Podcast
Curious City
Hosted by WBEZ Chicago · EN
Ask questions, vote and discover answers about Chicago, the region and its people. From WBEZ.
28episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
“Like getting paid to party”: The life of cover bands on the Chicago festival circuit
1w ago00:20:31Tap to summarizeOnce summer hits, local cover bands are busy working Chicago’s many street festivals. What’s life like for cover band musicians? Curious City spoke with three bands that are regulars on the local festival circuit: The Gingers, Too Much Molly Band, and Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute.
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Is that a lobster in the Chicago River?
2w ago00:14:44Tap to summarizeIt’s an invasive species that doesn’t seem harmful at first glance. But if they go unchecked, these little things can disrupt local ecologies.
Transcribe →‘Give while you live’: Who is Museum of Science and Industry founder Julius Rosenwald?
3w ago00:16:54Tap to summarizeThe Museum of Science and Industry was renamed in 2024 in recognition of megadonor Ken Griffin. The museum’s original founder, Julius Rosenwald, did not want to put his own name on the institution.
Transcribe →A good lake, not a Great Lake
4w ago00:21:12Tap to summarizeFor a brief moment in the 1990s, Lake Champlain was known as the sixth Great Lake. The lake wedged between Vermont and New York doesn’t quite measure up to the five Great Lakes. So how did this happen? Curious City partners with the Points North podcast from Interlochen Public Radio to bring you the story.
Transcribe →Why does Chicago have so little love for the ‘Watchdog’ of the lakefront?
Jul 100:25:39Tap to summarizeThe name Aaron Montgomery Ward might sound familiar, either from the chain of now-defunct department stores that once bore his name or as the catalog guy who revolutionized mail-order shopping over 150 years ago. His lesser-known legacy, perhaps, is his drawn out fight over Grant Park. Ward spent 22 years and upwards of $1 million in today’s dollars fighting to keep Chicago’s premier downtown park “forever open, clear and free” from buildings. But why did he do it? And why isn’t he celebrated more for his crusade?
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Is This Your Card? A Brief History Of Chicago-style Magic
Jun 2400:22:29Tap to summarizeChicago-style magic is close up, funny and usually performed at a bar or restaurant. We learn about its history and talk to several magicians who are part of the tradition. This episode was originally published in 2024.
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Where did the term 'Chicagoland' come from?
Jun 1700:15:40Tap to summarizeThere’s no New York-land or Boston-land, so why does the Chicago metropolitan area have its own unique name? It turns out this has been a question on the minds of many Curious City listeners. To learn more, we looked at the origins of this term, how its meaning has changed over time and the media mogul — or Colonel — behind it all. This episode originally aired in 2023.
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How did Hollywood Beach become Chicago’s ‘gay beach’?
Jun 1000:19:34Tap to summarizeThe stretch of beach that starts where DuSable Lake Shore Drive ends wasn’t always as vibrant or as ‘gay’ as it is today. Its transition was spearheaded by Jerry Marcoccia, who was searching for a sense of belonging in the 1990s. "You can't talk about this beach being gay without including me,” he said.
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Why does Chicago use Comic Sans on some elevator inspection certificates?
Jun 300:15:53Tap to summarizeComic Sans often signals levity or sarcasm. The font is occasionally used for a key phrase in some official city elevator inspection certificates. That’s caused concern for some Chicagoans, including at least two Curious City listeners.Stand-up clips in this episode were from comedian @EricSchwartz.
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Does Chicago have a Filipino neighborhood?
May 2700:22:10Tap to summarizeA concentrated Filipino community area is not as easy to spot as neighborhoods like Chinatown or Little Village. In this episode, we’ll look at the long history Filipinos have had in Chicago stretching back to the early 1900s. We’ll also look at how Filipino restaurants have made a mark across the city in recent years, from Jefferson Park to Pilsen. Originally published in February 2025.
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