Question 1

Free!? That's amazing!

Accepted Answer

I know! The concert is free to the public!

At the end of the concert when we pull into the takeout location the audience will have the opportunity to give the musical act a tip if they feel inspired to do so.

Question 2

When and where does it start/ end?

Accepted Answer

Floating concert begins at 4pm @ [TBD location]
[Google map link forthcoming...]

Concert ends approximately 5:30pm @ [TBD location]
[Google map link forthcoming...]

I recommend getting to the boat ramp at 2:30pm, getting your boat in the water by 3pm, and leashing it to a solid object on the shore. Then you and your friends can have an hour to go drop-off cars off down at the take out parking lot and scoot back up to the put-in, with plenty of time to stroll and chill. I don't recommend waiting til 3:45pm to try to get your boat in the water at the put-in. It might get a little crowded at the boat ramp right about then.

We need to get started right at 4pm so that we can get that awesome golden hour light, as well as make sure that we land at the take out around 5:30pm so that everyone can get packed up and head home while the sun is still up.

Question 3

Who's putting this thing on? Why?

Accepted Answer

Hi, my name is Gabe Dominguez and I'm a multidisciplinary artist who relocated last year with my family to the little town of Hopewell, NJ. I produce events, do carpentry, and write and perform music. I've been putting on "eco adventure concerts" for the past 20 years in both Utah and the San Francisco Bay Area. You can read about some of these happenings on www.studioecotopia.com.
Below, I've outlined my grander vision for a bigger Delaware River Floating Music Festival, as well as why I like to do events like this. I didn't try to make it short :) If you're interested, grab a cup of coffee (or two) and feel free to read on:

==============================

The Grand Vision:
The floating concert on September 30, 2023 is a "proof-of-concept" mini scale model of a possible full-scale Delaware River Floating Music Festival; an annual event that I could imagine maturing into one of the most beloved summer music festivals in the Northeast. It would be a multi day adventure, perhaps starting up near the Delaware Water Gap and ultimately ending up in Philadelphia, trumpeting ecological and social justice, indigenous rights, river literacy, and beauty for all to the thousands of folks cheering down from the bridges and all along the riverbanks as it floated past, not to mention the well-tanned flotilla of stoked people in their canoes, kayaks, stand up paddle boards and inner tubes. Like the Floating Concerts it would be free (how could an event like this be ticketed anyway!?), and intended for all-ages.

The festival would feature a diverse lineup of bands from 11am-6pm each day, drawn from the communities that live along the Delaware River (imagine the best local hip hop groups, jam bands, baroque vocal ensembles, bluegrass shredders, gospel choirs...). The bands would perform to the rowing audience from aboard an iconic 20'x16' raft stage (imagine a section of a large dock broke loose from the land and was being paddled by expert oarsfolk positioned at each corner). The stage would be fashioned from salvaged 55 gallon drums and local lumber: simple, and tough as hell. Flanking the mainstage raft on either side would be two independent rafts carrying the line-array speakers. These three rafts would be connected wirelessly.

The epic flotilla/ audience of 1000+ people would reflect the diversity of the communities that live along the Delaware because special attention would've been paid to making it as easy as possible for people of all backgrounds and economic situations to access the event, especially communities of color. We would devise strategies (I've begun to cook up a few) so that even if a person/family had no boat, no expendable income, and no experience, they could get out onto the water safely and experience the magic.

A fleet of festival rafts, each with its own quirky personality, would provide the usual services we're all accustomed to seeing at a music festival: a bbq raft, composting toilet raft, garbage/recycling/compost raft, first aid raft, and of course a merch raft! Audience members could access the food raft and trash raft while remaining comfortably in their boats, while the merch, and first aid rafts would probably require, and the compost toilet raft definitely require, audience members to dock their boats to them, in-motion, and climb aboard while the raft floats onward with the audience members' boat tethered to it.

At 6pm the flotilla would paddle up to the shores of a charming river town where our boats would be valet parked along the riverbank by festival staff. Folks moseying into town would discover that the town had been eagerly expecting the festival's arrival: the streets closed to traffic and filled with people strolling by a scene of street vendors and craft booths, food trucks, and street performers. It's a summer evening in a Delaware river town and people are feeling good.

Folks who are planning to continue floating on with the festival the next day can reserve a spot in one of the festival's two themed campsites if they wish: Kiddo Camp (for families with younger children), and River Camp. Both camps would feature optional access to clean, hot showers, campfire pits, and s'more materials. The Kiddo Camp would feature facilitated "night games" (kick the can, capture the flag, stampede, etc.), campfire singalong, toothbrushing lantern walk, and would also have a firm sound curfew.

My Motivation:
My motivation for putting on events like this can be found in the "About"(https://www.studioecotopia.com/about) page of this website, but here's my spin on it as I sit here now and write this:

I'm inspired by the idea of "ecotopia" (a culture of social and ecological justice) and creating public opportunities for us to make-believe-our-way-into that world together; to splash around in it in real time, and get a taste of at least one little piece of it, if even for an hour or two.

I often ask myself the question: "What would ____ look like in ecotopia?" Or phrased another way: "What would this be like in my ideal world?"

In my "ideal world" the Delaware River watershed is treasured by this society like a crown jewel and we'd never do anything to spoil or screw it up. In my ideal world we'd never tolerate someone spilling "forever chemicals" like PFAS into our drinking water, and by extension into the bodies of our loved ones. Poisoning our water would be considered absurd in ecotopia/ my ideal world! Conversely, what isn't absurd at all in ecotopia is people being excited to float down the Delaware River enjoying a cello concert featuring Dan Kassel perched atop a catacanoe stage. That's normal in ecotopia. In fact, people inhabiting each other's most idealistic, impractical, and unreasonable hippie daydreams and acting them out with one another for fun (as though our ideals could just become real life any time we wanted), is completely normal in ecotopia.

Tell you what: I'd love to act out your idealistic daydream if you'll act out mine. If we string all of our idealistic daydreams together we can create a non-stop medley of our "ideal worlds" from morning til night. Does this sound absurd?

If we're not inhabiting and acting out our own vision of how the world should be every day, whose vision are we acting out? It's definitely somebody's absurd vision; somebody's impractical imagination. Is it the type of absurdity and impracticality that we stand behind (or float along with, in this case)? Or do we have some other ideas we'd like to try out?

In your version of ecotopia, what does your ideal work day look like?

In your kids version of ecotopia, what does an ideal school day look like?(https://www.studioecotopia.com/ecotopianschoolday)

In a fish's idea of ecotopia, what does an ideal Delaware River look like?

Maybe you're starting to see what I'm seeing...
I'd like to see what you see.

You can reach me at info@studioecotopia.com (info@studioecotopia.com)

Question 4

Are you providing the public/audience with boats?

Accepted Answer

No, but check it out: if you don't have a boat, holler at Delaware River Pedal & Paddle a(https://www.delawareriverpedalpaddle.com/)nd if you're one of the lucky first 10 or 11 people to sign-up there, they have 10 or 11 kayaks that they're providing to people for FREE; first come, first serve. You can sign up here,(https://book.peek.com/s/5e1f0c55-c76c-4f08-b463-bc712af3f550/4XxMa\) or holler at them for details!

If you're not lucky enough to be first in line for the free offer above, you're still in luck! I highly recommend renting a vessel from our sponsor Big Bear Gear.(https://bigbeargearnj.com/) They have tons of gear that you can rent, or purchase, and can help to get you properly outfitted for the river.

For everyone else, you must provide your own vessel for this adventure!

Question 5

Are you providing transportation to the put-in or take-out?

Accepted Answer

Each person is currently responsible for their own transportation. If shuttles become possible we'll alert the event email list. Sign up for updates.

You'll need to have a vehicle of some kind waiting for you down at the take-out so that you're not stranded there with your boat! Plan ahead.

If you have 2 or more cars, I recommend the following logistical plan:
1) Team-up with a friend(s) so that you have two or more vehicles to work with.
2) Everyone drive to the put-in @ 2:45pm and drop your boats off there in the water, and rope them up to something solid so that they don't float away.
3) Everyone drive their vehicles down to the take-out and leave the vehicles parked there in the parking lot. Now you'll have vehicles waiting for you when you finish your river run. 
4) At the take out parking lot, everyone piles-in to one vehicle and carpools together back up to the put-in. This one carpool vehicle then needs to be parked somewhere, legally.
5) At 4pm everyone floats happily down the river to the take out listening to the music!
6) One person from the friend group now needs to volunteer to give a ride to the person who left their car at the put-in, back up to the put-in location so that they can bring their car back down and get their boat at the take-out.

Question 6

I'm a river beginner, how do I know if it's safe?

Accepted Answer

All I can say is that it's a good thing that most instruments can float...

No but seriously, if you want to come but don't yet feel confident about your boating skills, or your ability to discern things like whether or not the conditions are safe, your craft is seaworthy, how a PFD (lifejacket) is properly fitted, etc., I'd recommend reaching out to a friendly professional outfitter like Delaware River Pedal & Paddle (one of our sponsors), or a cool gear rental shop like Big Bear Gear (another one of our sponsors) and asking them your questions. Brian at Delaware River Pedal & Paddle regularly runs the very same section of river that we're going to be floating, and does it with all kinds of people. He can advise you well.

To almost eliminate the possibility of tipping your boat, consider joining your friend's boat to yours in a "catacanoe". Check out the entry in the FAQ entitled "How do I make absolutely sure my canoe won't tip!? Answer: Catacanoe!" for a video that shows you how to rig up your own catacanoe.

From my end, the conditions that will determine whether or not the show will float-on are whether:
1) Cellist Dan Kassel feels healthy and in good spirits 
2) Water height of 5ft or less, 
3) Combined temperature of the river water and the air near or above 120F,
4) No thunderstorms or lightning in the area.

I'll be referencing the current water stats here,(https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/glance.php?wfo=bgm&gage=mtgn4&riverid=203940) and you can too. I select "Frenchtown".

This nifty chart (https://www.nps.gov/upde/planyourvisit/river-conditions.htm)tells you what the river height numbers mean, practically speaking, for boaters who are wondering whether it's safe to head out onto the river.

In general, if these conditions are met, I find the Delaware to be a downright pleasant and gentle boating experience, accessible to folks of all boating abilities and ages. Of course, always obey all laws and advice from orgs like the National Parks Service, and ALWAYS wear your PFD (personal floatation device)!

Question 7

How do I make absolutely sure my canoe won't tip!? Answer: Catacanoe!

Accepted Answer

If you're like me and for any number of great reasons you want to make absolutely sure that your canoe won't tip, I recommend considering joining your canoe to a friend's canoe, side-by-side, in parallel to one another, so that your boats become a catamaran-like vessel known as a "catacanoe." Essentially you become one another's outriggers.

I made a little video explaining a simple way to do it using simple lumber and some C-clamps:
https://youtu.be/IjzEz1CJNA8

Question 8

Is there a "rain date" if the event has to be cancelled?

Accepted Answer

TBD

The first Delaware River Floating Concert 9.30.23 was stunning! Check it out:

original event page:

Floating Concert
down the Delaware River
Date: 9/30/23

Find out about the next floating concert on the Delaware!

Splash your friends about it!

The first Delaware River Floating Concert 9.30.23 was stunning! Check it out:

original event page:

Floating Concert down the Delaware River Date: 9/30/23

Find out about the next floating concert on the Delaware!

Splash your friends about it!

Floating Concert
down the Delaware River
Date: 9/30/23