Pendarvis Farms once again hosted the annual Pickathon festival, July 31 to August 3, 2025, in Happy Valley but this year was different. It was a celebrating of it’s 25th anniversary. The farm did its yearly transformation into an immersive, family-friendly, community-oriented celebration of music, art, and sustainability. For a quarter-century, Pickathon has served as both a Catalyst for emerging talent and a safe haven for genre‑defying legends. This year’s lineup was both a nod to the past and a reach toward towards the future. From wellness and comedy to local farm animals and intentional community vision. Pickathon had it all.
It is asinine to try and see every single band at Pickathon—especially if you are one of us who suffer from disabilities. Pickathon is not the easiest to get around, but they do offer accommodations so please message them ahead of time to make them! I digress. Now, it is crazy to try and see everyone at Pickathon. And you have to wonder why your doing it? Are you trying to find the next new artist for your playlist? Maybe you just really do love and respect music that much. There is no need to answer this question. But Pickathon has changed for me since my first year. Since getting sick, coverage is about asking for help and working to try and take it a little easier on my old weary body. At Pickathon, missing a great band might mean spending the weekend beating yourself up over missing what will probably become the next big thing that you will need to spend $100+ on a ticket for to see the next time they roll into town….good thing most acts play multiple shows *wink, wink*
Again, this was Pickathon’s 25th anniversary, and the world has changed since the inception of the festival. In fact, it’s changed a lot since the pandemic, with the land around Pendarvis Farm now surrounded by “we all look like our neighbor” housing developments. An unfortunate juxtaposition to the beautiful bubble we get to exist in once a year.
Every Pickathon feels like it could be the last one—which is such a scary thought for us that have grown to love and cherish this long weekend yearly where we make new camp friends, or music friends. Even for us who have grown ill, we still try to make it work because it has grown to be a part of us. We look forward to what color the Pickathon plate is going to be this year, or what food vendors are feeding us this weekend. Late night pizza runs for that 3am show. I cherish this festival and am so honored and grateful I get to cover it. I hope it goes on for generations to come and that the kids I see on the shoulders of parents today get to go with their children on their shoulders. That the legacy of Pickathon will forever live on. In the forest and fields of Pendarvis Farms.
