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October 3rd, 2015 – Flames of Hope a Celebration of Life™

The RI State House in Pink. Photo by Tom Lincoln.

Sponsored by Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation and Your Rhode Island BMW Centers

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Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation – Flames of Hope: A Celebration of Life®

The Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation is pleased to sponsor WaterFire Providence, as we celebrate and honor those who are/have been affected by breast cancer. In partnership with WaterFire, Flames of Hope: A Celebration of Life™ is meant to bring together the community in one location with a mission of hope and support. The Gloria Gemma Foundation is a resource when patients and families need it most.

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Your Rhode Island BMW CentersYour Rhode Island BMW Centers are proud to support WaterFire and its mission to revitalize and transform the urban landscape through public art. We join the community in recognizing the inspiration we can all gain from this special event. Please stop by the BMW display on Saturday, October 3rd to experience a special exhibit featuring BMW’s own work of art, The Ultimate Driving Machine. Visit www.rhodeislandbmw.com for more information.

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October 3rd, 2015 Event Info:

Sunset: 6:26 p.m.
Lighting time:  6:46 p.m.
The fires will remain lit until 12:30 a.m.
Music Program

** There is light/moderate rain in the forecast for Saturday. We are still planning to go ahead with the WaterFire lighting as scheduled. We are monitoring the forecast very closely and will post updates as we get closer to the day of the event. Posted 10.2.15

The Flames of Hope a Celebration of Life™ event includes educational and awareness activities for survivors and their families from the afternoon into the evening in Station Park. To kick off the evening portion of the event will be the Illuminations of Life tribute on the steps of the State House followed by a procession of torch bearers walking down to Waterplace Basin which will include performances and the lighting of the braziers.

All Full WaterFire installations light up over eighty braziers from Waterplace Park to Memorial/South Main Street Park on the below scheduled evenings. Lighting occurs shortly after sunset and the event continues until half past midnight.

Things to see:

The Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation’s Flames of Hope a Celebration of Life™

Flames of Hope WaterFire. Photo by Erin X. Smithers.
Flames of Hope WaterFire. Photo by Erin X. Smithers.

The Flames of Hope A Celebration of Life™ WaterFire is  part of a weekend long celebration of the hope, strength, determination and courage all of those battling breast cancer and their friends and family show each and every day.  Starting at 10 AM on Saturday at the Renaissance Providence Hotel and the VET’s Memorial Auditorium “Flames of Hope: A Celebration of Life” will offer a resource fair and keynote addresses by Barbara Musser, Michael Samuelson and Geralyn Lucas. At 3:00 pm the Celebration Village in Station Park will come to life with performances and interactive activities followed by a Pink Party until midnight.

  • Celebration Village – 3:00 p.m. – Midnight
    Flames of Hope: Main Stage Entertainment

  • Illumination of Life – 6:15 p.m.
    Featuring The State Ballet of Rhode Island, Illuminations of Life is the moving program that illuminates the RI State House in pink and kicks off the Flames of Hope torch procession. The Illumination of Life Ceremony will conclude with the arrival of the Flames of Hope torches in the Waterplace Park Basin around 7:20 p.m. The Flames of Hope will form a Ring of Fire surrounding the basin the WaterFire lighting ceremony will be completed with the lighting of the remaining braziers in the basin.
  • A Decade of Hope- 10 Years of Celebrating Hope in the Ocean State – 9:30 p.m.
    This year’s celebration includes, a close proximity pyrotechnics display. Featuring the creative design of award-winning pyrotechnics company Pyrotecnico. Viewing points are from the State House lawn and Celebration Village.

For a full schedule of the weekend’s activities please visit www.flamesofhoperi.com.

Grupo Ondas Capoeira Performances

Grupo Ondas Capoeira. Photo by Jeffrey Stolzberg.
Grupo Ondas Capoeira. Photo by Jeffrey Stolzberg.

Enjoy a performance of Capoeira by Grupo Ondas on the Basin Stage from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM and at Market Square from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM. This Afro-Brazilian martial art combines fighting, dancing, acrobatics and music that is breath-taking to experience.

Charge up the night with National Grid!

Visitors make use of a National Grid Courtesy Phone Charging Station. Photo by John Nickerson.

[sc name=photo-caption caption=”Visitors make use of a National Grid Courtesy Phone Charging Station. Photo by John Nickerson.” ]

Make sure you can capture the magic of WaterFire all evening long by visiting National Grid charging stations on Washington Street and College Street to recharge your smartphone and other mobile devices during the lighting.

The WaterFire Merchandise Store on Canal Street – Open 5:30 – 11:00 p.m.

WaterFire Providence volunteers at the The WaterFire Store on Canal Street, photo by Jennifer Gervais.

[sc name=photo-caption caption=”WaterFire Providence volunteers at the The WaterFire Store on Canal Street, photo by Jennifer Gervais.” ]

The WaterFire Store on Canal Street is open for business. Stop in and buy a t-shirt, hoodie, poster, magnet, pendants and much more to help support WaterFire and keep the fires burning. Also make sure to check out the Photos of WaterFire tent on Washington Street. This tent will have matted photo prints, featuring the work of our Volunteer Photographers; WaterFire Providence postcards; large format photo posters; and silk screen prints by local artists.

The WaterFire Arts Festival Plaza
Washington and Steeple Streets – 6:00 – 10:30 p.m.

The WaterFire Arts Festival Plaza on Washington Street. Photo by Jennifer Bedford.

[sc name=photo-caption caption=”The WaterFire Arts Festival Plaza on Washington Street. Photo by Jennifer Bedford.” ]

Located on Washington Street in the heart of the WaterFire installation, the Arts Festival Plaza is a showcase for local artists and crafts-people. From photography and sculpture, paintings and hand-crafted ceramics, to jewelry and specialty textiles, the WaterFire Arts Festival Plaza features a wide range of locally crafted artisan wares to exhibit for sale to WaterFire’s visitors.

Gerbermuhle:  Biergarten Unter den Weiden – Beer Garden Under the Willows
Waterplace Basin 7:00 to 11:00 p.m.

Gerbermuhle: Biergarten Unter den Weiden

Gerbermuhle:  Biergarten Unter den Weiden in partnership with Trinity Brewhouse.   In a friendly salute to our new international air partner, Frankfurt, Germany (with non-stop flights on Condor Air from T. F. Green PVD Airport), WaterFire has opened a beer garden on the Woonasquatucket in partnership with Trinity Brewhouse.   The new beer garden with German beer and food focusing on Frankfurt specialties is located just upstream of  Waterplace Basin in the heart of the downtown river park, under the willow trees at the foot of the IGT building.  Forty five tables, specially made by WaterFire will mount on the river railing overlooking the double row of bonfires for your dining pleasure.

Grab a bite to eat! Visit one of our great food vendors:

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College Street
Taste of India
Parkside Rotisserie & Bar
Ron’s Pastry Gourmet

Canal Walk, near the RISD Campus
Frenchy’s Popcorn
The Nutty Bavarian

Steeple Street
Fat Belly’s Irish Pub Beer Garden

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Washington Street
UMelt – Lobster Rolls
Flatbread Company
Dudley’s
Kettle Korn Express

Various Locations
Del’s Lemonade

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Historical Open Houses

The John Brown House Museum at 52 Power Street will be open from 10 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. with guided tours at 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Self-guided audio tours are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Also, make time to see The Governor Stephen Hopkins House located at 15 Hopkins Street (off Benefit Street) and open for tours between 10:00 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. Admission is free, donations are always welcome.

The Nursing Placement First Aid Station on Washington Street – 6:00pm – 11:00pm

Providing a safe environment for our visitors while they are enjoying WaterFire Providence is a top priority for us. Should you need assistance a first aid station is available at the top of Washington Street behind the Arts Festival Plaza.

The Nursing Placement Mobile First Aid Station

Nursing Placement the official first aid provider at WaterFire events will offer first aid care to the public at any time during the event. Additionally, the venue will serve as a meeting place for missing children and parents to reunite. The First Aid RV will be located on Washington Street and can be found on all WaterFire event maps. Nursing Placement will also be taking applications for new team members to help serve the RI population.

Hitch a ride with Sol Chariots Pedicab

Sol Chariots Pedicab

Sol Chariots Pedicab Cooperative is a local, worker-owned cooperative business operating in Providence RI that provides sustainable, pedal-powered transportation services.

Operating mostly in the downtown area, Sol Chariots primarily provides a bike taxi service for short-distance transportation, as well as a new way to experience and explore the city of Providence. A pick-up and drop-off location will be established along the northbound lane of Memorial Boulevard between College and Washington Streets.

About the author

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I've worked at WaterFire Providence since 2003. For the first 9 years of my career, I worked in the Production Shop learning all of the details that go into the physical production of the event. In 2012 transitioned to the role of managing WaterFire's social media and web presence. I now head up WaterFire Providence's digital projects including, web, social, databases, and our physical IT infrastructure.

7 thoughts on “October 3rd, 2015 – Flames of Hope a Celebration of Life™”

    1. Yes, if there is light/moderate rain we will still go ahead the WaterFire lighting as scheduled. We are monitoring the forecast very closely and will post updates as we get closer the day of the event.

  1. This weekend is calling for some showers. If it showers on Saturday during the day will they still have the water fires at night?

    1. Yes, if there is light/moderate rain we will still go ahead the WaterFire lighting as scheduled. We are monitoring the forecast very closely and will post updates as we get closer the day of the event.

    1. Hi Nancy,

      This isn’t really the best way to sign up to volunteer at the event. I will forward your message to the Volunteer Team, but you’re better off emailing or calling them directly.

      -Tim

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