For the fourth year in a row, the Galaxy Courtyard is brought to life by the design team at Blackbird Public Arts, with lead designers Matthew Thomas and Christopher Cardoza at the helm. Their 2025 concept—Gravity Pool—marks a special contribution to Pickathon’s 25th anniversary, drawing inspiration from one of the festival’s most iconic traditions.

Initial design explorations always begin with reflecting on the past year. In 2024, the site design provided both passageway and pavilion as visitors navigated through our Satellite Stables installation to meet with friends, listen & dance to the music on the Galaxy Courtyard’s dance floor.

In our fourth year designing the Galaxy Courtyard, we continue to build on our successes, and pursue a memorable experience for visitors. On Pickathon’s 25th anniversary, we’ve created a playful reflection of a Pickathon tradition. Our design pays homage to Pickathon’s Steelhead mascot, as its form intertwines between its literal, recognizable anatomy, and its gestural movement as it swims along the surface.

In the Galaxy Courtyard, it would only be appropriate for this creature to respond to our spatial surroundings. This ‘Moon Guide’ serves as a vessel for visitors, emerging to the surface & arching along the site to provide the programmatic framework for the Galaxy Courtyard.

The balance between the gestural and anatomical evaporates behind the DJ booth, where the eye of the Guide glows after dark, pulling in and sheltering the crowd as they dance into the night.

Mentorship / Non-Profit Platform
The Galaxy Courtyard team is proud to collaborate with Blackbird Public Arts and the Guild of Oregon Woodworkers. Blackbird Public Arts, founded by a co-designer of the Courtyard, facilitates community-driven, volunteer-constructed installations for public enjoyment. These partnerships enable material and labor donations that make our vision possible, while also expanding access to mentorship and creative opportunities.

The Guild of Oregon Woodworkers has become an increasingly vital partner, offering mentorship, construction education, and pathways for material reuse. Volunteers gain firsthand experience with the complexity of our builds while contributing to something larger than themselves.

Community Impact
From early sketches to post-festival disassembly, success is measured not only by the joy visitors feel onsite—but by the sustainable, educational infrastructure we leave behind. Thanks to our partners, all building materials from Galaxy Courtyard are repurposed for public art and education. These materials support projects like Guild woodworking classes and future Blackbird installations, including events like the Portland Winter Lights Festival.