Haw River Festival

About the Haw River Festival

Join us for live music, a farmers market, a silent auction, a kayak raffle and (weater permitting) – a river walk, river monitoring and puppet parade! Mark your calendars for the 2024 Haw River Festival scheduled for May 4, 2024 in Saxapahaw, NC!

Sorry – No Dogs Allowed at the Festival

Haw River Activity Locations

Stage: Main Festival Area – with Music Stage, Farmer’s Market, Haw River Assembly booths, silent auction, kayak raffle, food trucks and kids activities.
Kid Canoe Rides: Voyager Canoe rides for kids age 12 and under. Shuttles will begin at 4:00 every 15 minutes until 6:30 to Saxapahaw Lake. Meet at Haw River Canoe and Kayak office behind the Paperhand Puppet Studio.
Puppet Parade: Meet at Paperhand Puppet Studio at 6:00 pm, if you’d like to take part in the Puppet Parade. All are welcome!
Saxapahaw Island: Use the pedestrian walkway on the bridge across the Haw to Saxapahaw Island Park – than follow signs on the island to take part in River Monitoring from 4 – 6 pm. All ages welcome!

Volunteers Needed for 2024!

Join our volunteer team to help us set up the Festival, work at one of our booths or activities or help us break down at the end. Email events@hawriver.org for more details!

Parking Information

The main parking meadow of the past is now the new Hawbridge Upper School. There is parking in their lot outside the school.

Parking is available behind the Saxapahaw Museum in a gravel lot.

There are new designated parking areas on Pine and Hilltop near and just past the Water Tower.

There is a parking area to the right of Paperhand Puppet and Haw River Canoe/Kayak.

There is a large parking area on Saxapahaw Island (closes at 9pm).

There is a large parking lot at the Saxapahaw United Methodist Church across the bridge.

PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN THE ROAD or in people’s yards or driveways or blocking residential gates. We love our community and we ask that you respect that people live and work here and need to be able to feel that their homes and property are not affected by people coming in for the event. Cars parked in any of these spaces or over the white line on the road will be towed. We have been warned. Now you have as well. More information can be found here.

Enter Our 2024 Kayak Raffle!

Buy Raffle Tickets Here!

1 Ticket=$2! To purchase multiple, please adjust your payment to reflect the # of tickets you want. Ex: 5 Tickets=$10

Raffle at 7:30 pm at Haw River Festival- Do not need to be present to win. Kayak is generously donated by Great Outdoor Provision.

2024 Schedule Of Events

On Stage: (approximate times)

4:15-5:15 PM Mahalo Jazz

5:30-6:30 PM New Potatoes

6:45-7:45 PM Travis Williams Group

Around the Festival

4:30 PM Nature Walk led Harry Phillips (meet on Saxapahaw Island)

4 – 6 PM River Monitoring and finding river critters (on Saxapahaw Island)

4:00-6:30 PM Short Canoe Rides for kids (12 & under)

Shuttles over to Saxapahaw reservoir (just up the street) will leave every 15 minutes from the Haw River Canoe and Kayak office.

6:00 PM Gather to take part in Puppet Parade at Paperhand Puppet Studio. Parade starts at about 6:30 pm.

4 – 7:15 PM Silent Auction on tables behind the stage. Beautiful arts and crafts, event tickets, massage certificates and more! Closing bids at 7:15 Check for winning bids and make payment at the auction table. 7:30 p.m. Raffle Drawing for Kayak $2 ticket on sale next to the stage. No need to be present to win.

STAY TUNED FOR 2024 SILENT AUCTION ITEMS!

Silent auction items will be for bid the day of our festival behind the main stage! All proceeds raised from auction items will go towards HRA’s advocacy and education programs. Opening bid for all items is $5.00! Pictured below are items from last year!