There’s a reason Pickathon is Portland’s favorite musical festival. Since it launched 20 years ago, Pickathon has become known for its family-friendly revelry, next-level sustainability, and knack for bringing in the best artists that most people have never heard of — at least not yet.
Thinking about joining the party next month from August 3 to 5? And want to win free tickets? Here’s what you need to know:
‘NO WASTE, JUST MUSIC’: Most music festivals turn into trash heaps after a few days of camping and partying. Not Pickathon. The dishware is reusable, the beer cups are stainless steel, and the electricity is renewable, and everything gets packed out. Or as a Pickathon performer once put it: “No advertisers, no waste, just music. This is what all music festivals should be like.”
THE FARM: Pickathon moved to Pendarvis Farm in 2006, and now it’s hard to imagine it anywhere else. The farm has eight performance venues — including two inside of repurposed barns — plus miles of trails for escaping the hubbub. And if you find true love at Pickathon, you can come back to Pendarvis to host your wedding there.
FOMO: The “fear of missing out” is real at Pickathon. Occasional big-name headliners (like Feist in 2013) contribute to that, but so do up-and-comers who may be household names in a few years. Never heard of Cut Worms or Jamila Woods? The same probably went for The Avett Brothers in 2006, and look at them now.
FAMILY FUN: Pickathon offers free admission for kids younger than 12, and hundreds of families take advantage every year. A couple of popular entertainment options for the kiddos: The outdoor skills class with Trackers Earth and circus training with Circus Cascadia.
HOW TO WIN TICKETS: OK, here’s the fun part: We have two Sunday tickets to give away for Pickathon, and you can win them by sending your friends, family, colleagues, and cat sitter your unique referral link (found at the bottom of every newsletter, just above the footer) and telling them to sign up for Bridgeliner.
The reader with the most referrals this week (July 9-13) will win the tickets. A couple things to note:
- You only get credit for referrals if people sign up using your unique referral link — and the only way to get a unique referral link is to subscribe to the email newsletter. Not a subscriber yet? Sign up here, and look for your referral link just above the footer in tomorrow’s newsletter in your inbox.
- You don’t get credit for past glory. Only referrals recorded this week will count toward your tally for Pickathon tix.
- The two free tickets are for Sunday only. If you want to go to Pickathon on Friday or Saturday, you’ll have to buy tickets.
FYI, we’re partnering with Pickathon this month to help get Portland ready for the big weekend, so there’s more to come on one of our favorite festivals. Meantime, good luck winning those tickets!