The Grove Stage: A Partnership in Sustainability, Design, and Community

This year at Pickathon, the Grove Stage became more than just a gathering place for music and connection—it became a living example of what’s possible when education, sustainability, and community-building come together.

Creative Neighborhoods was proud to partner with The Home Builders Foundation and the Building to Scale training program to make this vision a reality. Together, we brought the designs of Scott Edwards Architecture to life with the energy and skill of a large group of building trades students who descended on Pendarvis Farm.

The project was more than a stage build. It was a hands-on classroom, a sustainability experiment, and a model for how design can ripple outward into lasting community benefit. The architects’ plans were intentionally forward-thinking: every piece of the Grove Stage and bar area was designed with reuse in mind. After the festival, these elements were repurposed into bike shelters, outdoor seating, office space, and A-frame sheds—many of which were delivered to local shelters serving our unhoused neighbors.

This type of collaboration is at the heart of what Creative Neighborhoods exists to do. By aligning design with workforce training, and sustainability with community need, we’re able to create outcomes that live well beyond the festival grounds.

Our work with The Home Builders Foundation and Building to Scale reflects a shared commitment to training the next generation of builders while addressing urgent local needs. We see this as the beginning of a long-term relationship, one that can continue to expand the impact of the trades, design, and creative placemaking.

At Pickathon, the music always comes first—but it’s the spaces we build together that help shape the experience. The Grove Stage wasn’t just a place to enjoy performances; it was a symbol of what happens when community comes together to create, learn, and give back.