Just outside of Portland, in the heart of Happy Valley,  is Pendarvis Farm, an 80 acre wooded sanctuary in the midst of sprawling suburbia.  This is the long time home of Pickathon music festival.

Each year, dozens of design, construction, and volunteer teams transform Pendarvis Farm into a series of magical, individual Creative Neighborhoods.  More than mere stages, each  neighborhood is a living work of art and imagination.  Designed to take advantage of the landscape and patterns of the sun, they utilize the cool wooded areas for daytime shows and the open meadows for nighttime tunes under the stars.  

Earlier this spring, we met with the festival organizers and design team planning the largest performance space at the festival -  The Paddock Neighborhood.  The great minds at ZGF Architects,   Exactonaut, and Hoffman Construction came together to create the focal point of the festival.  Inspired by the djembe drum, they sought to transform sound—its form, texture, and light—into a tangible, immersive experience (timbre).  The end result was all that and then some.  

Months of planning and pre-construction, followed by 2 frantic weeks of assembling  and installing each neighborhood on site -- all for 4 fleeting days and nights of pure enchantment.  Pickathon is the place where musical legends are launched, where the icons of the future are most likely a band you've never heard of until now.  

From curated local food to the unique Marketplace vendors, from the raucous, raging Galaxy Barn to the healing embrace of The Refuge, from the Coyote Neighborhood specifically for kids and families  to the sprawling big sound of the Paddock Neighborhood - each space invites a distinctive, immersive experience and offers something for literally everyone. 

Bluegrass, folk, country, rock, punk, pop, rap, world beats, disco, Congolese rhythms and more filled the air hovering over Pendarvis farm.  Every note, every beat, every song a reminder of the diversity of this rich community and how music brings us together like no other medium can.  

Behind the scenes and bustle of the crowd, the Wild Horse backstage area and  Artist Lounge was the highlight of the weekend.  You won't see this dreamy space as a featured Pickathon neighborhood,  but it is a vital part of the experience for the performers.  A place where they can kick back,  relax, eat, drink,  and rejuvenate before or after their sets.

Flanked in the Restoration Juniper we donated, the artist retreat came to life as a psychedelic fishing lodge in line with this year's  Salmon theme.  Artist and designer Melissa Wellspring, with Wellspring Fine Art, curated a wildly creative space putting to use some  less than perfect, "extra character" boards that didn't meet the grade for us to sell as siding, but were perfect for the rustic cabin vibe she was after.  More here on Instagram

With the support of the nonprofit  Creative Neighborhoods,  Pickathon is able to provide mentorship and skills training for emerging creatives, tradespeople, and architecture students.  After the magic of each stage is dismantled, they connect and donate the building materials to local community organizations that provide temporary housing for our homeless population, local schools, and other organizations throughout Oregon. 

In order to continue make these things happen and ensure the next 25 years of Pickathon, Creative Neighborhoods has launched a seed-funding campaign.  You can CLICK HERE to donate and become  part of the living  legacy that is Pickathon.  Hope to see you there next year!