The Grim Cities

If you were scared we were never returning, fear no more! Your favorite podcast has returned for a riveting new episode just in time for some spooky summer fun. And what better way to dive back in than an adventure through a lovely nature reserve at the heart of the Twin Cities whose history shaped the very fabric of our state’s cultural identity. It’s a gorgeous park that offers stunning views of...

Hey Grim Cities Family! It’s been a while. As you all know, Minnesota has been the subject of national attention as of late, and quite frankly things here in the metro area have been intense. This morning we released an official statement from the Grim Cities addressing the state of ICE operations in our city, what we’ve been up to, and a call to action for our listeners and the general public. Th...

Another Special Re-release from Summer 2024! Refresh yourself on some of the haunted parks around the state! Pick up some merch today: https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-grim-cities/ Be sure to follow us on Instagram, X, and Facebook @TheGrimCities or email us at thegrimcitiespodcast@gmail.com!

Happy New Year, everyone! We are re-releasing our New Year's Eve themed episode from 2023. Hear all about the dark history of Brinton Lodge and their annual ode to those who once (and may still) roam its halls.

It's a throwback episode! For the holidays, reacquaint yourself with the notorious Christmas legend Krampus! We will be back with brand new episodes on January 6, 2026.

We really did one of our listeners dirty y’all…and we apologize. Listener Regina sent us multiple messages over the past year, but we never saw them as she was trapped behind the hidden message requests on Instagram. We begin today by clearing up all the confusion and giving Regina the air time that she deserves! Then Madeline talks through 5 paranormal games so risky that no one should ever play...

Have you ever noticed how some superstitions are so ubiquitous that no one ever seems to question them? Where did they come from? Why do they persist? One such superstition is so widely recognized that it is considered a near-global phenomenon: knocking on wood. Today we discuss the origins of this peculiar practice and what it even signifies. But before we dive into all of that, Dan shares yet an...

Madeline starts us off this week on a feisty note, when she airs out Dan’s dirty laundry. That’s right, Madeline catches Dan in a bold-faced lie that he swears was “unintentional”… We’ll let the audience decide. Then the two find out if they’d survive a horror film based off of their astrology signs. But most importantly today, we talk about Thomas Busby and his beloved seat at a local pub. After...

Dan recently discovered a new queer ghost hunting show that he cannot wait to share with everyone! And Madeline has a new Instagram account she's following. Then we explore an antique wooden object that is known to be haunted by a malicious spirit from Jewish folklore. This wine cabinet is said to be one of the most haunted objects on the planet, and it went up for sale in the early aughts on...

Madeline and Dan can’t help but begin this week by reminiscing about the serendipitous moment they were contacted by a senior producer at MPR and the emotional high that immediately followed. I mean, a live interview about this very podcast syndicated state-wide on a popular radio show…is this real life?! Turns out, it is! Furthermore, we get another listener email from uncle John who regales us t...

Last week we took you all on a little journey back in time to explore how the most haunted castle in the entire world came into existence. Through all that conflict and bloodshed it’s no surprise that there may be some spiritual imprints on the place. Some of the previous inhabitants of Leap Castle have been driven to near madness. Was it the unforgiving cellars? Was it the family clashes? Or was...

Today Madeline and Dan put their knowledge to the test to see if they truly deserve the title of Spooky Season Kween and King. And the questions come directly from a BuzzFeed quiz, so you know it’s the most accurate thing in the world… Then Dan introduces Madeline to a new annual film festival that has the two of them wondering “How the FUCK have we not heard of this before?!” And finally, we take...

Today’s tale takes place in the small town of Thief River Falls located in the far reaches of northwestern Minnesota. As most of these stories begin, the town was established though conflict between Native American tribes and white colonizers and a string of treaties that were never honored. But the horrors don’t end there…at the junction of two Minnesota rivers lies Dead Man’s Trail, a treasure t...

Today we explore people’s innate and often unexplainable fears. Do you have a phobia that seams unreasonable to most, but can trigger a full-body fear response that consumes all of your senses? Maybe you don’t…yet; however, as Madeline recently discovered, new fears can manifest at any stage of your life. Even at her advanced age, Madeline found out that large objects can send her spiraling. So di...

You all can let out a huge sigh of relief because we are back in your earballs! The Grim Cities has returned for a brand new season, and Season 5 is going to be our biggest one yet! We’re coming at you with a whole new theme this year that will have you questioning what the fuck is behind those trees?! All season long we’ll be exploring the past, present, and perhaps the future as it relates to de...

Welcome to the Season 4 finale of The Grim Cities! Can’t believe we’ve been doing this for over four full years… fucking 🤯 mind 🤯 blowing. We’re so grateful to all of our listeners, both new and original, for supporting the show and spreading the word to your whole network of peeps. Let’s close this season with a bang by wrapping up our longstanding series about Spiritualism. But not before we s...

Madeline and Dan have some riveting content to share with you all, and each other, this week! We jump in right away with not one, but TWO movie trailers for upcoming films that are causing unparalleled excitement in our Grim Cities family. The first trailer hails from a movie by the director of Madeline’s favorite horror flick – Barbarian –, Zach Cregger. The second trailer reunites Dan with one o...

Madeline starts today’s episode off by once again traumatizing Dan with a video that makes him question all of his life choices that lead to this very moment. Things get even wilder when we regale the listeners with a real-time account of a murder that took place in the Australian Outback of Larrimah. And for our main story today, we discus a small unassuming bridge in a rural area near Henderson,...

We are re-releasing one of our favorite episodes our FIRST season! Learn more on how you can communicate with spirits as we finalized a new episode on Spiritualism!

Madeline and Dan dust off the cobwebs from a long Minnesota winter, and attend to some much neglected housekeeping items for The Grim Cities. Beginning with an email from a devoted fan that was sent months ago - our apologies - we update our listeners on all the behind the scenes shit that has been swept under the rug. We also find out that we’re sitting strong at #5 on FeedSpot’s list of Top Minn...

Today, Madeline and Dan mourn their thwarted plans to attend the live recreation of the Insidious universe. But in reality, it may likely have been for the best…listen to the crazy tales from those who endured the show in Detroit to find out why. And then we take a field trip to the White House to see which famous entities may be lurking just down the halls of this iconic landmark. Pick up some me...

As the Oscars approach this Sunday, Dan and Madeline decided to re-release a fan-favorite: Horror at the Oscars! Listen as we dive into the horror movies that beat the odds and won coveted recognition from The Academy. Fingers crossed we can add The Substance to that list this Sunday! Merch Available: www.bonfire.com/shop/the-grim-cities Instagram: @thegrimcities X: @thegrimcities Facebook: @thegr...

Did you know that the Lincolns were heavily involved in the world of Spiritualism? Yes, those Lincolns…as in the 16th President of the United States and his wife Mary Todd. Today you’ll learn how they went through a whirlwind of change and grief, potentially turning to Spiritualism to make sense of it all. But before we jump into any of that we have to discuss something super important: Madeline a...

Today we revisit the infamous Dating Show episode with Cheryl Bradshaw, as Dan confirms that she did indeed pick Rodney Alcala as the winner of a second date. But that second date did not come to fruition, consequently and most certainly saving Cheryl’s life. He then reads some more real-life close encounters with serial killers from the Reddit community. It happens way more often than any of us t...

Dan cheated this week and looked ahead one day on the horror trivia calendar…blasphemy! But it was worth it because we learn another interesting fact about Buffalo Bill for the second day in a row. Madeline keeps the trend going by sharing another heart-pounding tidbit about a modern serial killer who used a hit game show to find his victims. But most importantly, today we’re introduced to three o...