Episodes

  • Free Parties, Concerts & Hidden Gems of Draft Week

    Free Parties, Concerts & Hidden Gems of Draft Week
    Apr 13 2026
    The NFL Draft is taking over Pittsburgh, and even if you're not a football fan, there's still probably something up your alley. We've got concerts, brunches, happy hours, block parties, and so many more activities, and there's even plenty to do beyond Downtown and the North Shore. To help you navigate it all, content creator Brenasia Ward-Caldwell created the Pittsburgh Draft Week Guide. Brenasia tells host Megan Harris which events she's looking forward to the most, what's free to enter, and what she hopes visitors will take away from the big weekend. If you enjoyed today's interview with Chelsea Kovak Senior Manager at Taskrabbit, learn more here. Learn more about the sponsors of this Monday, April 13th episode: Allegheny County Poll Workers Window Nation Pittsburgh Steelers Taskrabbit AIDS Free Pittsburgh Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning newsletter. We’re on Instagram @CityCastPgh. Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
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    30 mins
  • 'Your City Could Be Better': Why Portland’s Considering Hiring a Night Mayor — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh

    'Your City Could Be Better': Why Portland’s Considering Hiring a Night Mayor — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh
    Apr 12 2026
    Pittsburghers, what do you do when your night life starts to dwindle? Nightlife is a huge economic driver for cities, but city offices are often closed when those businesses need help. That’s why Portland is considering hiring a Night Mayor. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Portland podcast host Claudia Meza about what this new position would do, and if it is the answer to the pandemic’s enduring negative impact on walkability, small businesses, and nightlife in cities everywhere. Plus, should your city be weirder? Mentioned on the show: "Can a Night Mayor Revive Downtown Portland?" (City Cast Portland) Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now! We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter Looking to advertise on Your City Could Be Better? Check out our options.
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    26 mins
  • Michelin Guide Proves Us Wrong! Plus, Music Crawl & Underground Park

    Michelin Guide Proves Us Wrong! Plus, Music Crawl & Underground Park
    Apr 10 2026
    The Michelin Guide is coming to Pittsburgh! The timing is kind of hilarious, since we just did an episode about why our city doesn't have — or need – Michelin star restaurants. Host Megan Harris and City Cast contributors Colin Williams and Hal B. Klein chat about this development, laugh about our clairvoyant conversation, and share which restaurants they think might (or might not) get a star. Plus, executive producer Mallory Falk joins to discuss a Washington Post editorial chiding Pittsburgh Public Schools for going remote during the NFL Draft. The team also gets into concerns about how our unhoused community might get treated during the draft, PA's first underground state park, and more bad news for Pittsburgh's brewery scene. Then, in a members-only fourth segment, we unpack a juicy profile of the Block brothers and share the latest gossip about the future of the Post-Gazette. Come celebrate Pittsburgh with us on 412 Day! We'll be at Southern Tier Brewing on the North Shore on Sunday, April 12 from 11am-2pm. Find all the details about the free event and RSVP here. We'll be cheering on everything we love about our city. Notes and references from today’s show: VisitPITTSBURGH Unveils “PicksBURGH” Downtown Celebrations Ahead of 2026 NFL Draft Presented by Bud Light [VisitPITTSBURGH] Schools are closing for the NFL draft. What does this teach students? [The Washington Post] Pittsburgh Public Schools to lease parking lots for NFL Draft as students move remote [WTAE] Advocates ask for Pittsburgh’s homeless to be treated humanely during 2026 NFL Draft [TribLive] PODCAST: Why Pittsburgh Doesn't Have (or Need) Michelin Star Restaurants [City Cast Pittsburgh] The Michelin Guide is Coming to Pittsburgh. How Does it Work? [City Cast Pittsburgh] PODCAST: ICE at PIT, Weird Heinz Products & Kennywood's (Almost) Open [City Cast Pittsburgh] “Go help save some lives”: Give blood with the Red Cross [American Red Cross] Penn Brewery closes Pittsburgh International location amid financial struggles [Post-Gazette] Inner Groove Brewing says its closing one of its taprooms in Pittsburgh [WTAE] With 2 more Pittsburgh-area locations set to close, Primanti Bros. looks to recalibrate [Post-Gazette] ‘I Will Destroy You’: The Battle Inside a Midwestern Media Dynasty [WSJ] The Nation’s Longest Ongoing Strike Is Over—but the Battle Isn’t [Columbia Journalism Review] Learn more about the sponsors of this April 10th episode: Pittsburgh Cultural Trust City Theatre Clearview FCU Sustainable Pittsburgh Window Nation Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning newsletter. We’re on Instagram @CityCastPgh. Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
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    46 mins
  • The 13 Best Pizza Joints in Western PA

    The 13 Best Pizza Joints in Western PA
    Apr 9 2026
    While we have a growing number of delicious pizza joints in and around the city, our pizza scene just doesn't compare to New York — at least not yet. City Cast contributor and Post-Gazette dining critic Hal B. Klein is telling host Megan Harris how new technology and our collaborative culture makes Pittsburgh a "rising pizza powerhouse." Plus, Hal's sharing his favorite pizza places in Western Pennsylvania, including one inside a Greensburg Shop 'n Save. Learn more about the sponsors of this April 9th episode: Pittsburgh Cultural Trust City Theatre Clearview FCU Window Nation Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning newsletter. We’re on Instagram @CityCastPgh. Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
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    32 mins
  • Legal Weed, Raising the Minimum Wage & More High Hopes in the PA House

    Legal Weed, Raising the Minimum Wage & More High Hopes in the PA House
    Apr 8 2026
    Pennsylvania is one of the few states with a split legislature, which makes it extra hard for a bill to become law. The Democratic-controlled House recently passed a whole slew of bills, including ones to gradually raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $15, require data centers to give more information to the state, and codify same-sex marriage. But do any of these proposals stand a chance in the Republican-controlled state Senate? Host Megan Harris and City Cast Philly’s Trenae Nuri are turning to Ian Karbal, government reporter for the Pennsylvania Capital-Star, to get the details about what the relationship between PA's House and Senate look like and where these ideas might land. Notes and references from today’s show: Pa. House passes bill to raise minimum wage to $15 by 2029 [Pennsylvania Capital-Star] A nonprofit linked to a combative PR firm is opposing a minimum wage hike in PA [Pennsylvania Capital-Star] Lawmakers advance bill to give state additional oversight of new data center water use [Pennsylvania Capital-Star] Learn more about the sponsors of this April 8th episode: Pittsburgh Cultural Trust City Theatre Clearview FCU Window Nation Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning newsletter. We’re on Instagram @CityCastPgh. Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
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    32 mins
  • Carrie Blast Furnace Mystery Solved, Hollywood Money & Space Research

    Carrie Blast Furnace Mystery Solved, Hollywood Money & Space Research
    Apr 7 2026
    Rivers of Steel finally figured out who the Carrie Blast Furnace was named after! Roman Hladio, chief reporter at NEXTpittsburgh, joins host Megan Harris to spill the tea about Carrie Clarke's life, and explain the "polite sexism" behind naming local blast furnaces after women. Plus, they discuss why we just had a record-breaking year for film and TV spending in Pittsburgh, and how space exploration could lead to medical breakthroughs here on Earth, all thanks to a new research lab at the University of Pittsburgh. Notes and references from today’s show: Movie and TV projects spent a record-breaking $300 million while filming in Pittsburgh last year [NEXTpittsburgh] What can space exploration teach us about human health? New Pitt research lab to find the answer [NEXTpittsburgh] Who is Carrie of the Carrie Blast Furnace? Rivers of Steel finally has an answer [NEXTpittsburgh] Learn more about the sponsors of this April 7th episode: Pittsburgh Cultural Trust City Theatre Clearview FCU Window Nation Sustainable Pittsburgh Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning newsletter. We’re on Instagram @CityCastPgh. Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
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    29 mins
  • How Pittsburgh Became the World's Roller Coaster Capital

    How Pittsburgh Became the World's Roller Coaster Capital
    Apr 6 2026
    Kennywood's almost open, and we're not talking about your fly! The amusement park's first day of the season is April 18. To celebrate, we're revisiting a conversation between host Megan Harris and historian Mark Houser about Kennywood's long and storied history. How did a picnic grove turn into the attraction we know and love today, and how do its stewards tow the line between preservation and modernization? Special thanks Pittsburgh Magazine for sharing their work and our guest Mark Houser for bringing Pittsburgh’s past back to life. Sign up for one of his June skyscraper tours, and listen to Mark and Megan's self-guided audio tour of Downtown. And check out the Kennywood episode of Defunctland here. It’s super fun and weird. Come celebrate Pittsburgh with us on 412 Day! We'll be at Southern Tier Brewing on the North Shore on Sunday, April 12 from 11am-2pm. Find all the details about the free event and RSVP here. **This episode originally published April 19, 2023. Learn more about the sponsors of this April 6th episode: Pittsburgh Cultural Trust City Theatre Clearview FCU Window Nation Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning newsletter. We’re on Instagram @CityCastPgh. Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
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    17 mins
  • 'Your City Could Be Better': Denver’s Bet on a Women’s Soccer Stadium — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh

    'Your City Could Be Better': Denver’s Bet on a Women’s Soccer Stadium — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh
    Apr 5 2026
    Both Denver and Pittsburgh wanted, but didn't get, a WNBA team. While more and more people are embracing women’s sports, Denver is only the second city in the U.S. to build a stadium specifically for women’s soccer. Will betting on women’s sports drive Denver’s economy or will Denverites be left paying the price for another stadium? City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Denver podcast host Bree Davies about why Denver has invested so much into having sports downtown, how Denver has capitalized on repurposing old industrial spaces, and how bad traffic gets when all your sports are downtown. Plus, is it better to have a Mayor with or without aims for a greater political office? Mentioned on the show: The $tadium Game: Inside the lucrative world of Colorado’s pro sports stadiums [⁠The Denver Post⁠] Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? ⁠Email David now! ⁠ We’re also on Instagram: ⁠@yourcitycouldbebetter⁠ Looking to advertise on Your City Could Be Better? ⁠Check out our options⁠.
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    28 mins