GRAHAM BOAT TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Hawesome: A Floating Benefit Concert on Saxapahaw Lake
An evening on the Haw River where audiences float in canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards while musicians perform from a dock—this guide explains how the self-guided, on-water concert works and what to expect.
Hawesome: A Floating Benefit Concert on Saxapahaw Lake.
Hawesome takes place on calm, scenic waters above the Saxapahaw dam, where paddlers can swim, fish, picnic, or simply drift at their own pace. The setting is gentle—no current, no wake-forming motorboats—and the trip is tailored to families and beginners who want a tranquil evening on the water.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
A concert where the audience is in the river
This is not a typical venue: musicians perform from a dock while the audience listens from canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards moored on the water—an immersive, outdoor listening experience centered on place and community.
More than three hours of live music across two acts
The lineup spans a nature-rooted opening set followed by extended, improvisational jam-band music—over three hours of live performance split across two acts for a sustained, golden-hour evening on the water.
A benefit for the Haw River Assembly with onsite rentals
$30 of each ticket supports the Haw River Assembly’s work, and boat rentals are available on-site so you can join the floating audience without bringing gear.
What the day feels like
What it feels like to be there
You arrive to a still reservoir and launch into lake-like water that stays placid for miles. Without current or motorboat wake, people drift close together or spread out to picnic, swim, fish, and take in the river-edge trees as an evening unfolds around you.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who will get the most from Hawesome — and who should think twice.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Sun protection, a dry bag for essentials, a filled personal PFD if you prefer, swimwear or a towel for post-paddle swimming or picnicking; guests without gear can rent boats onsite.
Boat rentals are available on-site and staff provide launch/take-out assistance and basic paddle and safety instruction to new paddlers.
The event uses Saxapahaw Lake public access on Jordan Drive (managed by Alamance Parks); gas-powered engines are not permitted during park hours.
The event is organized around an afternoon/evening timeline with multiple sets; plan for several hours on the water and to return at your leisure.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
What is a "self-guided" trip?
Self-guided trips are curated river experiences that include boat and equipment rental, assistance with launch and take-out, basic paddle and safety instruction, and shuttling when required; guests are free to explore a section of the Haw at their own pace but may not transport operator boats to other locations.
Do I need to know how to paddle to do this trip?
No; Saxapahaw Lake is perfect for beginners with no current, rocks, or wake-forming motor boats, and staff will offer basic instruction and assist with launch and take-out.
Is the access public use?
Yes—the trip uses the Saxapahaw Lake public access on Jordan Drive managed by Alamance Parks; private boaters may use the access during park hours but gas-powered engines are not permitted.
Can I bring my dog?
Yes, but only in canoes; operators recommend a fitted life jacket for your dog (which they do not provide) and note some dogs may not take well to paddling.
How clean is the river?
The Haw River is a natural waterway and contains the usual organic and environmental conditions of a river; the Haw River Assembly publishes a Swim Guide every Friday from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Is the river a circle?
No—rivers are not circles; Saxapahaw Lake is a reservoir on the Haw River formed by a 30-foot dam and the Haw continues downstream toward Jordan Lake.
Is it a river or a lake?
Both: Saxapahaw Lake is a reservoir created on the Haw River by a dam; at normal levels the reservoir has little current for about five miles and widens into what is locally called Saxapahaw Lake.