Attracted To Duluth

What happens when one guy gets a little carried away with his Christmas lights? Twenty three years later, you get the tallest man made Christmas tree in the country being walked down Railroad Street by a crane. This week we sat down with Nathan Bentley, founder of Bentleyville Tour of Lights, the largest free walk-through holiday lights display in the nation. It started in 2003 at his house in Esk...

What does it take to tell a story everyone thinks they already know? For Ian Grant, it meant dropping a camera 750 feet down to a Lake Superior wreck and standing with the families of the Edmund Fitzgerald on the 50th anniversary. Most Fitzgerald stories end at the bottom of Lake Superior. Ian Grant’s starts there. Ian grew up right here in Duluth, and he’s the creator and host of Culture Quest on...

A twenty six foot Roman god stood in Canal Park for three and a half years, then burned to the ground before anyone could get a photo of it. We still don't fully know why almost nobody remembers this happened. Ron Gustafson found us by accident. He came by the office to drop off a gift for Jay Gabler, a former guest and dear friend of the show, who's now writing for the New York Times (nam...

Every Duluth kid who grew up racing down Chester's ski hill has a memory tied to that little brown chalet. We sat down with Dave Schaefer, executive director at Chester Bowl, to talk about the Tom Storm Chalet renovation, the Growing Up Chester capital campaign, and of course Fall Fest, which is barreling toward us on September 19th.  Dave has been at Chester Bowl for thirteen years, and it sh...

Before Canal Park had lake walks and gift shops, it had brothels, knife fights, and a woman named Madam Gain who basically ran the whole street. We're not making this up. This week is another one of our history deep dives, and it might be the wildest one yet. Hailey spent time digging through newspaper clippings from the 1880s through the 1910s, all documenting the chaos that used to happen on...

Forty years of Pride in the Twin Ports and we got to sit down with two of the people making this year unforgettable. Grab your sunglasses and lash glue, because we are talking drag, community, and everything happening this Labor Day weekend. We invited ThatQueerIsa Cassadine, the new drag coordinator for Duluth Superior Pride, and Dixie Diamond, a Bayfront veteran going into her fifth year, into t...

From the Harlem Globetrotters to Arena Football, with Meadow Lemon and Ben Waalkens Duluth's most attractive podcast just got a little bit louder. This week we're joined by Meadow Lemon and Ben Waalkens from the Minnesota Monsters Meadow is the CEO of the Minnesota Monsters, Duluth's professional arena football team, and he came to us by way of Portland, Oregon, and a lifetime spent in...

FOUR YEARS IN, AND WE FINALLY HAVE FACES We've been ambiguous blobs in audio space for four years, and now you can finally see us. You're welcome. Or we're sorry. Either way, we're here.

One Duluthy historical romance novel wasn't enough! This time on Attracted to Duluth, Caroline and Hailey are joined by Jay Gabler for another episode of romance book club. Tune in to hear the trio recount the incredible tale of love, loss, shipwrecks, and ghosts that is Ashland Price's In From the Storm . Tighten your stern gate and prepare for the adventure of a lifetime. This is an episode that...

Which shipwreck with a Duluth connection has a big anniversary this year?   If you guessed the Edmund Fitzgerald, you're not wrong, but on the latest episode of A2D we dive into the story of an older wreck. For this installment, Caroline and Hailey are joined by friend of the show, local musician, and resident boat expert, Duluth's Famous Kaylee! It's been 120 years since the Mataafa disaster, but...

On this episode of A2D, Caroline and Hailey sit down with Haley Hedstrom, the new Executive Director of Visit Duluth! We talk about her background working within Duluth's tourism industry, advice for the next generation of leaders, and her thoughts on Taylor Swift. You know, just standard business interview stuff. 

Tune in to the latest episode of A2D for our thrilling conclusion in a murder mystery over 100 years in the making. This finale has lawsuits, two divorces, and an entirely unrelated additional murder... Or is it? Join Caroline and Hailey as they speculate wildly on the mysterious death of John McAlpine.

In this sensational second part to Blood and Timber, Caroline and Hailey delve even deeper into the mysterious death of Duluth millionaire, John McAlpine. This episode has bankruptcy, family infighting, a break-in, and even more lawsuits! Be sure to tune in and hear this next installment as we try to get to the bottom of this mysterious death.

What killed John McAlpine? The millionaire lumberman, in his basement, with a handgun. It sounds like something out of the board game Clue, but the mysterious death of John McAlpine was all too real.  In our first ever multi-part series, Attracted to Duluth explores the 1913 death of a wealthy Duluthian. Though widely reported on at the time, this story has largely been lost to time. Join Hailey a...

On this latest episode of Attracted to Duluth, Caroline and Hailey are joined by journalist and friend of the pod, Jay Gabler. Tune in to hear all about his new book, 100 Things to Do in Duluth Before You Die , as well as his personal history with writing. This episode is packed with cool Duluth stuff, you'll certainly find something to add to your bucket list! 

In the late 1880s, what winter sport craze swept through Duluth? In this episode of Attracted to Duluth, we embrace the cold and make the best of it! Without winter we wouldn't have had goofy woolen uniforms, ice carnivals, or the opportunity to get frisky on a sled. Put on your snowshoes and pack your bags for St. Moritz, because this episode is too cool to skip. 

This time on Attracted to Duluth, Hailey and Caroline are joined by Boubville representatives Annmarie Geniusz and Daniel Benoit. Located in Duluth's central hillside neighborhood, this immersive DIY holiday event flips everything you think you know about a Duluth Christmas event on its head! With art installations, music, and smoked turkey legs, this three night long event is a spectacle you won'...

What baseball hall of famer spent time on Minnesota's Iron Range, and was even a witness in a Virginia murder trial? This time on Attracted to Duluth, Hailey and Caroline tackle the stranger than fiction story of Rube Waddell, the left-handed pitcher who loved fire trucks, fishing, and baseball… in that order. Tune in to hear the story of how he ended up in Virginia MN, the shade he threw at Super...

What temporary event in 1893 attracted more than 27 million visitors? On this installment of Attracted to Duluth, Hailey and Caroline are talking all about the Chicago World's Fair! Chicago wanted to show the world that they were a major city of the world, and Duluth was eager to prove the same. Tune in to learn all about the local angles we could track down about this event that still manages to...

For this episode of Attracted to Duluth we're joined by two representatives from Minnesota Ballet, a husband and wife team, Karl von Rabenau and Jennifer Miller. We talk about their journeys to becoming professional ballerinas, their work with Minnesota Ballet, and how they first met through dance. Don't miss this installment, because you'll fall in love with the world of ballet! 

Attracted to Duluth is back for another episode and this time Caroline and Hailey met up with Shawn Roos, the owner of The Main Club. This LGBT+ bar and club has been a beloved space in the Twin Ports community since 1983. It's survived a change in location, a change in ownership, and even the changing of the felt on the pool tables. Tune in to hear about Shawn's journey as a business owner, the h...

This time on Attracted to Duluth, let your hair down as Caroline and Hailey meet up with Bee Golding, the owner of Deep Cuts. Tune in to hear about how Bee first discovered Duluth, how she opening up her punk-rock barbershop, and what it means to be part of the LGBTQIA+ community in The Twin Ports. We also talk about her musical duo, Campfire Tranarchists, which was lovingly described as "encapsul...

On the latest installment of Attracted to Duluth, we're joined by Alice O'Callaghan of Zenith City Horror. For more than 15 years Zenith City Horror has been The Twin Ports' premier queer production company, and we sat down with Alice to hear all about the history of the group and some exciting things coming soon. Of course, we still had time to talk about the other projects she has in the works a...

On this episode of Attracted to Duluth, we're talking all things Duluth Superior Pride Festival with Public Relations chair, Josh Miller. This summer will be the festival's 38th year in the Twin Ports, and Josh takes us through his history with the festival, a major personal highlight, and a unique event hosted by The North Shore Scenic Rail that's unlike any other! Of course, since Josh is a fell...

On this episode of Attracted to Duluth, Caroline and Hailey sit down with Michele Halti to learn about the annual and upcoming car show events in the Twin Ports. Tune in as we talk about some of Michele's beloved antique cars, the great stuff to do at these shows, and how you can get involved.