Big News: Volunteering at Pickathon Just Got an Upgrade!
If you’ve volunteered with us in the past—welcome back! If you're new here - howdy and hello, we are thrilled to have you! This year, our longtime volunteer program will be transitioning into a powerful new partnership with Creative Neighborhoods, a nonprofit initiative supporting young creatives and skilled tradespeople. We are excited to announce a work trade program that has even more benefits for our community.
So what’s the difference?
Volunteers are essential for any thriving community. We are beyond grateful to everyone who has ever participated in creating Pickathon, and we know that Work Trade at Pickathon is something more. Our work traders are essential collaborators who make the entire weekend possible—from building our legendary spaces to keeping things running smoothly once the music starts.
Thank you for choosing to be part of one of the many Work Trade teams that brings Pickathon to life!
For the past 25 years, Pickathon and our incredible network of community members have collaborated to create THE most magical festival. It’s not just the amazing artists or the beauty of the Pendarvis Farm woods that makes Pickathon so special. It’s the collaborative work of thousands of folks coming together to create something amazing. We are beyond grateful that so many members of our community contribute their time and energy to make this possible. We are the definition of a community-run festival and every individual is vital. Pickathon simply would not exist without your effort and dedication! Whether this will be your first year working with us, or you’ve been doing it for longer than you can remember, we can’t wait to collaborate with you to make 2025 our best year yet!
We’re also excited to announce that, beginning this year, all work-trade crew applications and tickets will be processed via Creative Neighborhoods. Working with Creative Neighborhoods will allow us to expand and enhance work trade opportunities both during and outside of the festival. Once again this year, Creative Neighborhoods will match mentors with mentees to provide younger community members with real-world creative experience. If you work for a company that offers paid Volunteer Time Off, you may be eligible to participate through Creative Neighborhoods.
To learn more about Creative Neighborhoods and get involved, visit creativeneighborhoods.com.
THE BASIC WORK TRADE INFORMATION
Work trade crew members commit to approximately 12-16 hours (during festival days, Thursday-Sunday) or 16-20 hours (during the setup and tear down periods) of work in exchange for one (1) General Admission ADULT WEEKEND ticket, given by Creative Neighborhoods.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old to participate. Teens under 18 can express interest in being a Creative Neighborhoods mentee by emailing info@creativeneighborhoods.com. We’re also working to create more opportunities for teens under 18 to get involved in the festival.
Your work trade general admission adult weekend ticket includes the following:
- Come-and-go access to the Pickathon festival Friday, August 1st through Monday, August 4th.
- Walk-up primitive camping within the Pendarvis woods.
- Free shuttle rides between the Welcome Lot and the Pendarvis Farm festival grounds.
Your adult weekend ticket does NOT include the following (however work trade crew members may opt to work extra in exchange for some of these items):
- Parking
- Thursday entry
- Car/van/RV camping site
- Shuttle bus pass between the Lents Town Center and Pendarvis Farm
- Food, beverage, plates, or cups
Thursday entry tickets and parking or shuttle passes are available for purchase at pickathon.com/tickets.
OR
Work trade crew members can opt to work an additional shift (subject to festival needs) in exchange for Thursday entry or a regular weekend parking pass (vehicle camping not included).You will be given the option to indicate on your application if you are interested in working extra shift in exchange for additional of these perks.
You’ll be confirmed as a crew member once you are assigned to a crew and receive a crew acceptance email. Schedules will be sent out to confirmed crew members in a separate email at a later date. Each crew has a different and complex schedule to fill and it can take time to put the puzzle together. Crew chiefs do their best to get schedules out to their work trade members no later than 2 weeks prior to when they are scheduled to work. This means that folks working during set up might receive their schedules around late June/early July, while folks working during the festival might have to wait until mid-July.
Any work trade crew member needing to cancel their application or assigned position should reach out to the Work Trade Coordinator (worktrade@creativeneighborhoods.com) and their crew chief (if assigned) ASAP so we can quickly get started in finding a replacement. A cancellation penalty may be assessed for cancellations made close to the start of the festival.
IMPORTANT: If you are (or expect to be) working with an invite-only crew this year please DO NOT use this application. You will receive a private link and access code at a later date from the crew chief who recruited you. Invite-only crews include design, production, programming, and many site-ops crews, as well as medical services, artist services, and others. If you are unsure, reach out to your crew chief and ask if you should apply to the public application or wait for an invite-only link.
HOW TO APPLY
Step 1: Provide your personal contact information and the phone number for an emergency contact. Confirm you are at least 18 years of age.
Step 2: Answer a few questions regarding your experience with Pickathon, your availability, and your general preferences as a Creative Neighborhoods work trade crew member.
When providing your availability please keep in mind that your crew chief is expecting that you will be able to work a shift at any time on the days you indicate as available. Shifts during the festival can start as early as 6AM and some wrap up as late as 3AM the following day. Shifts before and after the festival are usually between the hours of 9AM and 7PM. If there are any exceptions or specifics we should know about your stated availability, please let us know in the space provided.
You will not be able to log back into your application to make adjustments, so be sure to double check your answers and if anything changes (especially regarding your availability) please email worktrade@creativeneighborhoods.com ASAP to let us know.
We do our best to accommodate as many scheduling preferences as we can, however this isn’t always possible due to the many demands of the festival. We thank you in advance for your understanding!
Step 3: Select and rank the specific crews you want to apply to. You must apply for at least two crews, however we suggest you apply for every crew you are interested in working with. The more information you give us, the easier it is for us to place you with a preferred crew.
Every crew has specific needs and requirements, so be sure to read each crew description carefully. Selecting a crew will bring up a required set of questions for that crew. You must rank each of your crew choices in the order you would like to be considered for them. For example if you apply for both Camp Host Crew and Parking Crew, but you would prefer to be on Parking Crew, you would rank Parking as your first choice and Camp Host as your second choice.
There is a wide variety when it comes to the working member capacity for each crew. Some crews need a few hundred people to operate while others only need a handful of folks. Work trade applicants are NOT assigned to crews on a first-come, first-served basis because a number of our crews require specific and specialized skills. Please take into account the size of each crew when choosing and ranking crews. We recommend ranking at least one LARGE crew within your top three crew preferences to avoid getting jammed up in numerous queues for smaller crews. If this will be your first year as a work trade crew member we HIGHLY recommend selecting a LARGE crew as your first or second choice; this will greatly speed up your acceptance to a crew.
Step 4: Sign the work trade waiver and submit your $35 non-refundable application fee using a credit card (credit card must have an expiration of 09/25 or later) to complete and submit your application! Check your inbox to make sure you have received an email confirming your application has been successfully submitted. (Check your spam/promotions folders if necessary!) If you do not receive a confirmation email by the following day email worktrade@creativeneighborhoods.com so we can check for your application.
Step 5: Get excited but be patient! Since Pickathon operates on the collaborative efforts of so many work trade crew members, Creative Neighborhoods will be able to accept the majority of applicants. Since we do not operate on a first-come, first-served basis but rather by matching the skills and availability of applicants to the crews that need them, it takes a decent amount of time to assign each individual to a crew. You should expect to be notified of your crew assignment anytime between two weeks to two months from the date you apply.
Work Trade Crew Member FAQs
> What are the requirements to work with Creative Neighborhoods at Pickathon?
All work trade crew members must be at least 18 years old and be able to commit 12-20 hours (depending on crew) of work time to the festival. Work trade applicants are required to pay a $35 application fee to Creative Neighborhoods with a credit card that expires no sooner than September 1, 2025.
> Do I need to purchase a ticket as a work trade crew member?
Confirmed work trade crew members (folks who have been accepted to a crew) do NOT need to purchase their ADULT WEEKEND ticket. On behalf of Creative Neighborhoods, your ticket will be issued to you via Pickathon's ticketing system once you accept your assigned shifts. You will receive and be instructed how to accept your shifts via email once your crew chief schedules you. Please do not purchase a weekend ticket if you intend to participate in the work trade program as all purchased tickets are non-refundable.
For all other tickets and passes (Thursday tickets, parking passes, single day passes, car camping passes, etc) visit pickathon.com/tickets. Thursday entry and weekend parking are NOT included with your adult weekend ticket unless you have arranged to work additional shifts with your crew.
> Do I have to pay a deposit to apply?
We do not collect and refund deposits from work trade crew members. Instead, your payment info is encrypted and securely stored when you pay your $35 application fee. As long as you complete your work trade crew members assignment your payment information will be scrubbed from our system after the festival. If you cancel too close to the opening day of the festival or no show to an assigned shift your card will be charged the appropriate amount according to the cancellation fee scale at the bottom of this page.
> Why is there a $35 non-refundable application fee?
Building up festival crews each year is a HUGE undertaking. Between the festival being almost entirely run by work trade crews, and the fact that many of those positions require very specific skills, it takes many, many staff hours to review, accept, and schedule those crews. And since we want all Creative Neighborhood work trade crew members to have the best time possible, we take extra time to try our best to accommodate everyone's preferences when creating the shift schedules. The application fee helps cover the vast number of staff hours required to operate a team of our size, as well as to help cover the cost of crew supplies. We also hope the fee will act as financial commitment for the applicant and be a deterrent to cancellations.
> I made a mistake on my application. Can I change it?
Please be sure to triple check your answers on each page of the work trade application (especially your email) because once submitted you will not be able to log back in and change it yourself. If you are hoping to be scheduled with someone specific during your work trade assignment make sure you discuss and coordinate your answers with that person before submitting your applications. If you do make a mistake, or if anything about your availability changes, please email worktrade@creativeneighborhoods.com right away so we can make sure your application is up to date. If you have already been accepted to a crew, please make sure you copy your crew chief on this email.
> When will I know if I have been accepted as a work trade crew member?
We do not operate on a first-come, first-served basis because it is important that we match the skills and availability of each applicant to the crews that need them most. This is a fairly intensive process that can take a while, which is why we do not make any promises about how long it will take for you to receive your acceptance email. On average it can take anywhere from a few weeks to a month and a half to receive a response, but so long as you are patient and open to a variety of work trade opportunities we will very likely have a spot for you!
> My friend and I applied at the same time and she’s already been accepted, but I haven’t heard anything. What's going on?
There are a number of reasons this could happen, the first being that we do not accept applications in the order they are received. Each crew chief reviews the applications in their queue and then selects the work trade applicants they believe will be a good fit for their crew. Additionally, applications are reviewed by individual crew chiefs in the order they were ranked, so if you and your friend did not apply to the exact same crews in the exact same order, your applications are being reviewed by different people on separate timelines. Finally, if you and your friend applied for the same crew, but your friend has more relevant experience for that particular crew than you do, it’s possible your application was passed on to the next crew in your ranking, or that the chief of that crew will accept you on their second pass through their applications. Either way, just be patient and open to working wherever you are needed and we will have a position for you!
> Am I guaranteed a position on one of my preferred crews?
We always try to assign and schedule work trade crew members in accordance with their preferences, and most of the time this works out. Occasionally, issues such as too many applicants to one crew and not enough to another require us to assign work trade crew members to crews they did not select as a preference on their application.
> When will I know my work schedule?
Work trade crew members who are on Pre and Post Festival crews generally receive their schedules by the end of June/first week of July. Work trade crew members who will be working during the festival generally receive their schedules within the week or two leading up to the first day of the festival. Each crew chief is responsible for making the shift schedule for their crew so there is no specific time they are sent out as different crew chiefs work at different paces.
Since work trade crew members during the festival may not know their schedule until a few days before, it is VERY IMPORTANT that your availability is up to date and accurate.
> My availability has changed since I completed my application. Can I update it?
If anything about the availability you provided on your application changes, please email worktrade@creativeneighborhoods.com right away so we can make sure your application is up to date.
> Can I be scheduled alongside my friends?
On your application you can request up to three additional people you'd like to be scheduled with, if possible. To increase your chances of being scheduled with someone specific we suggest getting together with your friends and filling out your applications side by side. Make sure you are both submitting the same crew rankings, availability, and other preferences. We always try to accommodate these requests when we can and we ask you to please be understanding that the demands of the festival always come first, so it’s not always possible to schedule your shifts with your preferred people.
> Can I bring my kids with me while I'm working?
Although we highly encourage you to bring your kiddos with you to Pickathon (all kids 12 and under receive FREE entry) you are NOT allowed to bring them with you to your shifts. Your work trade position will require your full attention while you are on your shift and it will not be possible to keep an eye on your child and complete your duties at the same time. Additionally, many environments where work trade crew members work (before, during, and after the festival) could be dangerous or otherwise unsuitable for children. If you are coming to Pickathon with your kids, please be sure to secure childcare during your shift times.
> Are there any work trade opportunities for teens/kids under the age of 18?
Teens younger than 18 years of age can express interest in being a Creative Neighborhoods mentee by emailing info@creativeneighborhoods.com. Additionally, we are working towards creating additional appropriate avenues for teens under 18 years of age to get involved with the festival.
> Can I come on Thursday?
The general admission adult weekend wristband does NOT include Thursday entry to the festival or the campgrounds/parking lots. Work trade crew members wishing to attend the festival starting on Thursday can either arrange to work an additional shift with their crew in exchange for a Thursday ticket, or can purchase one at pickathon.com/tickets.
> Does my weekend ticket include weekend parking or a transit shuttle pass?
The general admission adult weekend wristband does NOT include weekend parking or a transit shuttle pass. Work trade crew members who intend to drive to and park at the festival can arrange to work an additional shift with their crew in exchange for a Welcome Lot weekend parking pass, or can purchase one at pickathon.com/tickets. Work trade crew members who intend to take public transportation to the festival can purchase a shuttle pass at pickathon.com/tickets. The transit shuttle runs hourly between Pendarvis Farm and the Lents Town Center, where there are connections to various forms of public transportation.
> Is there special camping and/or parking for work trade crew members?
There are no special camping or parking areas specifically for work trade crew members. The weekend ticket/wristband is the same ticket/wristband that is provided to anyone who purchases a ticket. The only difference is that instead of paying for your ticket with money, work trade crew members pay for their ticket with hours.
Since we work with over 2,000 work trade crew members each year, and that number represents about a third of all festival attendees, it is simply not possible to have set aside areas for work trade crew camping and parking.
> If I am scheduled to work my shifts before the festival, can I set up my camp early?
NO WORK TRADE CREW MEMBER CAMPING ALLOWED PRIOR TO THURSDAY, JULY 31ST (for those with Thursday tickets) OR FRIDAY, AUGUST 1ST. For safety, security, and privacy reasons (the farm is a year-round home that the Pendarvis’s graciously share with us) we cannot allow work trade crew members to camp or set up any camping equipment prior to Thursday, August 1st. The tents you see set up on the farm prior to Thursday belong to festival site staff who are living and working on the farm full time. Any unaccounted for personal property left on the farm prior to Thursday, July 31st is subject to removal.
> I only want to attend the festival for a single day. Am I able to work just enough for a single day ticket?
At this time we only accept work trade crew members who can contribute the full amount of hours required to earn a weekend pass. Anyone with a weekend pass can come and go as they please, and attend as much or as little of the festival as they want, but must commit the minimum number of hours required for a full weekend pass.
> What if I need to cancel?
If you need to withdraw your application please email worktrade@creativeneighborhoods.com ASAP so we can cancel your application. If you have already been accepted to a crew you must also copy your crew chief on this email so that everyone is aware of the situation and we can work on refilling your position. Depending on how close to the festival weekend you cancel you may be charged a cancellation fee.
> What are the cancellation fees?
Work trade crew members may cancel penalty fee free up until and on July 16th, 2025.
For cancellations on and after July 17th a $25 cancellation fee will be assessed.
For cancellations on and after July 24th a $70 cancellation fee will be assessed.
For cancellations on and after July 29th a $185 cancellation fee will be assessed.
Any work trade crew member who cancels on July 31st or later will be considered a no-show, resulting in a charge for the full cost of a ticket, and will not be accepted as a work trade crew member for future festivals.