Pickathon 25: A Cycle of Discovery and Celebration
For a quarter of a century, Pickathon has been defined by a powerful duality: It is both a secret launching pad for future icons and a cherished stage for celebrated legends. These two forces don’t just coexist; they enrich each other. The thrill of discovering your next favorite band is matched only by the magic of seeing an artist you love choose to play here, in the most intimate and special settings of their career.
This is the place where you could have seen a pre-superstardom Sturgill Simpson and witnessed the meteoric rise of Billy Strings long before the rest of the world caught on. It’s where you could have caught The War on Drugs and Future Islands when they were still a best-kept secret, discovered a young Tyler Childers, or saw Black Pumas right before they exploded onto the global stage. It’s where you felt the cosmic jazz of Kamasi Washington at his first festival and were mesmerized by the global grooves of Khruangbin and The Marías. These “I saw them when…” moments are the bedrock of our legacy.
This reputation for genuine musical connection is also why, for our 25th anniversary, we can bring you a roster of curated legends. These are the artists who value and desire to play for a crowd that lives and breathes music. We are honored to welcome the signature genre-bending rock of Portugal. The Man and the timeless, multi-Grammy-winning blues of Taj Mahal. They are joined by the captivating indie folk of Fruit Bats, the mind-expansive bluegrass of Greensky Bluegrass, the soulful guitar of Haley Heynderickx, the global grooves of Reyna Tropical, the dreamy soundscapes of Ocie Elliott, and the funky instrumentals of Surprise Chef.
These celebrated artists form the heart of our festival, and from that heart flows the lifeblood of Pickathon: the next wave of discovery. Get ready to explore the vast and varied sounds of the emerging artists who make our lineup one of the deepest of the year:
Being Dead, Colby T. Helms & the Virginia Creepers, Cory Hanson, Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, DUMMY, Ellis Bullard, Emily Nenni, Hannah Cohen, Improvement Movement, Jimetta Rose & The Voices of Creation, Jourdan Thibodeaux et les Rôdailleurs, Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, Rosali, SML, The Cactus Blossoms, The Rumble, Thee Heart Tones, Thee Marloes, Amos Heart, Angela Autumn, Anna Butterss, Ben Seretan, Blu & Exile, Choses Sauvages, Chris Acker, David Nance & Mowed Sound, Dougie Poole, East Nash Grass, Forty Feet Tall, Frente Cumbiero, Glitterfox, Humbird, JRCG, Jake Blount, Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys, Jenny Don’t And The Spurs, Jonny’s Day Out, Josh Johnson, Laney Jones & The Spirits, Lonesome Shack, Revival Season, Rose City Band, Rose Gerber, Sugarlegg, Wade Sapp, and Wild Pink.
This incredible music is just one part of the experience. The festival itself is a four-day city that rises from the ground up, a collection of interconnected, magical neighborhoods set on the beautiful 80-acre Pendarvis Farm. Each stage is a world unto itself, and the journey between them is part of the adventure.
To truly plan your journey, you can dive into our curated playlists, check out the full artist bios on our lineup page, and see exactly when and where they’ll be performing with the official schedule.
Remember, every artist plays at least two unique sets. And for something incredibly special, you can experience our Curation series. In this intimate setting, five of our festival artists will perform an exclusive third set, paired with a world-class chef for a farm-to-table meal limited to just 100 people. It’s a magical experience unlike any other.
Join us to celebrate 25 years of this beautiful cycle of music. The next big thing is here—playing right alongside the legends you love.