The Pickathon Music Festival, a celebration of music and sustainability, ran Aug. 1–3. The festival was hosted at Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley. The farm annually opens its 80 acres to the festival and its nearly 3,500 attendees.
Pickathon has garnered national attention for its acclaimed lineups, intimate camping atmosphere and focus on sustainability. The festival has also gained notoriety for its consumer friendly ethics.
Many well known festivals are happy to squeeze in extra bodies and partner with price gouging vendors. Pickathon was sponsored by companies like Klean Kanteen, KBOO, Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, Danner, the Clackamas County Office of Sustainability and numerous local Portland breweries which helped to create a unique, Northwest atmosphere.
Water was free at Pickathon. The iconic Klean Kanteen cup was a staple of the festival, eliminating single-use containers. Beer was poured at reasonable prices, while food vendors served their items with reusable dinnerware and utensils.
Because ticket holders are likely to return each year, patrons are encouraged to bring with them the very same dishes used at previous festivals. You won’t find many napkins at Pickathon. That’s just part of the charm.
Musicians played twice throughout the weekend at various venues and stages, allowing festival-goers the chance to see as many acts as possible. Several acts fell under the genres of americana and old time music, but a diverse selection of styles were represented.
The lineup included bands like Nickel Creek, the punk band X, The War On Drugs, the aptly named Possessed By Paul James, Robbie Fulks, the soulful vibes of Ural Thomas & The Pain, Valerie June, The Sadies, and People Under The Stairs providing underground hip hop.
For a second year, Pickathon collaborated with the PSU School of Architecture to build the Tree Line Stage, a performance venue made of approximately 550 wooden shipping pallets. As part of the exercise, this venue was built to be torn down. As of writing, the Tree Line Stage has been dismantled.
Children under 12 were admitted free, with plenty of family-oriented activities on the schedule. Yoga was even offered for the early riser, and a solar-powered cell phone charging station was available for a nominal fee. Pendarvis Farm and their horses offer its venue year-round for weddings and private functions.
