Pickathon Has Started Announcing This Year’s Lineup

The festival has confirmed its first two artists and detailed a new stage.

Pickathon 2019. (Christine Dong)
By Shannon Gormley

The lineup for the next Pickathon is here—or, at least, a very small part of it.

This year, the Happy Valley music festival will roll out its lineup gradually, announcing a few artists and layout changes to the festival each week. Today, Pickathon confirmed the first two artists heading to Pendarvis Farm in late July: folk legend John Prine and shapeshifting pop auteur Chad VanGaalen.

There'll also be a new stage this year, called the Grove Stage because of its evergreen-shaded location.

The festival, which will take place from July 30-Aug. 2, will continue to announce its lineup bit by bit in a weekly newsletter and on social media.

In recent years, local and national festivals have struggled to stay afloat, and Pickathon is no exception.

Last December, the organization announced a $1,250 "patron pass" that includes perks like backstage access and unlimited drinks. In a press release about the pass, the festival admitted that last year was rough for the festival financially, and that the pricey ticket would help "the festival remain sustainable for years to come."

Earlier this month, Pickathon was fined $12,500 by state regulators for safety violations that resulted in the death of two workers.

Related: Pickathon and GuildWorks Have Been Fined After an Investigation into the Deaths of Two Workers

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