

City Cast DC
City Cast
City Cast is the daily, local audio companion you knew DC needed. Washingtonians are gritty, proud, and resilient — necessary qualities for a community facing issues that range from an affordability crisis to the fight for statehood to the movement for racial justice… and useful qualities for a region full of whip-smart people, dynamic culture, and constant change. Washingtonians are deeply passionate about our city, whose story is still being written, and City Cast DC is here to tell it.Every weekday morning, our hosts Michael Schaffer and Bridget Todd will engage people from all over the eight wards in conversation about DC’s crises and its beauty, both literal and figurative. It’ll have the feel of eavesdropping on an energetic and informative coffee shop chat, except that with City Cast DC, consider this your official invitation to listen in.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 11, 2025 • 27min
DC's Best Burgers: From Cheap to Gourmet
What’s the best burger in DC? Some folks at Washingtonian have tried almost all of them and Jessica Sidman is here to give us some highlights from their list of DC’s best.
Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month.
If you enjoyed today's interview with District Bridges' Director of Storytelling and Marketing, Anna Claire, learn more here.
Learn more about the sponsors of this September 11th episode:
Food & Friends - Move For Meals
Washington Nationals
Library of Congress
The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Sep 10, 2025 • 35min
Will Trump’s Takeover of DC Continue?
It’s been 30 days since President Trump announced a federal takeover of DC’s MPD. That's technically expiring today, but the federal surge continues. It’s raised plenty of issues, including ones that aren't even related to what Trump is doing to the city. And there are some big implications. NBC4's Mark Segraves has been covering all of it. He's talking through what we know, what we don’t, and what to look out for next.
Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month.
Learn more about the sponsors of this September 10th episode:
Food & Friends - Move For Meals
Washington Nationals
Library of Congress
The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Sep 9, 2025 • 26min
DC’s $1.1 Billion Con
The Commanders kicked off their season over the weekend with a big win over the New York Giants. It’s setting the stage for an interesting council vote in the next month over funding a new stadium at the RFK site. The fight now isn’t over whether there should be a stadium, but in how much more DC can extract on things like affordable housing. It got us wondering: did DC get a good deal out of this? Michael Friedman from the University of Maryland is here to explain what the council might want to change in the next vote.
Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month.
Learn more about the sponsors of this September 9th episode:
Mosaic Theater Company
Food & Friends - Move For Meals
Washington Nationals
Library of Congress
The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Sep 8, 2025 • 24min
How Maryland Can Protect DC From Trump
Everyone knows about DC’s push for statehood, but the current crisis got us thinking about a question we asked a few months ago: Should DC rejoin Maryland? It’s called Retrocession, the once-taboo idea that instead of becoming the 51st state, Washington should simply join Maryland. For years, David Krucoff has been the lonely champion of this cause. He joined City Cast earlier this year to explain why he thinks it’s the best way forward.
Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 8th episode:
District Bridges
Food & Friends - Move For Meals
Washington Nationals
Library of Congress
The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Sep 5, 2025 • 35min
National Guard Extension, House Interference, and No Phones Bar
We’re talking about Mayor Bowser and indefinite National Guard presence — and Congress’ coming attempts to write a bunch of laws to change the District. We’re talking about gun prosecutions in DC. And we’re talking about a bar that will lock up your phone. Plus, in a members-only fourth segment, we’ll listen to Neil Young’s new DC-takeover protest song and a few others from the city’s past.
Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, to get our take on D.C.’s newest protest song, for as little as $10 a month.
Learn more about the sponsors of this September 5th episode:
Nace Law Group
District Bridges
DC Sustainable Energy Utility
Mosaic Theater Company
Food & Friends - Move For Meals
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Sep 4, 2025 • 31min
DC’s Most Underrated Arts Scene
You might not think of D.C. as a city with a thriving literary scene, but it is. Not only is the world-renowned National Book Festival happening here this Saturday, September 6th, but according to writer Hannah Greico, D.C. also has a robust literary community. She’s here to give her best book and poetry recommendations from local authors.
If you enjoyed today's interview with Backroom's Founder, Ethan Downs, learn more here.
Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month.
If you enjoyed today's interview with Backroom's Founder, Ethan Downs, learn more here.
Learn more about the sponsors of this September 4th episode:
Nace Law Group
District Bridges
DC Sustainable Energy Utility
Mosaic Theater Company
Food & Friends - Move For Meals
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Sep 3, 2025 • 26min
How Trump is Censoring the Smithsonian
The fate of the Smithsonian is one of the biggest DC storylines of the year. A lot has happened since the last time reporter Manuel Roig-Franzia joined us to talk about it. Today he’s getting into President Trump’s latest demands on Washington’s most prominent museums and when we’re likely to see what happens in response.
Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month.
Learn more about the sponsors of this September 3rd episode:
Nace Law Group
District Bridges
DC Sustainable Energy Utility
Mosaic Theater Company
Food & Friends - Move For Meals
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.
Reach us at DC@citycast.fm.

Sep 2, 2025 • 35min
Your Guide to September 2025 in DC
There’s been a lot going on in the city lately, but we aren’t letting that keep us from enjoying this city we love. So from new restaurants with bugs to checking out subversive art while it’s still legal, here are our top picks for what to do in DC this September.
If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast community.
For even more tips on how to make the most of September in DC, check out Hey DC’s take on what to do this month.
If you enjoyed today's interview with District Bridges' Director of Storytelling and Marketing, Anna Claire, learn more here.
Learn more about the sponsors of this September 2nd episode:
Nace Law Group
District Bridges
DC Sustainable Energy Utility
Mosaic Theater Company
Food & Friends - Move For Meals
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.
Reach us at DC@citycast.fm.

Aug 29, 2025 • 31min
Trump's Death Penalty Push, Feds Take Union Station, and the Food Hall Fad
WAMU’s Alex Koma is here to talk about Trump, Bowser and the death penalty in DC, the federal government’s Union Station takeover, and the strange death of food halls. Plus, in a members-only fourth topic, we’re learning about the weird new AI private school in Virginia.
Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month.
Learn more about the sponsors of this August 28th episode:
Overlook Maps
DC Sustainable Energy Utility
Wise
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Aug 28, 2025 • 22min
Must-Hear Jazz in DC
To mark the start of Jazz Fest, we’re re-airing a conversation our co-hosts Michael Schaffer and Bridget Todd had about earlier this summer, where they get into the history and present of jazz in DC and the best ways to experience it.
Learn more about the sponsors of this August 28th episode:
Overlook Maps
DC Sustainable Energy Utility
Wise
Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC.
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE