Airport carpet reaches celebrity status

Jan. 23, 2015: This selfie taken by Julie Sabatier, at Portland International Airport in Portland, Ore., shows her feet on older carpet due to be replaced at the terminal.(AP)

Oregon locals and visitors lined up inside Portland International Airport last week to snap photos with a 30-year-old carpet that has reached celebrity status.

More than 800 pictures were taken of people standing next to a segment of the floor covering hung up for an event called PDX Carpet Fest.

The city threw a farewell party for the airports trademark teal carpet, which is being replaced after three decades under travelers feet and wheeled suitcases.

"I guess this carpet is really iconic, and I can't imagine another city getting this worked up over carpet," said Sierra Prior, a Portland resident who posed for photos before boarding her plane to New Orleans.

The 80s-style carpet at PDX is decorated with dark-blue liners and red, lavender and purple dots meant to symbolize air traffic controllers view at night.

Once word spread the carpet was going to be torn up, the weathered floor covering became an online sensation. More than 40,000 foot selfies photos people took of their feet on the carpet were plastered on Instagram. Companies even started to sell T-shirts featuring the pattern.

"I'm getting married on November 6th, and I think I'm going to have all my groomsmen wear the PDX carpet socks," said Derek Harguth, a Portland native who went to the airport to check out the PDX Carpet Fest.

Demands for remnants of the carpet have been so high that airport officials are giving four local vendors 1,000 square yards to incorporate into items such as sofas, doormats and cat beds.

Carpet Mill Outlet received a request from a fan who was recently proposed to on the carpet and wants to use a strip to make a runner for the wedding.

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Airport carpet reaches celebrity status