DISCOVER YOUR BEST SELF
A weekend of renewal, reflection, and personal growth.
EXPERIENCES AS UNIQUE AS YOU ARE
Each Self-Discovery Weekend features a fresh lineup of workshops crafted to inspire connection, curiosity, and inner growth.
Whether you’re exploring familiar interests or trying something completely new, you’ll leave with insights, inspiration, and renewed energy.
2026 workshops:
Saturday – Session 1 Options
- Play, Move, Flow: An Intro to Hoop Dance – 9-10a
- Fitboxing – Fitness and Kickboxing Together! – 8:20 – 9:20a
- Enjoying Seasonal & Local Foods: Tips, Recipes, and Hands-On Cooking – 9-10:30a
- Survive & Thrive – Strategies for Leadership, Mental Health & Recovery – 9-10:30a
Saturday – Session 2 Options
- Weaving with Traditional Fibers: Create a Cattail Trivet – 12-1:30p
- Female Hormone Balance (At Any Age) – 12-1:30p
- Learn to Cook Over a Campfire – 12-2p
- GLP -1 and Weight Loss: What It Is and How It Works – 12-1p
Saturday – Session 3 Options
- Male Hormone Balance (At Any Age) – 2:30-4p
- Beadwork with Lillian White Eagle – 2:30-4:30p
- Plan for Life: A Gift to Your Future Self (and the People You Love)- 2:30-4:00p
Saturday – Bonus Session Options (for Day & Weekend Pass holders)
- The Mindful Mixologist: Building Flavorful Cocktails without Alcohol – 5-6:30p
- Behind the Beer: A Tour & Guided Tasting – 5-6:30p
Sunday – Session 1 Options
- Creative Writing for Fun and Discovery – 9-10:30a
- Thriving in Mid-Life – 9-10:30a
- Beauty by the Stars: Venus Readings & Botanical Facial Masks – 9-10:30a
Sunday – Session 2 Options
- Mighty Mushrooms – 12-1p
- Energetic Attunement & Goal Setting: Becoming Your Future Self – 12-1p
- Dirt & Dreams: Starting Your Garden from Seed – 12-1:30p
Sunday – Session 3 Options
- Bone Broth: Make & Try – 2-3p
- Indigenous Teachings and Methods of Gathering Medicinal Herbs – 2-3p
- From Stuck To Forward – Coaching Yourself Beyond Limiting Beliefs – 2-3:30
Looking for more info? Head to Workshop Descriptions & Pricing to find event locations and learn more about the hosts.
Individual workshops available
Prices vary based on session length and materials provided ($10-55).
Day & Weekend Passes (best value)
Early Bird: $85/day | $160/weekend
Standard (beginning Feb 7): $95/day | $180/weekend
Includes:
∗ three workshops per day
∗ Saturday evening bonus workshops
∗ optional social gatherings to connect with new friends and reflect on your experiences
Request to be contacted with event updates:
Renew Your Spirit. Reconnect With Yourself.
Self-Discovery Weekend invites you to explore workshops, conversations, and hands-on experiences designed to awaken your creativity, nourish your well-being, and reconnect you with what matters most.
Across Monona and East Madison, you’ll find opportunities to learn, create, reflect, and grow — all at your own pace and in community with others on their own paths of discovery.
PLAN YOUR WEEKEND
Make the most of your visit to Monona and East Madison. Explore nearby lodging, local restaurants, great shopping, and other events happening throughout the weekend.
LODGING
Dining & drinks
Indulge your taste buds with dining ranging from hearty comfort food to gourmet masterpieces. Enjoy American classics and contemporary fare alongside flavors inspired by Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Laotian, Honduran, Mexican, Jamaican, and Italian cuisines—all within two miles of your hotel.
SHOPPING
Explore our local shops, brimming with distinctive finds and hidden gems. Support local businesses as you discover one-of-a-kind treasures and take home memories that last a lifetime.
OTHER EVENTS THAT WEEKEND
Fire & Wonder at San Damiano on Sat, Feb 21, with a bonfire, hot drinks, traditional Ho-Chunk Storytelling and cordage with natural fibers.
Kindled Community Sauna at San Damiano on Sat, Feb 21 booking one-hour sessions – from 11-1p and 7p. And on Sun, Feb 22 at 1p-3p. Reservations required.
Kindled Community Sauna at Working Draft Brewing booking one-hour sessions on Fri, Feb 20 from 3-7p, Sat, Feb 21 from 3-7p, and Sun, Feb 22, at 6 and 7p. Reservations required.
Sloshed and Slushy Winter Beer Fest at Working Draft Brewing Fri-Sun Feb 20-22 with activities including curling with beer keg, beer pokes (carmelizing and adding a warm upper foam with a hot metal poker), and homemade pastas.
Cheeselandia Circular Spectacular 2026 at Madison Circus Space on Feb 21, 7:30 – 9p. Where artists of hula hooping from around the U.S. take center stage in a celebration of skill, creativity, and joy.
2026 Madison Carnaval at the Majestic Theatre on Sat, Feb 21, at 8p, with a high-energy Brazilian music and dance celebration.
Local Adventures
Find solace among the trees and ponds at Edna Taylor Conservation Park originally home to the Ho-Chunk. Perhaps you’ll sneak a peek at the wild turkeys or resident deer.
Six linear mounds and one panther burial are located on a high glacial drumlin along the eastern side of the conservancy – among the few that remain in Monona.
Open daily – Lake Ridge Bank River Rink – skate rentals, ice cream, and hot drinks available. Or enjoy the outdoor fire pits with takeout from Buck & Honey’s.
Almost hidden on a small path through the trees, find Wyldhaven Park in Monona. Locals know this lovely little park is the place to enjoy a beautiful sunset or sunrise view of the capital from the waterfront platform deck.
A look back at some moments captured from our 2024 events:
Art-Therapy for Self Expression
Candlelit Hike at ALNC
Intro to Flying Trapeze
Ho-Chunk in Monona – The Ties That Bind Us
Ho-Chunk in Monona – The Ties That Bind Us
Ho-Chunk in Monona – The Ties That Bind Us
Intro to Self-Defense
Same Bean, Different Brew
Delta Beer Lab Brewery Tour & Happy Hour
DIY Furniture Repair
Reflecting & Journaling in Nature
This is the official visitor site for Monona, Wisconsin. Learn about the town's history, find places to stay, things to do, restaurants, shops, and more.
Photos by Bruce Fritz ,
Sponsored by:
Contact
Monona Chamber of Commerce: PO Box 6264, Monona, WI 53716
(608) 416-1610
connect@mononaeastside.com
