Beneath the trees and beside the steady soundtrack of the creek, Pickathon's Curation experience unfolds as one of the festival's most beloved traditions. Chefs and Pickathon performing artists are brought together in unexpected combinations, each shaping the experience in their own way. Over a shared meal and intimate performances, guests are invited into the stories, inspirations, and creative connections that make Pickathon feel a little like stepping into another world.
Join us for one of five exclusive Curation events, each limited to just 100 guests. Rooted in the same spirit of discovery that has defined Pickathon for more than two decades, Curation brings guests closer to the artists honoring musical traditions, reshaping genres, and charting new directions for what comes next. Access requires a Weekend Pickathon Pass or the corresponding Day Pass for the event date, plus a separate Curation ticket.
Step into a hidden corner of the farm and settle into an experience that unfolds at its own pace. As guests arrive, a Pickathon DJ sets the mood while drinks are poured and conversations begin. Each Curation gathering is intentionally crafted by Pickathon, pairing chefs and performing artists who inspire one another in surprising ways. The meal's featured chef presents a menu influenced by the artists and music at its center, creating a shared experience where food, sound, and storytelling come together around the table.
Throughout the event, guests are invited into a rare behind-the-scenes experience, one that blurs the line between performance and gathering, creating space for connection, discovery, and the unexpected moments that make Pickathon unforgettable.
The 2026 Curation Lineup
Friday Night Dinner — July 31, 7:30–9:00 PM
Cafe Olli x The Brothers Comatose
DJ: The Country Co-Op
Cafe Olli and The Brothers Comatose come together to celebrate craftsmanship, community, and the traditions that bring people together. Nearly a decade after their first Pickathon appearance, The Brothers Comatose, a San Francisco-based bluegrass band known for their infectious harmonies and high-energy performances, will be joining us again at Pendarvis Farm. They return with a richer catalog, seasoned musicianship, and the infectious harmonies that have made them one of modern bluegrass's most enduring acts. Known for seasonally driven cooking, house-made breads and pastries, and thoughtful sourcing from local farms and producers, Cafe Olli, the beloved Northeast Portland cafe and bakery, creates food meant to be shared. Paired with The Brothers Comatose's harmony-rich blend of bluegrass, folk, and Americana, this gathering celebrates the simple pleasures of good food, good music, and good company. Setting the mood throughout is Country Co-Op, the Portland DJ collective whose vinyl-forward sets bring outlaw country, honky-tonk, and a back-porch spirit to the evening.
Saturday Brunch — August 1, 11:00 AM–12:30 PM
Chef Cathy Whims of Nostrana x Family Company
DJ: Greasy
Chef Cathy Whims, the James Beard Award-winning chef and founder of Nostrana, and Family Company, who blend folk, Americana, and rich vocal harmonies into an easygoing, front-porch sound, come together for a leisurely late-morning gathering rooted in tradition, connection, and the pleasures of slowing down. This is Nostrana's second year at Pickathon, and Chef Cathy's countryside-inspired Italian brunch and Family Company's warm, harmony-rich folk sound create an atmosphere designed for sharing, lingering, and easing into the day together.
At 11 AM, guests will be welcomed with a table of seasonal dishes kissed with a brunch flair: soft sformato (an Italian savory custard), poached eggs layered over summer vegetables, and lighter fare like pastries and fresh fruit. The accompanying breads, baked straight from the Nostrana oven, will anchor the meal, meant to be torn, shared, and passed around. It's an unhurried, countryside-style approach to brunch, rooted in tradition, built for community, and in rhythm with the ease of the morning. DJ Greasy, spinning decades of soul, funk, and R&B treasures, provides the perfect backdrop for a slow morning.
Saturday Happy Hour — August 1, 4:00–5:30 PM
Chef Isaiah Brown of Sunday Sauce x The Womack Sisters
DJ: VNPRT
Chef Isaiah Brown of Sunday Sauce, the Northeast Portland restaurant rooted in long-simmered Italian-American family recipes, and The Womack Sisters, granddaughters of Sam Cooke and daughters of songwriting duo Womack & Womack, come together for a happy hour rooted in family traditions, soulful expression, and the enduring power of stories passed from one generation to the next. Setting the tone is VNPRT, the Portland DJ whose dynamic sets weave together house, techno, baile funk, and amapiano.
Saturday Dinner — August 1, 7:30–9:00 PM
Chef Angel Medina of Republica x Mexican Institute of Sound
DJ: disco diablo
Chef Angel Medina of República brings his Mexico-forward lens to Pickathon, where every plate begins somewhere specific, and the point of view does not flinch. Chef Angel’s cooking treats food as a living thing, rooted in region and carried by intent. Every plate begins somewhere specific and holds the weight of where it came from; from the Olmec, the Zapotec, the Toltec, and everyone after, down to everything that made modern Mexican food the greatest cuisine of all. That evolution continues here. Pacific Northwest ingredients, met with technique and history. Joined by Mexican Institute of Sound and disco diablo, this Saturday dinner celebrates the traditions, histories, and creative energy that continue to shape contemporary Mexican culture.
Sunday Brunch — August 2, 11:00 AM–12:30 PM
Chef and Artist TBA. We're cooking up something very exciting! Stay tuned.
