Cincinnati, OH

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Cincinnati, OH Areas

Covington, KY

City Description

While we may be fitness fiends, we also admit that "pigging out" is an infrequent and sometimes merited reward. In the city affectionately known as "Porkopolis," the eating ritual is embraced, and natives ham it up with annual festivals, community events, and local competitions, all in honor of its hog heritage.

During the early 19th Century, a multitude of slaughter houses sprouted all over the Ohio River basin galvanized by the hog: the State's chief livestock and corn: its principal crop. Cincinnati soon became the pork-packing capital of the world, giving rise to its swine notoriety. "Let your corn walk to market" became a popular expression underscoring the industry's growth and importance.

Because Cincinnati owed its economic livelihood to the mud-loving glutton, the hog took on an exalted status among townsfolk. Laws were passed to support this burgeoning trade, with the most conspicuous being the requirement to dispose of all trash onto the streets in order to feed roving hogs! Locals could hardly snort at the filth and stench with this visible industry literally bringing home the bacon.

Today, locals piggyback their ancestry onto entertaining events like the Flying Pig Marathon, the Porkopolis BBQ Festival, and the Big Pig Gig Art Show. And since we have found a few good places in Porkopolis for you to stay and work out, no squealing will be allowed.