Thirty years ago this week, Portlandia - the statue, not the TV show that stole her name - arrived in stumptown.

On Thursday, the city threw her a birthday bash, complete with Storm Large singing "Amazing Grace" because, well, the four-story copper goddess has aged gracefully like a giant penny. Former Mayor Bud Clark and other city officials were also there, giving tributes and sharing memories of the trident-holding venus' arrival by barge in 1985.

Of course, one thing they didn't mention was what happened on April 1, 1986, when she was just a baby of less than a year old.

Pranksters hung a giant yo-yo from from Portlandia's dice-throwing hand.

On April 1, 1986, pranksters hung a giant yo-yo from the Portlandia statue.

The round disc read, "Portland Yo-Yo, Co."

The Oregonian reported that the stunt was "perpertrated at 3:20 a.m. by three young men with a ladder." A maintenance mechanic apparently pulled the 40-pound yo-yo from the statue before sunrise.

Still, a photo of the stunt landed on the front page.

Letters to the editor, expressed thanks for the laugh:

Best. Portland. April Fools prank. Ever.

-- Joseph Rose

503-221-8029

jrose@oregonian.com

@josephjrose