Once more, Pendarvis Farm is calling to musicians and music lovers alike.
Pickathon has announced the full lineup of bands for the 2023 festival (which returns Aug. 3-6 to Happy Valley), signaling that the event’s post-pandemic resurgence isn’t slowing down.
“Reinventing Pickathon last year around the concept of integrating music, arts, and culture into the natural settings of Pendarvis Farm was an incredible endeavor,” stated Pickathon founder Zale Schoenborn in a press release. “2023 not only presents our best lineup ever, but now we understand the new Pickathon Neighborhoods even better, and we’re excited to refine all the details to make this year our most immersive experience to date. I can’t wait for everyone to join us at Pendarvis Farm!”
The lineup for the festival includes everyone from indie roots group Watchhouse to soul legend Lee Fields to alt-glam band Dehd. There will even be performances by W.I.T.C.H., the famed psych rockers who hail from Zambia.
Pickathon bills itself as “an immersive choose-your-own-adventure, where fans discover music, arts, and culture fantastically integrated into the natural wonders of Pendarvis Farm,” combining “body & wellness, comedy, visual art, literature, family programming, artisanal food, craft beer, spirits, and more.”
Last year, Pickathon returned after a two-year pandemic hiatus, restructuring the festival as a series of “neighborhoods” spread across Pendarvis Farm (designed by artists and architects from Portland State University, Green Anchors, Skylab Architecture, and McFadin Design, among others).
The return of the festival was a comeback after years of controversy resulting from the initial lack of 2020 refunds (those were eventually given a year later, with the help of federal assistance and the #SaveOurStages lobbying effort) and the death of two arborists in 2019 (who perished while dismantling one of Pickathon’s stages, leading to a lawsuit for wrongful death and negligence against the festival and five other companies).
Early bird tickets for Pickathon 2023 are on sale now (camping, parking, shuttles and everything else is on sale as well). You can see the full lineup of artists at pickathon.com/lineup/music/.