10 Bizarre Cincinnati Traditions That Make Our City The Absolute Best
By Andrea Limke|Published March 09, 2018
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Andrea Limke
Author
A Cincinnati native who has lived in Kentucky for over 10 years, Andrea's heart belongs both in the Queen City and the Bluegrass State. After earning an education degree and working in that field for a number of years, Andrea began to pursue her passion for writing over 6 years ago. Since then she has written for a number of print and online publications, as well as published a children's book.
We all already know that Cincinnati is the absolute best and that we have something to offer everyone who calls our city home. We also know that Cincinnati is a town of traditions, some of which are so embedded in our culture that we may not think they are that peculiar. But when you break them down or try to explain them to an outsider, you’ll quickly realize that our city is a little weird! We wouldn’t have it any other way because these 10 bizarre Cincinnati traditions make our city the absolute best.
1. Hosting the largest Chicken Dance in the world.
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is an epic festival held every September in Cincinnati, and it's one of the biggest in the world! It's only at this local gathering that you can participate in the world's largest chicken dance, where you can flap your arms and twirl around with thousands of your closest friends. Don't forget your chicken hat!
This event is also a part of Oktoberfest, and the annual Running of the Wieners may just be the cutest of Cincinnati traditions. Locals dress up their tiny wiener dogs and set them loose to race their furry competitors. The miniature costumes and massive crowds at a dog race are just part of the appeal.
Food festivals are common across the country, but where else can you find one that solely focuses on goetta? A food that many people don't recognize and spellcheck still thinks is misspelled - goetta is a local favorite that definitely deserves its own celebration. Gather just across the river in Newport at the beginning of August for this delicious, family-friendly event.
While Bockfest is not solely held in the Queen City, Cincinnati does happen to be the home to the world's largest Bock festival. Like with many things, we go big with a wonderfully bizarre parade, a 5K run, and a lively downtown scene that makes this early spring weekend a blast.
Parades may not be bizarre, but the fact that our entire city basically shuts down so everyone can go to the Reds Opening Day Parade is a bit extreme. The beginning of baseball season and arguably the best parade of the year are both reasons to pause life for a while and celebrate!
Cincinnati loves dogs and apparently love dressing them up even more. The Mt. Adams Reindog Parade is one of the most beloved holiday traditions in Cincinnati and a great way to spend a Saturday in December with your festive pooch.
Cincinnati gives back each winter with the frigidly cold Polar Plunge. At this event, Cincinnatians willingly jump into a pool of frigid water - often in the snow. Wacky costumes and a positive attitude are also commonplace at this unique event.
If you ever happened to be in Mt. Adams on a winter day and didn't realize that it was the same day as Cupid's Undie Run, then your day was probably made. This eclectic event is held across the country, but we believe that our city does it the best. I mean, just look at this photo!
Ice skating on Fountain Square is a wonderful Cincinnati tradition but things get a little bizarre when you realize you're skating next to Mr. Red! Mascot meet and greets are held throughout the rink's open season and the annual Mascot Broomball Game is a can't miss event in the city.
10. Shout two words with more passion than humanly possible.
Two words that Cincinnatians have put together that mean absolutely nothing to most people - WHO DEY! It's how we passionately cheer on our Bengals and it's a tradition to chant these words whether you are watching the game from inside the stadium, at a sports bar, or on your own living room couch.
Our festive city has some of the most unique and best traditions in the country, so it’s easy to see why our character-filled Cincinnati is so great. How many of these Cincy traditions have you been a part of? What other weird things do we do as a city that make us the best? Share all of the bizarreness with us in the comments!
And as a part of Bockfest, Arnold’s Bar and Grill is the oldest tavern in Cincinnati! For more on this legendary eatery, check out our previous article here.
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