Nestled in the hills of Happy Valley just east of Portland; the eclectic music festival known as Pickathon delivered another jam-packed schedule during the first weekend of August at Pendarvis Farm. From names such as Durand Jones, Courtney Barnett and Adi Oasis; Pickathon excelled in both, including acclaimed acts and providing space for younger artists to flourish.
The culture of Pickathon has historically taken notice of talent before an artist’s widespread fame. Since its birth in 1999, Picakthon has hosted Billy Strings, Tyler Childers, Khruangbin, Leon Bridges, Sturgill Simpson, Mac DeMarco, Black Pumas and Avett Brothers. Most of these acts appeared at Pickathon as novice artists and later became respected names in their spheres.
Festival goers are on the lookout for rising stars throughout the weekend and the design of the event fosters a certain type of musical curiosity. Each artist is scheduled to play twice at two different stages, enabling artists to diversify their sets in unique venue environments and inspiring conversation within the festival about specific artists.
The festival’s culture persists each year, but the implications of a dynamic environment pose challenges to the future of Pickathon. The sprawling suburban development of Happy Valley continues to encroach on the space once occupied by Pickathon and its auxiliary operations. The director of the Camp Host program of the festival, Michael Sheridan, outlines these obstacles.
During the festival weekend, Sheridan is tasked with implementing a gear drop system. This past year, the entrance to the festival at Pendarvis Farm was over a mile from the “Welcome Lot,” where attendees could park their cars and receive weekend wristbands. From the Welcome Lot, attendees can get on a shuttle to the festival and leave camp gear with Sheridan and his crew to be driven to gear drop sites within the festival. Sheridan, who has been attending Pickathon for over a decade, pointed out that this inconvenient distance has not always been the case at the festival. The parking used to be right next to the entrance before recent housing development projects.
“Now we shuttle 100% of the people and almost 100% of the gear,” Sheridan said. He also noted that this system is unique in the world of music festivals.
Warming summer temperatures also pose a risk to the future of Pickathon. In previous years, the festival included two large main stages situated in open fields, playing music from midday until late night. More recently, the layout of the festival was cut down to only one main field stage.
“As things have gotten hotter they shut down the big main stage until nighttime and used smaller stages in the woods during the day,” Sheridan said. This allows attendees to stay cool while also having access to an array of live music within the forest.
While taking necessary measures to ensure public safety during heat waves, Pickathon has long been precautionary about its environmental impact. “They don’t give out paper plates and plastic cups. You don’t see garbage everywhere,” Sheridan said. Attendees can purchase a reusable metal cup for all drink sales as well as free water stations around the venue.
The attention to sustainability is just one of many attributes that inspire people about Pickathon. “The first year I attended it really struck me as being special,” Sheridan said. For him, this was partly because Pickathon ensured a family-friendly environment, allowing him to bring his children to the festival for many years.
From an eager music fan’s perspective, Pickathon is an absolute paradise. Jacob Simpson, a senior at UO, returned to Pickathon to work as a backstage cook for the second time. Between his shifts at the festival, Simpson sought after an immense array of live music.
“My favorite moment was late on Sunday, running between three awesome shows and trying to find the best spot as well as all my friends in the crowds,” Simpson said. “It ended at the Courtney Barnett show and it really speaks to how much good music you can see in one day.”
Each year Pickathon wrangles seasoned attendees back to the festival and continues to inspire new generations. The perpetual energy of the festival is felt among a wide age range at every corner of Pendarvis Farm. As long as this spirit persists, there is a sense of certainty that Pickathon will return each year despite rising challenges in its trajectory.