3 Indy Podcasts You Should Listen To
If you’re anything like me, you’ve switched off your radio and plugged in your phone to listen to your favorite podcasts. I’m weirdly not much of a music person and prefer listening to other people talk to me and I find that podcasts are a great way to learn so much more. After graduation, it was really difficult to find the motivation to educate myself and learn more about the world around me, but with podcasts, I can curate my education, teach myself more about a new subject, or gain tips and tricks to help me in work and in life. Indianapolis has its fair share of high-quality, well-produced podcasts that I’m obsessed listening to. I love learning more about my adopted city and find that it’s a great way to network with other creatives around town. Below are some of my absolute favorites:
Drink Culture’s main mantra is “Know Your City” which is something I can definitely get behind. I remember when I first moved to Indy, I knew no one and had only been once to look for apartments, so I parked my car on Mass Ave and wandered for five hours. I came to appreciate where I lived so much more by just getting familiar with it. Drink Culture brings the city’s creatives and business leaders into a casual interview setting asking them questions about their businesses and how they got to where they are and how they are shaping Indy today, as well as some secret spots to add to your “to-visit” list. Fabian, Jared, and Hayley are a treat to listen to and are highly active on social media. My favorite episodes would probably be about Bluebeard with Tim Battista (mostly because my friends and I love Idle) and Yelp Indy with Brittany Smith and Nikki Kingston. Most episodes are around an hour long and are my favorite for when I am doing basic data entry at work.
Talking Hoosier History was born out of the Indiana Historical Bureau, which makes me biased since I used to work with the people who produce this podcast at the Indiana State Library. Host Lindsey Beckley takes primary and secondary sources and weaves them into a compelling story that teaches you more about the history of Indiana in an educated way. The podcast is very professional but easy to listen to, which may be good for people who aren’t totally interested in history. Even though I am not originally from Indiana, I feel that it’s very important that I understand the history that has shaped the city I live in now. My favorite episodes are “From Redlining to Better Homes: The Better Homes of South Bend Housing Cooperative” and “Physicist Melba Phillips Vs. the Atomic Bomb and the Cold War”. Episodes run around 30 minutes or so and are a nice slice of Indy history.
Ever hear about how the Indianapolis Colts were stolen away from Baltimore in the night and taken back to Indy so we could have a sports team? This podcast breaks down myths like this and how sports have shaped the current history of the city. Indianapolis has a loyal sports following in a number of sports, especially football and basketball. Hosts Jeff and Blaine interview multiple people in Indy involved in the world of sports and uncover how these events made our city what it is today. I’m not sure if they will make more episodes, but with only ten it is easy to binge-listen and learn a ton about Indianapolis. My favorite episodes are “Episode 5: Upgrading the Convention Center” and “Episode 7: Indy on the World Stage”. Episodes are about 45 minutes long and perfect for a longer commute.
There you have it, my favorite Indy podcasts! What are some of your favorite locally-based listens? Tell me in the comments below!