Pickathon Partners with Klean Kanteen® to Go 100% Plastic-Free

Pickathon is a three-day music festival held at 80-acre Pendarvis Farm outside of Portland, OR. Klean Kanteen is honored to sponsor Pickathon to literally show the world how people can come together without creating mountains of toxic trash. The sustainability commitment of the founders, sponsors, volunteers and everyone who attends creates a powerful and tangible atmosphere of caring, for each other and the planet. For Klean Kanteen staff and others who make the journey to Pendarvis Farm, it is a magical experience. We have the unique opportunity, if only for three days, to live in the very world we strive every day to create.

Many said it was impossible to hold a large, multi-day music festival without using plastic cups and without selling bottled water. Pickathon and Klean Kanteen have proven the naysayers wrong, going completely plastic cup and plastic bottle free. Jake Holfield, head of recycling for Pickathon, estimates that in 2009, festival-goers used about 35,000 plastic cups and about 25,000 plastic bottles. Each year since then, the festival has grown, and the steel pint is now displacing 70,000-80,000+ single-use cups and bottles per year!

The decision to go plastic-free was however, not a small one. Massive infrastructure changes were necessary to ensure that festival goers, musicians and staff still have easy access to water and drinking/food containers. Pickathon, with the help of Klean Kanteen, continues their dedication to sustainability and environmental responsibility, creating the model of a truly sustainable, plastic-free festival.

About Pickathon

Pickathon is a 13-year-old, eclectic three-day music festival set in the rolling hills and forests of an 80-acre farm outside Portland, OR. The event features a diverse line-up of bands and musicians whose music draws on the roots of classic American music including blues, folk, bluegrass and a multitude of other both traditional and modern indie styles.  The event draws audience members from across the world and caters to individuals as well as families with multiple workshops, events, and local, mostly organic food, and locally brewed beer.

Sustainability Efforts at Pickathon

• 24 hour recycling team to collect and sort recyclable and compostable materials, as well as collect and filter all the gray water from showers, water and wash stations to be reused around the venue for dust control.
• Two solar arrays, installed by Pickathon’s green energy partner, REC Solar, to offset energy used at two of the large stages at the event.
• Two large, mobile water trucks and multiple refill stations throughout the property. Beer drinkers will also be able to personalize their steel pints with Sharpies and leave them in the beer garden on drying racks.
• The medical tent, front gate check-in, and ticketing areas continue to be solar powered, and the two miles of wooded festival trails and camping areas marked with LED lighting. 
• Since 2008 Pickathon has partnered with EcoShuttle to provide free transportation from the nearest public hub.
• Pickathon encourages cycling to the event, providing route maps and linking people up with carpooling resources. 
• Collaboration with local hotels offering free shuttle service to the farm. Goal is to increase alternative transportation use from 15% of attendees to 50% within the next five years.