Portland’s Pickathon 7/31-8/2: Dr. Dog, Hackensaw, Blitzen

11th Annual Pickathon | July 31 – August 2, 2009 | Pendarvis Farm | Portland, Oregon

Dr. Dog

Ah, summer festival season. Big stages. Big fields. Big names. The problem is, even if you’re a serious music fan — the kind of hardy soul who embraces the whole festival deal, even when bottled water costs $10 — these things can start to blend together.

Pickathon is different. Different in a good way, and different by design. Over the past decade, Pickathon figured out how to be festival unlike any other by combining quality-driven, genre-busting indie-roots lineups and a downhome, relaxed, authentic experience.

This year’s 11th-annual Pickathon, scheduled for July 31 – August 2 at the 80-acre Pendarvis Farm outside Portland, Oregon, continues the festival’s homegrown traditions. The 35+ artists on this year’s Pickathon roster definitely offer a wild variety of distinctive voices and styles.

The full lineup includes:
Dr. Dog
The Freight Hoppers
Elliott Brood
Lost Bayou Ramblers
Deep Dark Woods
Thao with the
Get Down Stay Down
John Doe and the Sadies
Jackstraw
C.W. Stoneking and his Primitive Horn Orchestra
Jaymay
Alvin Youngblood Hart
Frank Fair eld
Alex Leach
Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers
Joe Pug
Justin Townes Earle
Breathe Owl Breathe
Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys
Town Mountain
Alela Diane
Captain Bogg & Salty
Vetiver
The Sadies
Daisy May and Seth Bernard
Mike Compton & David Grier
Pancake Breakfast
The Hackensaw Boys
Larry Gillis
Hillstomp
Paleface
Laura Gibson
Horse Feathers
The Wiyos
Foghorn Stringband
Dehlia Low
Dale Watson
Sam Quinn + Japan Ten
Blitzen Trapper

The unique atmosphere at Pendarvis Farm is a big part of the attraction. Six stages — ranging from two main stages to the intimate, 50-capacity Workshop Barn to the quiet, secluded Woods Stage to the rowdy late night Galaxy Barn — provide multiple opportunities to see many festival acts. Resourceful use of biodiesel and solar power, environmentally friendly custom shade structures, strong recycling and composting programs and multiple alternative transportation options give Pickathon’s sustainability efforts real muscle. Kids can start their days with bright’n’early yoga and move on to nature classes, circus camp, square-dancing, and free-form roaming on 80 acres of prime Oregon farmland and old-growth forest.

Ticket price and further details avaialble at www.pickathon.com.