Pickathon
The Pickathon Music Festival (also known as Pickathon or Pickathon Festival) is an annual three-day music festival located just outside Portland, Oregon on Pendarvis Farm.[1] Occurring almost every August since 1999, the festival has hosted a wide variety of artists from genres including indie, rock, rap, folk and bluegrass.[1] The festival is known for promoting sustainable environmental practices such as the elimination of plastic tableware, use of renewable energy, recycling, composting, and offering eco-friendly transportation. Pickathon also offers camping and food options on site.[1][2] Unlike many other successful music festivals, Pickathon has no corporate sponsors and caps ticket sales.[3]
| Pickathon Music Festival | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Dates | August 3–6 |
| Location(s) | 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/ |
History
1999–2004
Pickathon started in 1999 as a fundraiser for the FM radio station, KBOO.[4] The first venue was Horning's Hideout, a private park in North Plains, Oregon.[4] The first Pickathon only managed to host around 90 people, including performers.[4] Attendance stayed relatively low until 2004 with attendance reaching the low hundreds.[4] Pickathon's founder, Zale Schoenborn, suggested it took "a miracle for the festival to survive through those rough first years".[4]
2005
In 2005, Horning's Hideout backed out two months before the 7th annual event was scheduled.[4] Festival organisers found a replacement property in Woodburn, Oregon.[4] This was the first year with both running water and electricity.[4]
2006
In 2006, Pickathon relocated once again to Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley, Oregon.[4] This has remained the location since.[2][4]
2011
In an effort to become more environmentally friendly, Pickathon eliminated all plastic tableware.[1]
2019
On August 8, two arborists employed by GuildWorks died when a boom lift, which was set on an incline, toppled over during the takedown of the festival.[5] According to a statement released by the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, the workers were ascending the lift when the incident occurred.[6] 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.[7] A memorial fund was created for both of the victim's families.[5]
2020 – 2021
Pickathon was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] Past recordings were livestreamed via the Pickathon YouTube page in a series called "A Concert A Day" in an effort to support musicians during the pandemic.
Organization
As part of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company received between $150,000 and $350,000 in federally-backed small business loans as part of the Paycheck Protection Program. The company stated this would allow the retention of three jobs.[9]
Environmental sustainability
Over the years, Pickathon has gained notability for promoting sustainable practices.[1] It offers eco-friendly transportation and encourages biking to the festival.[1][2] In 2011, it successfully eliminated all plastic tableware, the first large U.S. festival to do so.[1] Patrons are expected to bring tableware from home or exchange with a vendor at each meal through tokens purchased on site. Dishes and utensils procured through this system are to be kept afterwards.[1][2] Pickathon also uses its own solar energy and sustainable fuel.[2] Additionally, groups of volunteer recycling and composting teams work throughout the festival.[2] Pickathon has promised to work towards more sustainable options in the future.[1][2]
YouTube
Pickathon's YouTube page contains a vast catalogue of performance from over the years. Pickathon is commited to capturing a high standard of musical content, filmed annually at the festival.
References
- "Pickathon Music Festival". Travel Portland. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- "Info". Pickathon LLC. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- Aaron Scott (August 2014). "Can Pickathon Survive its Own Success?". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- Notarianni, John. "Pickathon At 20: The Local Festival With The Global Audience". OPB. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2021. - Matthew Singer (3 August 2016). "How Pickathon Became Portland's Biggest Little Music Festival". Willamette Week. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- Matthew Singer (13 August 2019). "GuildWorks Releases Information About Workers Killed During Pickathon Breakdown Last Week". Willamette Week. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
- "Sheriff's Office responds to fatal boom-lift accident that killed two arborists at Pickathon site" (Press release). Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
- Ramakrishnan, Jayati (February 12, 2020). "OSHA fines companies after accident that killed 2 at Oregon's Pickathon festival". The Oregonian. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
- Gormley, Shannon (19 June 2021). "Pickathon Is Canceled for the Second Summer in a Row". Willamette Week. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- Syed, Moiz; Willis, Derek. "PICKATHON LLC". Pro Publica. Retrieved 8 July 2020.