Louisville, Kentucky is a wonderful, diverse city full of lots of different kinds of people who do lots of different things, and live in complete harmony doing so. There are the country boys who go hunting on the weekends, there are the artsy folk who spend their time at the coffee shops and eclectic stores in the Highlands, and there are all manner of other people in between the two extremes. However, there are some things that you would never, in a million years, catch ANY true Louisvillian doing, such as:
In Louisville, this inner-state rivalry is more important than all the world championships combined. Sure, maybe sports aren’t that important to some Louisvillians, but everyone has to choose a side, and be prepared to argue with people who chose the other side.
If you hear anyone call a soft drink anything but a "coke" or a "pop," they have to be from out of town. If you ask for a "soda" in Louisville, you’re going to get laughed at. Just sayin’.
Whether it’s from a locally owned pizza parlor like Impellizzeri’s or Butchertown Pizza Hall, or from a chain like Dominos, Pizza Hut, or our hometown star, Papa John’s, Louisvillians love pizza in any way, shape, or form. It might just be one of our five main food groups. Plus it goes great with a coke!
Even if you wanted to forget that the most exciting two minutes in sports happens in Louisville every May, you couldn’t. Starting in February, all talk turns to the Derby, and all roads lead to Churchill Downs (good luck fighting the traffic).
The Derby festivities officially kick off with Thunder Over Louisville two weeks before the big day. And whether you physically go to the waterfront or stay home and watch it on TV, no one misses this huge, expensive fireworks display.
8. Believing That the Louisville International Airport is Really International
Sure, the airport is located in the perfect position to reach from almost anywhere in the city, but unless New York, Washington, and Tampa are located in other countries, this "international" airport is really a "national" one.
Louisville might be a big city, but that doesn’t mean its people don’t care about each other. Not one time has someone had their car break down on the side of the road and not had another fellow Louisville resident (that they have never met before) pull over and offer to help them.
10. Forgetting that Louisville is Just One Giant Small Town
Louisville might be the biggest city in Kentucky, and it might have close to 300,000 residents, but every time you go shopping (or to the movies, or to a restaurant...), you are going to run into someone you know. It might be someone you hated from high school, it might be your great-aunt you never see otherwise, or it might be your third grade teacher out buying kitty litter, but you’re going to see someone you know everywhere you go. And they’re probably going to want to talk your ear off. Never go out without looking your best - you never know who that someone will be!
What about you, fellow Louisvillians? Do you do any of the things on this list? Or is there something else that someone from Louisville would never do? Feel free to joing the conversation and add to this list!
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