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Keep Portland Weird

"Keep Portland Weird" on a building in Old Town

"Keep Portland Weird" is a popular slogan that appears on bumper stickers, signs, and public buildings throughout Portland, Oregon and its surrounding metro area. It originated from the "Keep Austin Weird" slogan and was originally intended to promote local businesses, though it has since evolved into an all-encompassing slogan that secondarily promotes individuality, expressionism, local art, as well as atypical lifestyle choices and leisure activities.[1] The slogan frequently inspires articles and debate that attempt to quantify the exact level to which Portland is considered weird, unusual or eccentric.

The slogan has been called the unofficial motto of Portland,[2][3][4] as well as the informal mantra of the city's residents.[5]

In Europe, a spin-off of the slogan was adopted by Brno, Czech Republic: "Udržujte Brno divné" ("Keep Brno weird" in English).[citation needed] The slogan has also been used for a number of years in the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England.[6] Here a landscape heavily changed through extensive quarrying combined with the social and architectural legacy of a long military presence has created a unique environment which has led to the adoption of the "Weird" tag and "Keep Portland Weird" bumper stickers are frequently seen on local vehicles.

  1. ^ "Keep Portland Weird". Archived from the original on August 31, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  2. ^ Morrison, Lisa M. (2011). Craft Beers of the Pacific Northwest: A Beer Lover's Guide to Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. ISBN 978-1-60469-089-7.
  3. ^ Bao, Sandra; Sainsbury, Brendan; Ohlsen, Becky; Lee, John (2008). Washington, Oregon & the Pacific Northwest. p. 158. ISBN 978-1-74059-534-6.
  4. ^ "Where We Live: Portland slogan's 'weird' roots". koin.com. Nexstar Media Inc: KOIN Channel 6 News. 2019-01-28. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  5. ^ Samson, Karl (2011). Frommer's Oregon. Frommer's. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-470-53771-8.
  6. ^ "Bumper cars and zebras: How islanders have embraced 'Keep Portland Weird'". Dorset Echo. 2020-11-15. Retrieved 2023-07-02.

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