Pickathon

{{Short description|Annual music festival in Oregon, US}}

{{Infobox music festival

| music_festival_name = Pickathon

| dates = August 1–4

| location = Pendarvis Farm (Happy Valley, OR)

| coordinates = 45.440480, −122.492902

| years_active = 1999–2019, 2022–present

| attendance = 5000 paid attendees a day

| website = https://pickathon.com/

| image = Pickathonlogo1.png

| caption =

}}

File:Avett Brothers, Pickathon 2006.jpg

Pickathon is an annual, three-day music festival taking place the first weekend of August at Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley, Oregon. Founded in 1999, the festival initially grew out of Portland's bluegrass and Americana music scene. Since then it now includes indie rock, hip-hop, folk, jazz, and rhythm and blues genres.{{Cite news |last=Lore |first=Mark |date=August 1, 2024 |title=The Mercury's Guide to Pickathon 2024: Nine Music Picks You Must Not Miss |url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/pickathon/2024/08/01/47328828/the-mercurys-guide-to-pickathon-2024-nine-music-picks-you-must-not-miss |access-date=October 22, 2024 |work=Portland Mercury}}{{Cite news |last=Kreps |first=Daniel |date=March 20, 2024 |title=Courtney Barnett, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Durand Jones Lead 2024 Pickathon Fest |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/courtney-barnett-bonnie-prince-billy-durand-jones-2024-pickathon-lineup-1234991247/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |work=Rolling Stone}}

The festival offers programming for all ages. The event has been noted for its sustainability practices: it has eliminated all plastic and single-use food and beverage containers.

History

File: Warpaint at Pickathon 2014.jpgPickathon started in 1999 as a fundraiser for the FM radio station, KBOO.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wweek.com/music/2016/08/03/how-pickathon-became-portlands-biggest-little-music-festival/|title=How Pickathon Became Portland's Biggest Little Music Festival|website=Willamette Week|author=Matthew Singer|date=3 August 2016|access-date=17 November 2019}} The first venue was Horning's Hideout, a private park in North Plains, Oregon. Ninety people attended the first event including performers. By 2004 the attendance was in the low hundreds. Pickathon founder Zale Schoenborn suggested it took "a miracle for the festival to survive through those rough first years".

In 2005, Horning's Hideout backed out two months before the 7th annual event was scheduled.{{Cite web |last=Busse |first=Phil |title=Let The Shows Go On! |url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/news/2005/07/21/34090/let-the-shows-go-on |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=Portland Mercury |language=en}} Festival organizers found a replacement property called Pudding River in Woodburn, Oregon.{{Cite web |date=2005-07-26 |title=Pickathon at Pudding River |url=https://jambands.com/news/2005/07/26/pickathon-at-pudding-river/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=Jambands |language=en-US}} This was the first year with both running water and electricity.

In 2006, the festival relocated to Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley, Oregon. A ten-year conditional permit to continue festival at this location was granted in 2024.{{Cite web |title=Pickathon to continue dancing in Happy Valley for another decade |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2024/02/28/pickathon-happy-valley-oregon-music-festival-permit-extended-10-years/ |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=opb |language=en}}

The event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 refunds were not issued, however ticket holders were given the option to redeem the ticket for future festivals or donate to the festival. Ticket holders who did not give a respond by deadline were defaulted to donation. In 2021, refunds were available as an option.{{cite news |last1=Singer |first1=Matthew |title=Pickathon Has Been Canceled and Cannot Offer Refunds |url=https://www.wweek.com/music/2020/05/11/pickathon-has-been-canceled-and-will-not-be-offering-refunds/ |access-date=23 October 2024 |publisher=Willamette Week |date=11 May 2020}}{{Cite news|last=Gormley|first=Shannon|title=Pickathon Is Canceled for the Second Summer in a Row|url=https://www.wweek.com/music/2021/06/19/pickathon-is-canceled-for-the-second-summer-in-a-row/ |access-date=25 June 2021|work=Willamette Week |date=19 June 2021}}

=Deaths=

In August 2019, two arborists employed by GuildWorks died when a boom lift, which was set on an incline, toppled over during the takedown of the festival.{{Cite web |author=Singer |first=Matthew |date=13 August 2019 |title=GuildWorks Releases Information About Workers Killed During Pickathon Breakdown Last Week |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2019/08/13/guildworks-releases-information-about-workers-killed-during-pickathon-breakdown-last-week/ |access-date=7 November 2019 |website=Willamette Week}} In February 2020, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued $31,000 in fines to Pickathon LLC and GuildWorks LLC for failing to follow safety precautions.{{Cite news|last=Ramakrishnan|first=Jayati|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/2020/02/osha-fines-companies-after-accident-that-killed-2-at-oregons-pickathon-festival.html|title=OSHA fines companies after accident that killed 2 at Oregon’s Pickathon festival|date=February 12, 2020|work=The Oregonian|access-date=February 13, 2020}}{{Cite web |date=2020-02-13 |title=OSHA Fines Pickathon, GuildWorks After Production Deaths - Pollstar News |url=https://news.pollstar.com/2020/02/13/osha-fines-pickathon-guildworks-after-production-deaths/ |access-date=2024-10-22 |publisher=Associated Press |language=en-US}} Both companies had "a history of failing to follow proper safety procedures." The companies have disabled two alarms, one which alerts the worker the lift is on an uneven ground and another that prevents the lift from rising if a worker becomes pinned above the lift.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=February 14, 2020 |title=Oregon OSHA Fines a Company after a Fatal Music Festival Incident - |url=https://ohsonline.com/Articles/2020/02/14/Oregon-OSHA-Fines-a-Company-after-a-Fatal-Music-Festival-Incident.aspx?admgarea=magazine |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=Occupational Health & Safety |language=en-US}} OSHA determined safety violations by Pickathon and GuildWorks caused the deaths of the two arborists. One of the arborists family has filed a lawsuit against Pickathon along with several other companies.{{Cite web |last=Ding |first=Jaimie |date=2021-01-31 |title=Family of arborist killed in Pickathon boom lift fall sues, alleging negligence |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/2021/01/family-of-arborist-killed-in-pickathon-boom-lift-fall-sues-alleging-negligence.html |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=oregonlive |language=en}}

Description

Pendarvis Farm is located in Happy Valley, OR. It has been owned by the Pendarvis family for three generations.{{Cite web |last=Dusty |first=Darka |title=Pickathon: The Rebel Festival |url=https://www.vrtxmag.com/articles/pickathon-the-rebel-festival/ |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=Vortex Music Magazine |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Oregonian |first=Special to The |date=2010-07-22 |title=Pendarvis Farm gets ready to host fifth annual Pickathon |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/happy-valley/2010/07/pendarvis_farm_gets_ready_to_host_fifth_annual_pickathon.html |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=oregonlive |language=en}}

There are no age restrictions for attendance and it is considered an event for the "whole family".{{Cite news |last=Armstrong |first=Jaclyn |date=August 5, 2023 |title=Pickathon is for the Whole Family |url=https://pdxparent.com/pickathon-review/ |work=PDX Parent}} It is staffed almost entirely by volunteers.{{Cite web |last=Tapogna |first=Max |date=September 6, 2023 |title=No one wants it to end: Pickathon 2023 |url=https://www.orartswatch.org/no-one-wants-it-to-end-pickathon-2023/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |website=Oregon Artswatch}} Attendance is limited below capacity to prevent overcrowding. Each artist at the event performs twice at different locations.{{Cite web |title=Pickathon is for the Whole Family - PDX Parent |url=https://pdxparent.com/pickathon-review/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=pdxparent.com/ |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Ferguson |first=Neil |date=2023-08-08 |title=Mikaela Davis, MJ Lenderman, Butcher Brown, GA-20 & Wednesday Impress At Pickathon 2023 (FESTIVAL REVIEW/PHOTOS) |url=https://glidemagazine.com/294670/five-musical-discoveries-that-impressed-at-pickathon-2023-festival-review-photos/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=Glide Magazine |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Mitchum |first=Rob |date=May 1, 2018 |title=Tracking the Gender Balance of This Year’s Music Festival Lineups |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/festival-report/tracking-the-gender-balance-of-this-years-music-festival-lineups/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |website=Pitchfork}}

Many bands who play at the event have not yet reached national or international recognition.{{Cite news |last=Spinelli |first=Adrian |date=August 10, 2023 |title=Pickathon Showed Why It’s the Best Indie Festival in the Country |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/pickathon/pickathon-2023 |access-date=October 23, 2024 |work=Paste Magazine}} Notable past acts include Wolf Parade, King Sunny Ade, Fruit Bats, Beach House,Tinariwen, Built to Spill, Broken Social Scene, GZA (of Wu-Tang Clan) and Armand Hammer.{{Cite news |last=Moore |first=Jenni |date=June 6, 2022 |title=Summer concert guide: A lineup of legendary artists and epic shows is heading to Portland |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/2022/05/summer-concert-guide-a-lineup-of-legendary-artists-and-epic-shows-is-heading-to-portland.html |access-date=October 22, 2024 |work=The Oregonian: Oregon Live}}{{Cite news |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |date=August 6, 2018 |title=Pickathon 2018: 10 Best Things We Saw at Portland Festival |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/pickathon-2018-10-best-things-we-saw-at-portland-festival-707201/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |work=Rolling Stone}}

The festival features a variety of "Neighborhoods" offering unique experiences to attendees. For example the "Refuge Neighborhood" offers massage, sauna, cold plunge, and sound therapy.{{Cite web |title=Wellness at Pickathon 2022: Yoga, Sound Baths, DIY Aromatherapy, and More! |url=https://everout.com/portland/articles/wellness-at-pickathon-2022-yoga-sound-baths-diy-aromatherapy-and-more/c4421/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=EverOut Portland}} The "Coyote Neighborhood" hosts children's events, including crafts, archery, wilderness experiences, and a talent show.{{Cite web |date=2024 |title=Pickathon 2024 Family Lineup |url=https://pickathon.com/2024/05/discover-the-magic-pickathon-2024-family-lineup/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |website=Pickathon}}{{Cite web |date=August 24, 2018 |title=A 14 Year Old Reviews Pickathon |url=https://gemmadeealexander.com/a-14-year-old-view-of-pickathon/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |website=Gemma D. Alexander blog}} The "Market Neighborhood" offers food and drinks from local restaurants.{{Cite web |title=Chefs and Musicians Share the Stage at Pickathon |url=https://www.pdxmonthly.com/eat-and-drink/2023/08/pickathon-music-festival-curation-food-chef-pairings |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=Portland Monthly |language=en-US}}

= Sustainability =

Over the years, festival organizers have integrated sustainable practices within the event.{{Cite web |date=2016-05-20 |title=How 'diversion architecture' will make outdoor concert festivals more sustainable |url=https://inhabitat.com/how-diversion-architecture-will-make-outdoor-concert-festivals-more-sustainable/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building {{!}} Green design & innovation for a better world |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |date=June 20, 2013 |title=Can a music festival be sustainable? Pickathon is finding out |url=https://grist.org/living/can-a-music-festival-be-sustainable-pickathon-is-finding-out/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |work=Grist}} Starting in 2010–11, all plastic and single-use dishware were eliminated.{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=Gemma |date=2018-10-15 |title=Pick Sustainable Music Festivals |url=https://earth911.com/living-well-being/pick-sustainable-music-festivals/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=Earth911 |language=en-US}} Attendees can either bring their own tableware or purchase these items on site.{{Cite news |last=Ross |first=Winston |date=August 1, 2014 |title=Oregon’s Pickathon Points the Way to Music Festivals Going Green |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/pickathon-festival-go-green-6205411/ |access-date=October 22, 2024 |work=Billboard}} The event makes use of sustainable fuels, and in 2023 was the first festival to use a zero emission hydrogen generator to power a stage.{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Clive |date=2023-07-31 |title=Oregon Festival to Power Stages with Hydrogen |url=https://www.mixonline.com/live-sound/live-gear/oregon-festival-to-power-stages-with-hydrogen |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=Mixonline |language=en-US}} Solar-powered cell phone charging is available on site, and one of the festival's indoor spaces is also solar-powered.{{Cite news |last=Rietmulder |first=Michael |date=August 5, 2019 |title=Why Pickathon, Portland’s beloved ‘fantasy island’ music festival, is not your average fest |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/music/why-pickathon-portlands-beloved-fantasy-island-music-festival-is-not-your-average-fest/ |access-date=October 22, 2022 |work=Seattle Times}}

References