restaurant. At 1 p.m., there will be a prize and cash drawing. To register, please visit madisondownhomedays.com/carshow.
• Don’t miss the entertaining 34th Annual Frog Hop Contest, beginning at 1 p.m. The contest takes place on the eastern side of the Courthouse Lawn. Contestants and their amphibious athletes will compete in three age divisions: the Children’s Division for toddlers through K-4, the Junior Division for kids age five through third grade and the Senior Division for those fourth grade and up. People and frogs are asked to arrive 30 minutes early to register for the contest. There will be prizes in each division, with the first place winners of each division competing in a championship hop-off for the Grand Champion Trophy.
• At the corner of Dade Street and Range Avenue, a special area will be roped off for the Down Home Days Beer Garden, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. The Down Home Days Beer Garden is in partnership with Forgotten Coast K-9. The price of admission will be $20 for an armband, which will allow unlimited samples of a wide variety of special craft brews. Entry into the Down Home Days Beer Garden is for those 21 years of age and older. Please drink responsibly.
Saturday May 3
•The Healthy Start Coalition of Jefferson, Madison and Taylor County with A Women’s Pregnancy Center is holding a Baby Expo for new and soon-to-be parents at the Bridge, located at 1135 US-90, in Madison, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. At the Baby Expo, there will be multiple vendors providing information on breastfeeding, car seats, home visiting services, safe sleep, women/baby health and many other services. This event is free for any new and soon-to-be parents. The first 20 people registered will receive a $25 gift card. Must be present at event to receive the gift card. Registration is required to attend. For more information on the Baby Expo, please call (850) 948-2741.
Sunday May 4
• The annual GLOW Ladies’ Tea Party will be held from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. at Greenville Baptist Church, located at 1365 SW Main St., in Greenville. Ladies from ages 13 years old and up are invited to join the GLOW ladies for an afternoon of tea, a light meal and fun with all the ladies present. Christy Bass Adams will be the guest speaker and will help participants “grow May flowers out of our April showers.” Tickets for this event are $5 and portion of proceeds will go towards A Women’s Pregnancy Center. To purchase tickets, please contact Greenville Baptist Church at (850) 948-2353.
Saturday May 10 through Sunday May 11
• The Spring Harvest Farm Tour in north central Florida and southwest Georgia is set for Saturday, May 10, through Sunday, May 11. The 2025 Spring Harvest Farm Tour will offer over 30 different farms/ranches/orchards to visit, all for free. Spring Harvest Farm Tour guidelines to follow include: keeping any pets at home (call place before about registered service dogs), no visiting before or after the posted hours at locations, watch your children, youth under 16 years old must be with an adult, do not feed farm animals without permission and follow all posted signs/rules. The organizer, Millstone Institute, recommends bringing a cooler, closed toed shoes, sunscreen, bug spray and cash with you (some places do not accept credit cards). A tour guidebook can help you navigate around the different farms hours and their location. You can download your own copy of the guidebook by visiting Fl-Ga Farm Tour’s Facebook page.
Sunday May 11
• The Edge of Town, located at 8289 US 90, in Lee, is hosting a Mother’s Day special brunch from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. They will be serving a “family style brunch”. The Edge of Town recommends reservations with $30 for adults and $15 for children. The family style items on the menu includes: muffin/coffee cake basket, yogurt parfait, veggie quiche, sausage biscuit casserole, french toast, mimosa, coffee and bacon and sausage. The make a reservation call the Edge of Town at (850) 849-5994.
Every Tuesday of the month
Every Tuesday at noon, the Lions Club holds its weekly meeting at Mother's Soup Company. At the meetings, they welcome new members and discuss community related topics. Mother's Soup Company is located at 671 E Base St., in Madison.
Every Wednesday
Every Wednesday, the Madison Rotary Club meets at 12 p.m. in the Ave Maria Hall of St. Vincent dePaul Catholic Church, located at 301 N Orange Ave., in Madison. For more information, contact Chad Arnold, Secretary, at jcarnold@gmail.com or call (850) 673-8201.
Every Thursday
The Madison Public Library holds their Preschool Story Time every Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Movies, crafts and games are sure to entertain and delight. The library is located at 387 College Loop, in Madison.
Second and fourth Friday of every month
Mad Talkers Toastmasters Club meets every second and fourth Friday of the month from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., at the Madison County Chamber of Commerce Office Board Room, located at 182 NW College Loop, in Madison.
Every Third Saturday
Compassion in Action Crusade is held the third Saturday of every month, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event has free food, drinks, clothes and more to give away, including prayer. Compassion in Action is held at 177 SW Horry Ave., in Madison. For more information, please visit www.gplmadison.com
Second Wednesday of the month (September-May)
The 55-Plus Club Luncheon and Program is held the second Wednesday of the month, at 12 p.m., at the United Methodist Cooperative Ministries Center, located at 135 NE Dill St., in Madison. No reservations are needed to attend and the program is open to all in Madison who are 55 years of age or older.
Second and Fourth Thursday of every month
The Kiwanis meet the second and fourth Thursday of every month, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. This meeting is held at the Madison County UF/IFAS Extension Office Meeting Room, located at 184 NW College Loop, in Madison.
Every first and third Tuesday
The food pantry at Fellowship Baptist Church is open on the first and third Tuesday of every month, for those in need, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Any individual wanting to donate can drop donations off during the food pantry's hours or contact Christy Bass-Adams at (850) 673-9764. Fellowship Baptist Church is located at 1997 NE Colin Kelly Hwy., in Madison.
Every Sunday and Wednesday
The College and Young Pros of Madison First Baptist Church meet every Sunday, at 9:45 a.m., and Wednesday, at 8 p.m. These young adults would love for you to join them. The church is located at 134 SW Meeting St., in Madison.
Every Wednesday
Awanas is underway for Fellowship Baptist Church. All children aged two years old to fifth grade are welcome to attend. Awanas is held from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday nights. Fellowship Baptist Church is located at 1997 NE Colin Kelly Hwy., in Madison.
Every second and fourth Thursday
The Titus 2 Ladies Bible Study group at Fellowship Baptist Church meets every second and fourth Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Childcare will be provided to those that need it for the meeting. Fellowship Baptist Church is located at 1997 NE Colin Kelly Hwy., in Madison.
Every fourth Tuesday
The Shepherd's Hands of the Suwannee Valley continues to offer their free medical clinic at Madison First Baptist Church every fourth Tuesday of each month, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Volunteers are needed to assist in the ministry. The church is located at 134 SW Meeting St., in Madison. For more information, call (850) 973-2547.
Every Tuesday
Celebrate Recovery is held every Tuesday night at Fellowship Baptist Church, in Madison, from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. This Christ-centered recovery program is open to the public. Fellowship Baptist Church is located at 1997 NE Colin Kelly Hwy., in Madison.