If you’re a Kentuckian, chances are the items on this list won’t seem strange to you at all. However, folks from other states just don’t get it, and these typical Kentucky customs might even seem insane or peculiar to them. However, as Kentuckians, we are more than proud to continue on with our own unique culture and way of life.

1. Refer to all different kinds of soft drinks as "coke."
Flickr/La Vina Liverpool
Some people call them "pop," others just say "soda," but Kentuckians use the word "coke" as a broad term to describe all soft drinks, not just one particular brand.
2. Close schools and cancel work for a horse race.
Flickr/Lee Burchfield
Even some non-Kentuckians know that the Kentucky Derby is held the first Saturday in May, but the Kentucky Oaks is run the day before the Derby. This race for fillies attracts as many as 120,000 people to Churchill Downs, so many schools and businesses in Louisville are closed that day.
3. We party for two straight weeks for a completely different horse race.
Flickr/Mike Lutz
While the Kentucky Oaks is a huge day, the Kentucky Derby is the main event. Thunder Over Louisville is a giant fireworks show (the largest annual fireworks display in North America, to be exact) that kicks off the Kentucky Derby Festival. In the following two weeks leading up to Derby Day, there are tons of events and parties. Some are family friendly like the Great Steamboat Race, and others are geared more toward adults, like the countless parties where bourbon flows like water.
4. Speaking of horses, we consider them to be heroes, so we name streets after them.
Google Maps
Especially around Lexington, which is known as the "Horse Capital of the World." There's Ruffian, Man O' War, Citation, Pink Pigeon, and Sir Barton, to name only a few.
5. We're not kidding. They're heroes, so many of them get statues as well.
Flickr/Brandon C.
This statue of Secretariat is located at the Kentucky Horse Park. We need a statue of American Pharoah ASAP.
6. We pick out our Derby hats months in advance.
Flickr/Julie Delio
Because it's the most important part of your Derby Day ensemble.
7. We pronounce the name of our largest city the CORRECT way, which some people find odd.
Flickr/Monique Wingard
It's Lou-a-vul or Luh-vul. It's not Loueyville. We'll know you're from out of state if you say it that way.
8. We pronounce the name of this town in such a way that would make a Frenchmen cringe.
Flickr/Pierre
We pronounce it exactly how it is spelled: Ver-sailles. Sorry, French people.
9. We know random facts about bourbon, even if we aren't bourbon enthusiasts.
Flickr/snickclunk
All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. 95% of the world's supply comes from Kentucky, but it has to be made in America. It must be made with 51% corn. It must age in a barrel for at least two years... I'll stop now.
10. Very few of use don't enjoy a good ole Kentucky hug.
Flickr/ctj71081
A Kentucky hug is that warm and fuzzy feeling you get in your throat and chest after swallowing some bourbon.
11. We basically dump an entire bag of sugar in our sweet tea.
Flickr/RecoilRick
It is called SWEET tea, isn't it?
12. We call our barbecue sauce "dip."
Flickr/Stonewall Ballard
We're quite fond of western Kentucky barbecue. We call the sauce "dip" because the meat tastes so good on its own that we don't need to slather it in a thick, sweet sauce to add any flavor. Dip is thinner and vinegar based.

How many of these “insane” things do you relate to as a Kentuckian?

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.

Related Articles