City Cast Chicago

City Cast Chicago Chicago’s daily news podcast, fresh each weekday at 6 a.m. It’s a smart and delightful way to connect with the city you love.

Plus, a morning newsletter packed with what you need (and want) to know about Chicago today.

03/23/2026

SPONSORED POST: The Other Art Fair is back in Chicago April 9-12 at Artifact Events in Ravenswood. Global Fair Director Nicole Garton explains what makes it different from other gallery or art fair experiences.

The results are in, in Chicagoland and beyond! These candidates beat the challengers in their field and will go on to fa...
03/18/2026

The results are in, in Chicagoland and beyond! These candidates beat the challengers in their field and will go on to face off in general elections this November. Who surprised you the most?

📷: Getty Images

Did you know Chicago school board members aren’t paid? There’s a new bill in the Illinois legislature that could change ...
03/11/2026

Did you know Chicago school board members aren’t paid? There’s a new bill in the Illinois legislature that could change that, ahead of big changes to the school board: in November, for the first time, Chicagoans will vote to fill all 21 seats.

So should members be paid for their work? Advocates say if not, it’ll mean school board positions only fall to those who don’t need the extra chase. On the other hand, the money has to come from somewhere, and Chicago Public Schools isn’t exactly flush with cash.

What do you think?

03/10/2026

Every Chicago resident has been to Portillo's - with one notable exception. Executive Producer Simone Alicea, a transplant, had never tried anything off the Portillo's menu until recently. Today on the City Cast Chicago podcast, she reports her findings - including finally seeing the light when it comes to the Italian Beef sandwich.

03/09/2026

Chicago lost a South Side gem this weekend when Pride Cleaners closed, after serving the Chatham community since 1959. While we’re still waiting to learn more about what will happen to the beautiful mid-century building, Kelsey and Andrew McClellan are concerned about the neon sign out front.

Neon signs have been disappearing at an alarming rate in Chicago, due to a number of factors from owners lacking resources to just plain negligence - as well as out-of-town collectors buying them up for exorbitant sums. So Kelsey and Andrew, acting as the , are trying to raise awareness about the precarity of the situation in a town that was once practically the headquarters for neon sign manufacturing.

03/05/2026

In Chicago, the rain didn’t keep McKinley Park residents from celebrating the city’s 189th birthday last night, at the corner of W 37th St and Honore — also known as Chicago’s geographic center. The block party-style celebration was full of music, food (including Chicago-style hot dogs from ), laughter, and pride — as well as birthday songs in five different languages: Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Polish, and English.

03/02/2026

What can you do TODAY to make your city better?

In City Cast’s new podcast “Your City Could Be Better,” CEO David Plotz chats every week with local insiders from across the City Cast network to share insights that will make all of our cities a little bit better — because, well, they could be! If you LOVE your city, but also love complaining about it, this is the podcast for you.

Check out for updates on new episodes, clips featuring your favorite City Cast hosts, and of course, tips on how your city could be better.

02/27/2026

Chicago lost a legend recently in the passing of Jesse Jackson. Freelance journalist Natalie Christian-Frazier () describes how Jackson was largely ahead of the curve on LGBTQ+ issues as early as his 1984 presidental campaign, based on reporting from

You might've heard it's cold in Chicago. This weekend, the weather is going to STAY cold. Here's some info on keeping wa...
01/23/2026

You might've heard it's cold in Chicago. This weekend, the weather is going to STAY cold. Here's some info on keeping warm, from and beyond.

Earlier this week on the City Cast Chicago podcast, we debated Chicago-centric slang terms and whether or not they’re re...
01/22/2026

Earlier this week on the City Cast Chicago podcast, we debated Chicago-centric slang terms and whether or not they’re really used by the people who live here. Y'know: pizza, bars, trains, that sorta thing.

We learned a lot - there’s plenty of leeway when it comes to describing things the “Chicago” way. But we want to here from you.

How do you refer to these items? Let us know down below.

With admittedly Scrooge-ish expectations, our own Emmi Mack set out to explore the city's vast array of seasonal pop-up ...
12/11/2025

With admittedly Scrooge-ish expectations, our own Emmi Mack set out to explore the city's vast array of seasonal pop-up bars. And along the way, this jaded big city career gal might have discovered the true meaning of Christmas.

Read the whole journey at chicago.citycast.fm (link in bio).

Featured bars include: Christmas Club, Nisei Lounge, 8 Crazy Nights, Jingle Ju**ie, and Happy's

What's your favorite Christmas pop-up?

Chicago small businesses are always deserving of our support. But between winter weather and general concerns over the e...
12/03/2025

Chicago small businesses are always deserving of our support. But between winter weather and general concerns over the economy, it seems like they could use even more love this holiday season than usual.

We want to know your favorites! Where are you shopping this year? What spots are people sleeping on? Let us know in the comments down below ⬇️

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