City Cast Denver

Latest Episodes:

The Best Kid-Friendly Holiday Fun in Denver Dec 03, 2024

Show notes

There’s no shortage of fun stuff to do with kids around Denver this season. But how do parents and caregivers make the most of the holidays without stressing out or emptying their wallets? Host and mom Bree Davies is joined by fellow parents Linnea Covington, managing editor at DiningOut, and David Gilbert, writer and local history buff, to map out the best ways to make memories with your kiddos during this most wonderful time of the year. From free hot cocoa and no-cost holiday scavenger hunts to elaborate light displays and visits with Santa, we’ve rounded up a variety of options that children — and the adults tagging along — can enjoy!

Bree mentioned a video of the old, elaborate holiday displays at the long-demolished Buckingham Square in Aurora.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm

What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬

Learn more about the sponsors of this December 3rd episode:

If you enjoyed the interview with Denon Moore, the Business Support Director of Colfax Bid, learn more here.

BetterHelp - get 10% off at betterhelp.com/CITYCAST
Unit E Records
Colfax Bid
Office of Climate Action
PineMelon - Use promo code CITYCASTDENVER for $35 off your first delivery
Energy Outreach - Donate at Coloradogives.org

Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Your Guide to December 2024 in Denver Dec 02, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to December in Denver, a time for gathering with friends, supporting the city’s many local businesses, and soaking up the holiday season! We’ve rounded up our top recommendations for places to shop, new social experiences to try, and more ways enjoy this month in the Mile High City. From achocolate lover’s paradise and a delicious afternoon tea to a drive-thru holiday light show and a legendary live music performance, we’ve got your December calendar packed with fun.

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 Denver community.

For even more tips on how to make the most of December in Denver, check out our newsletter Hey Denver’s take on what to do this month. And if you want an insider’s guide to the Mile High EVERY week, for as little as $8 a month you can sign up to become a City Cast Denver member today and enjoy our members-only email that lays out cool events each Monday!

City Cast Denver is made possible by our awesome sponsors:

BetterHelp - get 10% off at betterhelp.com/CITYCAST
Unit E Records
Colfax Bid
Office of Climate Action

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here citycast.fm/advertise.

Got questions or comments about this episode? You can reach us at denver@citycast.fm

What Denver Is Doing To Build Bike Lanes, Fix Sidewalks, Increase Composting, and More Nov 27, 2024

Show notes

From bike lanes and sidewalks to trash pick-up and snow plowing, Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure is in charge of the big things that make our city work. And if such issues make the news — like when Denver cyclists rallied against the city’s decision to ditch new bike infrastructure or when composting services got a big boost — someone has to answer for these choices. Amy Ford is the head of Denver DOTI and joins host Bree Davies to dig into some of the city’s biggest decisions that impact how we interact with this place every day.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm

What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬

Learn more about the other sponsors of this November 27th episode:

PineMelon - Use promo code CITYCASTDENVER for $35 off your first delivery
Unit E Records

Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Mayor Johnston’s Tiananmen Square Comments, a Senate Exodus, and Casa Bonita Goes Union Nov 26, 2024

Show notes

It’s Tuesday, and we’re flipping through the headlines you need to know before the holiday break. First, the 160th anniversary of the Sand Creek Massacre is on Friday, and Colorado is still grappling with how we’ve interpreted our own shameful history. Then, Mayor Johnston is already backtracking on some controversial comments he made on Trump’s “Operation Aurora,” DPS votes to shut down more neighborhood schools, and state legislators look to overhaul the system for filling vacant seats. Host Bree Davies is joined by Westword editor Patty Calhoun to dig into these headlines plus the Casa Bonita union vote and more.

Bree and Olivia talked about our show last week on endangered architecture with Historic Denver’s John Deffenbaugh; here’s the correct information on the location of our smoke stacks in the City and County’s seal. Bree also mentioned our list of local volunteer opportunities we published in the Hey Denver newsletter.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm

What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬

Learn more about the other sponsors of this November 26th episode:

PineMelon - Use promo code CITYCASTDENVER for $35 off your first delivery
Unit E Records

Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

The 9 Best Bars in Denver (Plus, Some Honorable Mentions) Nov 25, 2024

Show notes

Denver’s got no shortage of places to grab a drink — from fancy lounges with cocktail programs to those down and dirty dives that serve up cheap shots with a smile, there’s a place for every taste. But how do you choose? Westword food and drink editor Molly Martin just published the paper’s annual “Best Bars We Can’t Live Without” and it’s a wonderful doozy of a list! She joins host Bree Davies and politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval to dig into the Mile High’s vast selection of watering holes, and share thoughts on the best bars in Denver.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm

What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬

Learn more about the other sponsors of this November 25th episode:

PineMelon - Use promo code CITYCASTDENVER for $35 off your first delivery
Unit E Records - Use promo code CITYCAST for a free vinyl record with subscription

Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Colfax and Broadway’s Future, Trump’s Pro-Fracking Denver Pick, and a Pizza Comeback Nov 22, 2024

Show notes

It’s Friday, and we’re rounding up the biggest stories of the week. First, CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy Chris Wright — also known as the guy who drank fracking fluid on camera to “prove” it was safe — is President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Energy. Who is Wright, and what would his appointment mean for the climate crisis? Then, the city has proposed building pickleball courts to fill the vacant lot at Colfax and Broadway. Will pickleball players go for it? Host Bree Davies is joined by stand-up comedian Joshua Emerson and Denver Post environmental reporter Noelle Phillips to talk climate change, local recreation, Westernaires’ problematic Native American reenactments, a new pizza spot coming to Cap Hill, and more wins and fails of the week.

Bree mentioned the proposed pedestrian bridges to the Capitol and the Evans School going from an artist studio space to a beer garden. Joshua discussed the Douglas County School District and their decision to postpone an AP African American studies course.

What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/Denver

Learn more about the sponsors of this November 22nd episode:

Meow Wolf
PineMelon - Use promo code CITYCASTDENVER for $35 off your first delivery
Denver Health
Unit E Records - Use promo code CITYCAST for a free vinyl record with your subscription
Warren Village

Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Is Denver Pricing Out Its Artists? Nov 21, 2024

Show notes

We know art is big business in this city — world-renowned artists exhibit their work here, live music dominates our many music venues, and Denver has become a go-to place for hit Broadway shows. But what about the artists who live here? Like other working people, creatives often hold down multiple jobs just to afford living here. Recently, writer and photographer Manuel Aragon wrote about the affordability crisis many artists face — and offered some creative solutions Denver could embrace to keep artists in the Mile High City. He joins host and fellow arts advocate Bree Davies to talk about the state of the arts, his concerns about actual affordability, and his hope for the city to be a place that embraces the people who make this place look, sound, and feel so unique.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm

What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬

If you enjoyed the interview with Denon Moore, the Business Support Director of Colfax Bid, learn more here.

Learn more about the other sponsors of this November 21st episode:

PineMelon - Use promo code CITYCASTDENVER for $35 off your first delivery
Meow Wolf
Denver Health
Unit E Records
Warren Village

Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Which Old Buildings in Denver Are Worth Saving? Nov 20, 2024

Show notes

It’s an age-old question in Denver: Which buildings are worth preserving, and which ones, well, aren’t? From gentrification and housing affordability to the impacts on a city’s cultural significance and the built environment, historic preservation plays varying roles across Mile High neighborhoods. Host Bree Davies sits down with John Deffenbaugh, the president and CEO of Historic Denver, to talk through his philosophy on preservation, and take a look at some current properties with fates being debated over — like Elitch Gardens, the Zuni Street power plant, a mid-century modern office building in City Park West, and more.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm

What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬

Learn more about the sponsors of this November 20th episode:

PineMelon - Use promo code CITYCASTDENVER for $35 off your first delivery
Meow Wolf
Denver Health
Unit E Records
Warren Village

Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

A Controversial Polis Endorsement, RiNo’s Uncertain Future, and Recycling Woes Nov 19, 2024

Show notes

It’s Tuesday, and we’re looking at the big stories of the week. First, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services has sparked national concerns due to RFK’s skepticism over vaccines. More surprising? Gov. Jared Polis’ endorsement of him. Meanwhile, the future of RiNo’s business improvement district is uncertain — some property owners who lobbied for the creation of BID now want to get rid of it, arguing in a petition that the BID’s job is done. Host Bree Davies and Westword editor Patty Calhoun dig into the governor’s latest drama and RiNo’s predicament; then, producer Olivia Jewell Love joins to talk about one listener’s concerns when it comes to recycling in Denver.

Bree talked about an RFK Jr. exposé in Vanity Fair from earlier this year, plus her piece for Westword on some of RiNo’s past history as an arts hub. We mentioned another Colorado connection in recent Trump cabinet nominations.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm

What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬

Learn more about the sponsors of this November 19th episode:

Meow Wolf
PineMelon - Use promo code CITYCASTDENVER for $35 off your first delivery
Denver Health
Unit E Records
Warren Village

Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Here’s How To Help Your Denver Neighbors Right Now Nov 18, 2024

Show notes

The presidential election left many folks feeling discouraged and defeated. But it also energized people looking to plug in and start helping their neighbors right now — but how? And where? And beyond performative allyship, how do you actually make a difference? Host Bree Davies sits down with Tran Wills, a longtime business owner and organizer in Denver, to lay out the most effective ways to use your time, resources, and expertise to help your community in this moment.

These are the organizations we mentioned in this episode:

And we will have plenty more resources and organizations to share later this week in our newsletter, Hey Denver, which you can subscribe to right now for free! Know of a local nonprofit or mutual aid group that should be on our radar? Let us know! Email us at denver@citycast.fm.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm

What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬

Learn more about the sponsors of this November 18th episode: