Happy International Podcast Day to those who celebrate. If you've been hunting for a new podcast, look no further: The Cincinnati Enquirer has one, and, you guessed it, it's about all things Cincinnati.
The honorary podcast day was first celebrated in 2014 as "National Podcast Day." In 2015, co-founders Steve Lee and Dave Lee rebranded after "realizing the power of podcasts internationally,"
which led to Sept. 30 officially being celebrated as International Podcast Day.In honor of the day, we're looking back at the top 10 most memorable "That's So Cincinnati" podcast guests from 2026 (so far). From local politicians and entrepreneurs to chefs and former professional athletes, we've covered it all.
Take a look.
Former Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken
The first guest of the "That's So Cincinnati" 2026 cycle was someone who is more than familiar with the Queen City: former Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken.
Luken, who holds the record as Cincinnati's longest-serving mayor, having held the office for 12 years and one month (1984-90 and again from 1999-2005), joined host Beryl Love and Enquirer city hall reporter Scott Wartman to discuss local politics, what's going on in Cincinnati and the joys of being a grandfather.
Read the story. | Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
James Beard Semifinalist, Sudova owner and head chef Sarah Dworak
The day after finding out she was a semifinalist for a 2026 James Beard Award, Sarah Dworak, the chef/owner of Sudova, sat down to share her story.
It's a story that starts in Youngstown, Ohio, where Dworak grew up in a Ukrainian family before moving to Arizona and eventually Cincinnati to, in her words, "follow a boy." Dworak tells us why she decided to start selling pierogis at a modest Findlay Market stand and how it eventually turned into Wodka Bar, her Over-the-Rhine cocktail lounge that earned a place among Esquire's Best Bars in America the year it opened.
Read the story. | Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Former Sports Illustrated reporter, 'Next Level Chef' contestant Elise Jesse
Former WLWT-TV (Channel 5) sports reporter and Sports Illustrated Bengals reporter Elise Jesse took a break from the sidelines to "dabble in cooking" alongside famed chef Gordon Ramsay.
Jesse competed on season 5 of "Next Level Chef. A graduate of Oak Hills High School and Mount St. Joseph University, Jesse worked for WLWT from 2013 to 2020 before joining Sports Illustrated to cover the Bengals.
Jesse joined the "That's So Cincinnati" podcast to dish about how she got her start in cooking, her favorite dishes to make, what it was like to work with the famed chef and more.
Read the story. | Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Filmmaker Terry Lukemire and former NBA player Corie Blount
A new documentary, "Beyond the Bench: The Bob Huggins Legacy," features numerous Cincinnati Bearcats, West Virginia Mountaineers and college coaches like Bill Self of Kansas and John Calipari of Arkansas talking about the Naismith Hall of Famer.
Two of UC's Final Four Bearcats from 1992, Terry Nelson and Corie Blount, recently had Huggins on their YouTube podcast, "Legends Unplugged," to promote the film.
Blount was among the Bearcats who told Huggins it should be part of the life story. The former NBA player sat with Bob and June Huggins in Morgantown and watched the hour-and-50-minute film, with Huggins turning to executive producer Hilsinger and saying "Thank you" as it went to credits.
Read the story. | Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
SPCA Cincinnati President and CEO Chris Seelbach
At an early age, Chris Seelbach had a soft spot for animals. It seemed like a perfect fit for him to step into his role as president and CEO of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Cincinnati (even though he never envisioned himself leading the nonprofit).
Under his leadership, SPCA Cincinnati plans to open an Over-the-Rhine adoption center as part of a $3.5 million expansion of its facilities. The nonprofit is also breaking ground this summer on a new 4,000-square-foot medical center at its Sharonville campus.
Seelbach joined The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast to discuss how he came into his role at SPCA, the timeline for the OTR and Sharonville expansions, and, of course, the fostering of his "obese" orange cat, Pumpkin.
Read the story. | Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Rotary Club president Ed Mathis
Mathis, a born-and-bred Cincinnatian, was inducted as the club's president on July 1. The Rotary Club of Cincinnati was founded in 1910 and is the second-largest in Ohio, behind Toledo.
The Rotary Club is a local chapter of Rotary International, a global service organization. Founded in Chicago in 1905, Rotary unites local businesses, professionals and community leaders to take action and create lasting change within its communities.
As the incoming president, Mathis has his sights set on fostering those strong connections. He joined The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast to discuss his new role, his career and who he is.
Read the story. | Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Former Reds pitcher and new Reds Hall of Famer Aaron Harang
Three Cincinnati Reds legends entered the team's Hall of Fame at Great American Ball Park. The 2026 induction class featured Brandon Phillips, Reggie Sanders, Lou Piniella and the workhorse pitcher, Aaron Harang.
Ahead of his induction ceremony, Harang joined the "That's So Cincinnati" podcast to reflect on his days as a Red and how he reacted when he got the Hall of Fame call. He even shared fond memories (and a few funny stories) from the dugout, including the reason for keeping gum in his jacket.
Read the story. | Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Cindependent founder Allyson West
It was 513 Day in the Queen City, so in celebration of the day, the "That's So Cincinnati" podcast welcomed a special guest who has poured her heart and time into the city (and the Mariemont Theatre): Allyson West.
West, the founder and executive director of Cindependent Film Festival, a nonprofit that supports independent filmmakers, is heading the revitalization of the historic Mariemont Theatre and its surrounding community. She hopes to show movies at the theater again while also building a year-round home for independent film in Cincinnati.
West discussed the renovations and plans for the Mariemont Theatre on the podcast. She also chatted about the community's involvement and, of course, the Cindependent Film Festival, which partnered with Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled, also known as LADD, for this year's festival.
Read the story. | Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Fifty West Brewing Co.'s CEO and founder Bobby Slattery
Bobby Slattery comes from a long line of entrepreneurs. The Cincinnati native grew up believing he could achieve anything he set his mind on – a passion he said his father, who's also a prominent businessman, instilled in him.
In 2012, Slattery opened Fifty West Brewing Company, a brewery and burger joint that he aimed to make family-friendly. More than a decade later, Slattery expanded his business in 2024 by venturing into the THC-infused drink realm, launching Sunflower THC seltzers.
Although Sunflower has been tremendously successful, it's been an ongoing fight to keep the drinks on shelves as Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine outlawed the beverages in what Slattery called a "modern-day Prohibition."
Slattery discussed his brewing company, 50 West and Sunflower THC drinks, as well as his fight to keep the drinks legal during his guest appearance.
Read the story. | Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Rozzi Fireworks Joe Rozzi and iHeartMedia's Scott Reinhart
Every year, the Western & Southern/WEBN Fireworks show promises to be bigger and better, but this year – which also happened to be the event's 50th anniversary – it was for real. Organizers called it "The Biggest Blast in America."
Ahead of the Labor Day weekend event, Joe Rozzi, the vice president and fourth-generation member of Rozzi's Famous Fireworks family, along with Scott Reinhart, senior vice president of programming at iHeart Media, joined the "That's So Cincinnati" podcast to talk about the inner workings of the fireworks show, some surprises and even the best place to watch the show.
Read the story. | Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Vice president and director of Blink Cincinnati, Leslie Mooney
Greater Cincinnati is gearing up to host Blink Cincinnati as it returns to Downtown and Northern Kentucky for its fifth iteration of enveloping the region in a kaleidoscope of lights and sounds.
The festival, which will feature art from more than 90 artists worldwide, is set to take place Oct. 8-11 and will feature the latest technology and digital art techniques as well as a record number of women artists.
Ahead of the highly anticipated event, Leslie Mooney, vice president and executive director of Blink Cincinnati, joined the "That's So Cincinnati" podcast to discuss how she came into the new position last June, what festivalgoers can expect, and all the changes that are coming to the festival this year.
Read the story. | Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Where to listen to 'That's So Cincinnati'
The Enquirer's weekly podcast on what's making news in our community, featuring a who's who of special guests, can be found on Audioboom, Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.
See photos of the That's So Cincinnati podcast through the years
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Most memorable 'That's So Cincinnati' podcast guests of 2026 (so far)
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