Although many have heard of, enjoyed, and snorfed the trail dust of Pickathonโthe best darn little music festival held 16 miles outside of Portlandโit’s also no shame to be new to the name. The Happy Valley farm-placed fest has a history of setting new standards for sustainability and creating a unique choose-your-own-adventure experience in a […]
Pickathon
Wu-Tang Clan and Nas at the Moda, Pickathon 2023 Tickets Are on Sale!
In addition to the earth-shaking-but-ultimately-pretty-cool news that the Doug Fir is moving into the old Le Bistro Montage spaceโwhich Mercury culture editor Suzette Smith covered this weekโPortland is brimming with excitement right now. As February comes to a close, weโre cuddled up with some new music, looking forward to Pickathon, and irately demanding Ticketmaster allow […]
Photo Essay: Pickathon 2022 in Pictures
[Editor note: Photojournalist Mathieu Lewis-Rolland began working with the Mercury in earnest during the 2020 protests, and has since moved into a career of photojournalism, working for outlets like Reuters and Getty. However, he started out photographing live music. A drummer for groups like A Happy Death, Lewis-Rolland told us his approach to music photography […]
Our Favorite Moments of Pickathon 2022
Returning after a two-year pandemic hiatus, Pickathon 2022 felt even more like a labor of love than it had in recent years. The fest confirmed that volunteer numbers were low, and Friday saw a short-lived parking crisis, which was eventually solved thanks to a neighbor’s additional lot.ย Though many things about the farmbound fest stayed […]
Things Not to Miss at Pickathon 2022
Pickathon, you have been missed. And while specific live sets, dancing to DJs beneath the stars, and stumbling back to campsites under strands of fairy lights top the list of things we’re excited about this year, there’s simply nothing wrong with also loving the unfettered access to Pine State Biscuits in the market area either. […]
Wellness at Pickathon 2022: Yoga, Sound Baths, DIY Aromatherapy, and More!
After the pandemic forced a two-year hiatus, Pickathon’s Wellness Director Nikki Weaver says it only made sense to put extra focus on supporting festivalgoers’ mental and physical health in 2022.ย Read about the fest’s expanded programming meant to sooth an anxious festivalgoer or just keep the good feels abounding.
Here are the ways Pickathon wants to holds space for a variety of wellness practices at this year’s fest and why 2022 demanded such an expansion.
Pickathon 2022 Is Getting a Remodel, New Stages, and a Nature-Inspired Layout
As the saying goes, โif it ainโt broke, donโt fix it,โ but Pickathon 2022 isnโt adhering to that age-old motto. This year, Pickathon Music Festival is back for the first time since 2019, after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The time off gave the team behind the festival an opportunity to dream up […]
Pickathon and GuildWorks Launch Fundraiser for Families of Boom-Lift Victims
Veronica Rose After the August 8 death of Brad Swet and Brandon Blackmore, two arborists who were taking down installations from Pickathon in Happy Valley, the music fest and GuildWorks (the company the men worked for) came together to launch a fundraiser to benefit the victim’s families and honor the men’s legacy. Both Swet and […]
Two Arborists Killed While Breaking Down Pickathon’s Shade Installation
Clackamas Co. SHeriff’s Office Thursday evening, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office responded to Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley, where a fatal boom-lift accident killed two arborists who were breaking down those iconic shades that hovered over this year’s Pickathon site. The two arborists were private contractors from GuildWorks. According to a news release, the incident […]
Pickathon Comics Day 3: Jenny Vu’s Comic “Pickathon as a First Timer”
The Mercury sent four comics artists to Pickathon this year to make comics about the festival. Look for a new comic every day this week! We profiled prolific comics artist, performance artist, and illustrator Jenny Vu in our 2018 Fall Arts Guide, and her work was such a hit that her comics became a regular […]
The Best Things We Saw and Heard at Pickathon 2019
Sudan Archives Katie Summer This year, Pickathon turned the ripe age of 21, and as far as I know, absolutely everyone had a fun and safe time and absolutely no one threw up. We saw acts we new would be great, discovered some new ones, ate good local food, religiously used our reusable cups and […]
Pickathon Comics Day 2: Cameron Hawkey Draws Pickathon Scenes
The Mercury sent four comics artists to Pickathon this year to make comics about the festival. Look for a new comic every day this week! Cameron Hawkey is a Portland visual artist who makes comics, paintings, illustrations, and many more interesting objects (his 2018 show The Home Builder and The Corporation involved Jacquard weavings!). Sit […]
