This whole Keep Portland Weird thing is trite and unoriginal. Never the less, the Keep Portland Weird Festival 2009 this upcoming Saturday, November 14 looks like it will be a fine time:
Portland is a place of passionate people pursuing interesting, and sometimes strange, pastimes. Join us for a day of discovery as a wide variety of organizations share what they do and why they do it.
The festival takes place at the Central library (801 S.W. 10th) from noon until 4pm.
From 12:30 until 1pm, Cascade Zydeco will be offering beginning zydeco dance lessons, so that from 1:15 to 2pm you’ll be able to enjoy the zydeco music performed by Bon Ton Roulet. A lineup from the Paul Green School of Rock Music School plays from 3 to 4pm. (Admission to these performances is free, but space is limited. Pick up free tickets for seating at the Keep Portland Weird Information Table near the Welcome Desk 30 minutes before to each program.)
Meanwhile in the Children’s Library PDXSwap will be hosting kids’ clothing and toy swaps (see the webpage for a detailed schedule).
On the second floor of the library America’s Smartest Girl, Nicole J. Georges will be holding court at an advice booth.
On the third floor, from noon–12:30pm the Renegade Rose Morris troupe will be morris dancing to music on accordion, concertina, mandolins, and whistle. PDXYar takes over from 1 to 2pm for epic scale pirate games (!?), and Flash Choir perform from 2 to 3pm.
In addition various organizations will be presenting demonstrations, lessons, and information through out the library on sundry topics, including tracking, knitting, stereoscopic 3D, and more.
Visit the Keep Portland Weird! A Community Festival web page for more information.
This looks like a fun thing. What a cool idea for a festival. Most of the stuff isn’t that weird – the Regency club is weird and the smartest girl in the world is kind of a fun weird thing. And of course that “vegetarian” thing, whatever that is, sounds super weird. If Ottawa is ever looking for an idea for a new festival I’m going to suggest this.
Apparently “Keep Boston Weird” also pre-dates the Portland slogan. Oh well.. Portland certainly qualifies. Fun, funny city. 😀