Portland Tweed Ride

Portland has a slew of quirky festivals, traditions and celebrations. But none are quite as quaint as the Portland Tweed Ride.

Yes, it’s just as silly as it sounds – folks don their best tweed outfits, rescued from grandparent’s trunks or the local Goodwill – and head out on bikes. Victorian-inspired clothing is also welcome, as are an assortment of old-fashioned hats. And a couple of ancient looking bikes always make a debut – including the regular appearance of a penny-farthing bike or two.

The April ride is an offshoot of London’s Tweed Run, and just wrapped up its 7th year as a Portland community event. Cyclists gather first for tea social (bring your own teacup)and conversation before hitting the road. It’s a family-friendly event, and non-competitive.

The Tweed Ride rolls for a total of just over 11 miles, and ends at the Old Portland Hardware & Architectural. Most years there’s a mid-ride break for a picnic nibble. And, of course, there’s a party at the finish line.

The ride is free and open to the public. For details about upcoming Portland Tweed events visit: http://tweedpdx.net/