30 Things People From Bloomington Have To Explain To Out-Of-Towners

1. Bloomington Bleeds Crimson And Cream

Bloomington isn’t just a college town, there are tons of locals too. However, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone not cheering on the home team when they’re having a winning season. In Bloomington college sports reign supreme.

2. The Little 500 Is Actually A Pretty Big Race

Little 500, also known as Little Five, is a 50 mile, relay-style bike race in which 33 teams compete for the gold. It’s probably the biggest event in Bloomington every year, as teams train year around and festivities last for days around the actual event.

3. The Little 500 Is An Even Bigger Party

Little 500 isn’t just about biking, it’s also about massive parties. Known around the country as “The World’s Greatest College Weekend,” the crazy antics of local Hoosiers often lands Little 500 week on the short list of “best college parties in the country.”

4. Bloomington Hoosiers Are On A Constant Quest For A Sixth Banner

Bloomington has an obsession with Indiana basketball, and every fan is well aware that it’s been quite some time since they’ve won a national championship. But each year, fans remain hopeful, sure that there’s a chance they’ll get to hang a 6th banner in Assembly Hall at the end of the season.

5. Bloomington Goes Crazy For KOK

A quick walk around campus may confuse an out-of-towner, as countless students walk around donning the “KOK” logo on their shirts. Kilroy’s on Kirkwood is a campus favorite among bars and by giving out shirts, the KOK name gets around quite a bit, having become synonymous with partying at IU.

6. Football Season = Tailgate Season In Bloomington

IU might lose the game, but they never lose the party. While Indiana University football is never one of the best teams around, it doesn’t stop fans from gathering outside of the stadium every game day to throw back a few beers. The tailgating seemingly stretches for miles, and tends to keep going well after kickoff.

7. In Bloomington The Best Wine Is Local

Bloomingtonians love their wine. It helps that Oliver Winery, one of the largest wineries in the Midwest, is right in their backyard. With a huge tasting room and pond side deck, the dozens of options at Oliver are sure to please anyone.

8. The Best Beer Is Local, Too

Bloomington may be a small Midwest town, but that doesn’t stop if from having some awesome local craft beer options. With staples like Upland and Bloomington Brewing Company located in the city, it’s easy for beer lovers to grab a pint of something good.

9. No, The Midwest Isn’t All Flat

Brown Country has world-class mountain biking trails and the Hilly Hundred bike race is sure to make anyone’s legs burn a little. While Indiana is known for its endless cornfields, Bloomington seems to be the exception.

10. Purdue? More Like “PurDON’T!”

An out-of-towner is sure to be confused by the many shirts that say “PurDon’t!” in Bloomington. While most people outside of Indiana would have a hard time putting Purdue on a map, Indiana University has a bitter rivalry with them, something that will need to be explained to visiting friends before a big game.

11. Bloomington Hoosiers Have Been Fighting Over A Wooden Bucket For Years

The “Old Oaken Bucket” is a coveted trophy among Indiana University football fans, it means they beat the Purdue Boilermakers in the most recent season. This traveling trophy bounces back and forth between the two football teams from year to year, as an “I” or “P” is added to a chain depending on who wins. Boilermakers lead the series with a record of 72-38-6, but Indiana is the current bucket holder with a win during the 2013-14 season.

12. This One Time, This Guy Threw A Chair…

...and here’s a video of him throwing a chair. Every sports fan around the country knows the name “Bobby Knight,” but in Bloomington he’s a legend. With three Indiana University National Championships under his belt as a coach, most Hoosiers are willing to forgive his ridiculous antics like choking players and throwing furniture during games. While he was eventually fired from the school for these outbursts, rioters still took to the street to protest his dismissal.

13. Sure You Can Walk Everywhere But It’s Gonna Be A Long Walk

Bloomington is a beautiful town, with a beautiful college campus and a great downtown area. There are tons of pathways making it very accessible to walkers. Unfortunately, it’s also very spread out. Walking from one destination to another can take up to a half hour, if not more, as this is one of the major complaints of new students, especially during the winter months. Fortunately, there’s a pretty good bus system that runs during most hours of the day, making it a little easy to get from point A to point B, as long as you don’t get lost.

14. Mother Bear Makes The Best Pizza

Whoever said the only place to get pizza in the Midwest was Chicago couldn’t be more wrong. Mother Bear’s in Bloomington serves up some of the best slices around, sure to change any naysayers mind.

15. There’s This Thing Called “Small Town Gourmet”

Bloomingtonians get a little bit snobby when it comes to food. Bloomington tends to break common stereotypes of a small town, being very cultured, with tons of awesomely diverse places to dine. The people here only want to eat the best ingredients and the local restaurants tend to cater to that.

16. There’s A Difference Between The Students And The Townies

Bloomington is known worldwide for being a college town, but that’s hardly the case. While there are tons of students that call the town home for a few years, there are also a ton of families that have lived locally for decades. While some of these locals embrace the atmosphere of Indiana University, others try to avoid the college crowd at all costs.

17. “Breaking Away” Deserved It’s Oscar, Dammit!

Nominated for 5 Oscars, including best picture, “Breaking Away” is all about Bloomington and the Little 500. The story follows the story of the “Cutters” bike team, named after the limestone cutters that helped harvest the rock found all around campus. It ended up winning “best original screenplay” and is a must see for anyone even just thinking of visiting the area.

18. No One Really Knows Exactly What A Hoosier Is

The term is very common around the entire state of Indiana and no one can figure out how it originated, even though it’s been around since the 1800s. Regardless, people in Bloomington and all over the state have come to accept it as a word describing someone from Indiana and never lack in Hoosier pride.

19. In Bloomington You Always Look Out For Pedestrians

Whether they’re biking or on their own two feet, pedestrians in Bloomington seem to have no clue how to navigate safely down the street. If there’s a sign advising drivers to watch out for pedestrians, do what it says. Someone will probably dart out in front of the vehicle with a death wish sooner or later.

20. There’s This Game Called “Sink The Biz” And Its Intoxicating

One of the coolest drinking games around, “Sink the Biz” (short for Bismark) consists of taking turns pouring beer into a floating cup until the loser overfills it, thus making the cup sink. The loser then must drink the cup full of beer.

21. John Mellencamp Is Kinda A Big Deal Here

A hometown hero, John “Cougar” Mellencamp is the local celebrity that everyone loves around Bloomington. He lives a few miles outside of the town and is regularly spotted being a normal person on the Bloomington streets. No matter how many times a Bloomingtonian happens to see him, it’s still shocking whenever he appears at the grocery store or local pizza place.

22. The Jordan Avenue Bridges Are Ever Changing

The bridges on Jordan Avenue are constantly being painted by creative college students to promote upcoming events and philanthropic efforts. They change on a regular basis, and it’s always interesting to see what new designs the students have come up with.

23. Those Buildings Are Indiana Limestone

There’s a reason every building looks so awesome around Bloomington, a lot of them are made with limestone straight from Indiana. Limestone played a big part in forming the town of Bloomington and its local history regularly gets mentioned.

24. Water Long Islands Make For A Good Night (And A Rough Morning)

This alcoholic beverage tastes like fruity water, but it’s sure to pack a punch. While most bartenders around the country would think you were crazy if you asked for a “water long island,” Kilroy’s embraces the drink, serving up several flavors every night. It’s a must try for visitors to the town, as it will have them wishing the drink was more popular elsewhere around the nation.

25. Hairy Bears Can Get Dangerous.

Another drink native to Bloomington is the “hairy bear” from Bear’s Place. Some equate it to the “hairy buffalo” drink, basically a mixed drink with everything in it. Bear’s Place serves them up in huge pitchers, it’s not advised that anyone drink more than two on a given night.

26. Not To Brag But… Bloomington Hoosiers Are Basically Sex Experts

Just because Bloomington is in the Midwest, doesn’t mean its super conservative when it comes to everything. The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction is a leading researcher when it comes to sex education and safe sex practices. Their presence is felt around the community, as various lectures and informational meetings are a regular occurrence.

27. Layers, Always Dress In Layers

Bloomington suffers from the same temperamental weather that the rest of the Midwest does. One day can be sunny and the next can yield a foot of snow. Bloomington residents know how to dress for that time of the year when the weather is sure to change several times in a single day.

28. Fall In Bloomington Is Incredible

The fall season in Bloomington makes waiting around through the humid summers and frigid winters totally worth it. With some of the most beautiful foliage around and some awesome places to get out and explore nature, it’s hard to beat an October in B-Town.

29. There Isn’t Really A Local Mascot

Indiana University is one of the few major universities that doesn’t really have a mascot. While they’ve tried out a few in the past, none have really stuck. However, technically being “the Hoosiers” their mascot should simply be someone from Indiana. Perhaps most of the crowd is joined in becoming one of the largest mascots around.

30. Bloomingtonians Are Spoiled For Local Fresh Food

With so much local produce and farm land nearby, Bloomington loves it’s fresh, all natural options. This makes the farmer’s markets here a huge deal, as many residents prefer to grab most of their groceries there over the supermarket.

31. Bloomington Attracts World Class Artists

Bloomington is home to a great art school at Indiana University, which tends to bring a ton of great artists to the community. There are tons of local galleries, curbside stands, and festivals, helping to keep Bloomington one of the artsiest places in the Midwest.

32. Bloomingtonian Hoosiers Head To The Bluebird For The Best Music Around

Every local knows that for the best concerts, they should head straight to the Bluebird. The Bluebird has been around for over 40 years and knows how to attract a packed crowd to rock out to big name artists, as well as up and coming local musicians.

33. Bloomingtonians Know Their City Is The Best In Indiana

Everyone in Bloomington is filled with hometown pride, and they’re all convinced that they live in the best city in the state. With a vibrant culture, beautiful landscape, and great entertainment, it’s hard to beat B-Town. What have you had to explain to out-of-towners about Bloomington? Tell us in the comments below!