Call of the Wild: Pickathon 2017 Beckons
Pickathon 2017
August 3-6, 2017
Happy Valley, Ore.
By Dan Lurie
Once again, it’s time to grab your Klean Kanteen and head into the forest for Pickathon, the northwest’s most welcoming and famously garbage-free music festival. Held on the wooded lands of Pendarvis Farm just outside Portland, Pickathon quite simply does things right.
The lineup is always stellar. The venues, from barns to hillsides to treeforts, are easily accessible, with some stages even doubling as art installations. And then there’s the whole sustainability aspect. Some might poke fun at the wooden spoons as being hippy dippy, but when you actually see it in action, going to a music festival that literally produces zero waste is incredible.
Most of all though, it’s about the music. The 2017 lineup is loaded, from the seasoned rock assault of Dinosaur Jr. and Drive-By Truckers, to Portland hip-hop’s rising stars The Last Artful Dodgr and Mic Capes, to the danceable sonic splendor of Jay Som. You’ve also got Charles Bradley, aka “The Screaming Eagle of Soul,” veteran troubadour Jonathan Richman, and the annual visit from Ty Segall, just to name a few.
Pickathon takes place August 3-6. Here’s a quick look at some of our top picks, and be sure to check out www.pickathon.com for the full festival lineup.