City Cast Nashville

Dolly Parton shared this week that she’s canceling her planned Vegas residency after dealing with health issues that left her feeling, in her words, “swimmy headed.” (Don’t worry — she says she’s improving every day.) So let’s celebrate Dolly the best way we know how: With a trip to Dollywood! Stand-up comedian and Dolly enthusiast Lydia Popovich joins us to map out the perfect visit, from can’t-m...

Get your hats ready, because the 85th annual Iroquois Steeplechase is happening this Saturday at Percy Warner Park. It’s one of the year’s biggest see-and-be-seen events, and it helps raise vital funds for the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Joining host Marie Cecile Anderson to walk us through the high fashion and high drama is fashion stylist and editor Milton White. ** This...

Anyone who still thinks happy hour means pitchers of watery beer is missing out on the incredible variety of food and drink specials available across our fine city in the early evenings. Contributor Margaret Littman joins host Marie Cecile Anderson to share her current favorite spots, from downtown rooftops with free valet to neighborhood bars offering n/a drinks, enough food to fill you up, and g...

The development situation on the eastern bank of the Cumberland River remains confusing, so D7 Councilmember Emily Benedict joins host Marie Cecile Anderson to help us untangle it all. From the amendments Council recently passed putting boundaries on the scrapyard neighborhood (a.k.a. Wasioto Bend) to why the state rerouted $300 million of surplus convention center cash to the East Bank, we’re has...

Wednesday, where he outlined his vision for this fiscal year in Nashville, including a grocery tax cut that might require some “belt-tightening.” Host Marie Cecile Anderson is joined by contributor Nicole Williams and executive producer Whitney Pastorek for this edition of the Friday News Roundup, where she also brings first-hand reporting of the major ICE enforcement activity taking place in Anti...

Starting tomorrow, it’s gonna be May! Host Marie Cecile Anderson, producer of sponsored content Anthony Luciani, and executive producer Whitney Pastorek are teaming up to bring you this month’s guide to everything you can eat, hear, and do in Music City, from Tennessee Renaissance Festival turkey legs to a boot-scootin’ boogie. Today is the FINAL DAY of early voting for select county judges, schoo...

The Music City Food & Wine Festival took place this past weekend, and we’re proud to bring you an exclusive live playback of our favorite panel from the event. Moderated by Anas Saba from Nashville Hidden Gems, “First Generation Flavors: Stories From Nashville’s Immigrant Kitchens” brought together Vivek Surti from Tailor, Ana Aguilar from Tantisimo, and Shivani Darsinos from Cafe Babu for a candi...

We are in the final year of Nashville’s Vision Zero plan, which set a goal of zero fatalities on our roads. But pedestrian deaths are rising, bike lanes and traffic calming keep disappearing, and the forthcoming East Bank Boulevard is looking more and more like a highway. Host Marie Cecile Anderson sits down with Charlie Weingartner, chair of the Vision Zero Advisory Committee, to try and figure o...

The Tennessee General Assembly adjourned for the year last Thursday, and we’re digging into what they actually got done. Joining host Marie Cecile Anderson is WPLN power and equity reporter Marianna Bacallao. She’ll walk us through the major themes of this year’s session, and how the Republican supermajority’s bills concerning immigration and control over our city could shape Nashville’s future. G...

Are DIY urban projects the key to improving the infrastructure in Nashville — and beyond? The grassroots group To Nashville, With Love has built and installed 60 benches at bus stops around the city, all without government approval. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Nashville host Marie Cecile Anderson about what this guerrilla campaign is doing, why it’s gotten pushback from the city...

This week, Metro Council passed two bills — and a whole bunch of amendments — that will shape the future of the development planned for the scrapyard site for years to come. (BTW: It’s Wasioto Bend now.) On Today’s Friday News Roundup, host Marie Cecile Anderson, newsletter editor Margaret Kingsbury, and executive producer Whitney Pastorek are walking through those amendments. They’re also wonderi...

The nights are still cool, and the mosquitoes haven’t yet reached lethal proportions, so why not seize this magical moment in time and go camping! Former Patagonia Nashville store manager Matt Heinly joins executive producer Whitney Pastorek to talk about the best spots to check out, where to grab gear without breaking the bank, and how to not get eaten by a bear. ** This episode originally aired...

Have you ever driven past the exit for Ben Allen Road and wondered who that guy was? By popular demand, local historian and Nashville Scene columnist Betsy Phillips is back to tell host Marie Cecile Anderson the tale of this beloved wealthy eccentric and Mason who used to hold seances in his house at the turn of the century to terrorize his fellow elites for fun. Early voting is open now for selec...

Looking for art classes or creative things to do in Nashville? Longtime Metro Public Schools art teacher Linda Anderson joins her daughter, host Marie Cecile Anderson, to share the best places around town to get crafty. From pottery studios and beginner-friendly classes to affordable art supplies and creative reuse centers, we break down where to go and how to get started, no experience necessary....

As renovations begin at Fort Negley, we’re looking back at the history many Nashvillians were never taught. Host Marie Cecile Anderson is joined by historian Dr. Angela Sutton and African American Cultural Alliance CEO Jeneene Blackman to talk about What Happened to Bass Street?, their documentary uncovering a once thriving Black neighborhood that grew up around Fort Negley after the Civil War.  V...

Could public financing get more Nashvillians involved in local elections? For the last decade, the City of Seattle has issued $100 in vouchers to every voter to donate to the candidate of their choice in municipal elections. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Seattle podcast host Jane C. Hu about how these Democracy Vouchers work, how many people are participating, and what the impact...

On today’s Friday News Roundup, host Marie Cecile Anderson is joined by newsletter editor Margaret Kingsbury and contributor Nicole Williams to give a refresher on what’s on the Davidson Country primary ballot, plus the latest from the state legislature and why they keep coming after Nashville. We’re also digging into why the Nashville Downtown Partnership may be replacing their security contract,...

Looking for the best coffee shops in Nashville? Local coffee expert LaKeithea Nicole of Brewing with LaKeithea on YouTube joins host Marie Cecile Anderson to share her go-to spots across the city — from top roasters and cozy work cafés to perfect date spots and people-watching patios. Plus, we break down Nashville’s latest coffee trends, which spots are worth the hype, and what the city’s coffee s...

Nashville’s first official planting day of the season is here, and we’re celebrating with Margaret Renkl. The author and New York Times columnist joins us to talk about her new children’s book, The Weedy Garden, and what it means to be a good neighbor to the natural world around us. From birdwatching to backyard gardening, Margaret shares how slowing down and paying attention to nature can make Na...

Nashville is home to people who speak many different languages, but most city services still operate primarily in English. The Metro Human Relations Commission, alongside the mayor’s office, has launched a language assessment survey to better understand how the city can break down those barriers. Community organizer Shun Ahmed joins host Marie Cecile Anderson to discuss what’s working, what’s not,...

In 2017, Elon Musk announced the Hyperloop, a 35 mile tunnel that would connect Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, carrying passengers at speeds up to 700 miles per hour. As you may have noticed, this never happened. But what can the rise and fall of this early Boring Company project teach Nashville about the Music City Loop that’s supposed to go under our streets? Tech journalist Matt Ribel recently...

Nashvillians, 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 pandemi...

If you were counting on that $26 Metro Water credit to cover your costs from the ice storm, think again: Metro Council rejected it at their meeting this week. On today’s Friday News Roundup, host Marie Cecile Anderson, newsletter editor Margaret Kingsbury, and executive producer Whitney Pastorek are digging into that meeting as well as the happenings in the state legislature, where the voucher exp...

The Nashville Comedy Festival takes over town starting tonight, so we’re checking in with the folks behind local independent improv venue Third Coast Comedy Club to learn about their scene and why they’re kicking off their next act in East Nashville. Host Marie Cecile Anderson sits down with co-founders Luke Watson and Scott Field to hear about their new space, where Nashville ranks on the list of...

If you’re headed up to Madison for the Amqui Station farmers market, kicking off April 19th, why not make a day of it? Acclaimed musician and local treasure Ellen Angelico joins host Marie Cecile Anderson with their guide to the best places to eat, get a haircut, and see lots of cats in the still-affordable area just north of East. And hey! Don’t miss Uncle Ellen’s Bro Country Card Game Video Game...