5 ways to celebrate leap day in Portland

It’s a joyful holiday that only comes around once every four years – leap day will arrive in Portland, and everywhere on planet Earth that uses the Gregorian calendar, on Thursday, Feb. 29.

How does one celebrate leap day? Well, you can throw extravagant birthday parties for leap day babies or watch special leap day-themed episodes of TV or trailers for fake movies about the holiday. You obviously must dress in blue and yellow.

And, if you live in Portland, you can do one of these things, too.

Get married.

If you’ve been waiting for a special way to commit your life to someone else for all time, maybe a Leap Day wedding will do the trick?

Aviation Gin is offering leap day weddings for a very affordable $290. For that, you get five “mini cocktails,” a sheet cake, a tour of the distillery and someone to marry you, right outside of Ryan Reynold’s office at the Aviation Gin Distillery in Northwest Portland.

Go to aviationgin.com/visit-us to sign up for a wedding.

Eat a special donut.

Speaking of quirky places to get married, Voodoo Doughnut is getting into the leap day game with a special leapling doughnut.

This one-day-only donut is shaped like a little frog and filled with Bavarian cream.

“At Voodoo Doughnut, we love celebrating the unique, and what’s more unique than Leap Day?” said Chris Schultz, CEO of Voodoo Doughnut, in a statement. “With the Leapling Doughnut, we want to honor those who aren’t celebrated enough — the leaplings.”

“Leaplings” by the way, are those born on leap day, and the special donut will only be available on leap day.

Party at McMenamins.

McMenamins is really getting into the leap day spirit, with a special cocktail, free brownies for leaplings (with ID) and a special 29% discount on a two-night stay when one of those nights is leap day.

Get a discount.

It isn’t just McMenamins that gives out deals on the auspicious extra day of the year. Chipotle is giving out free guacamole, Jersey Mike’s is giving away free subs and Staples is giving away free passport pictures. For more discounts, go here.

Hang out with weirdos.

What better way to celebrate a weird holiday in a weird city than with a bunch of weirdos? Time to acquaint yourself with The Weird Portland United Social Mixer at Gigantic Brewing on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard from 6 to 9 p.m. on leap day!

According to the event invite, “There will be games, conversations that get past the surface level, and interactions with people intended to be memorable and unexpected.”

That sounds like a leap day miracle. You know, not too miraculous but fun anyway.

See you on Thursday in blue and yellow!

-- Lizzy Acker covers life and culture and writes the advice column Why Tho? Reach her at 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com or @lizzzyacker

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