Saturday, September 24 - Full Lighting
Event Details
Celebrating Educational Excellence in Rhode Island with the Rhode Island Department of Education
Supported by Rhode Island Department of Education, XQ Institute, Fidelity Investments, and igus
Full Lighting – Sunset (6:39 pm) – Midnight
· Food fair and artists’ market vendors open at 6:00 pm
· Rhode Island Department of Education’s Teacher of the Year awards ceremony will be held in Memorial Park from 3:00-6:30 pm
· XQ Institute’s XQ+RI Teachers’ Lounge will be open on Washington Street Bridge from 6:00-10:00 pm
· Music Program
Rhode Island Department of Education’s Teacher of the Year awards ceremony will be held in Memorial Park from 3:00 – 6:30 pm
Each year, in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), award-winning educators from across Rhode Island take part in WaterFire. The annual fall event ‘Celebrating Educational Excellence in Rhode Island’ is part of our #Art4Impact Community Heroes event series.
XQ Institute on Washington Street Bridge from 6:00 – 10:00 pm
Come visit the XQ+RI Teachers’ Lounge located on the bridge. You can design a custom WaterFire tote bag, contribute your ideas for how to rethink high school in Rhode Island on our writing wall, and learn how to stay involved.
A Fidelity Careers pop-up tent will be located on College Street from 6:00-10:00 pm
“Fidelity Investments is honored to support WaterFire and the Celebration of Educational Excellence in Rhode Island by serving as a sponsor of the September 24 lighting. From our commitment to the community to our growth in the state (jobs.fidelity.com), we are humbled to be a good neighbor and caring corporate citizen in Rhode Island,” said Rick Metters, Vice President, Regional Public Affairs.
igus, Inc. will be demonstrating their new sustainable bicycle on College Street from 6:00-10:00 pm
“We are pleased to support WaterFire Providence,” said Artur Peplinski President and CEO at igus, Inc. “igus recognizes its importance as a member of the community to embrace events that make residents and tourists aware of the cultural experiences this State has to offer. We’re proud to be part of Celebrating Educational Excellence in RI with the Rhode Island Department of Education.”
Opening at 6:00 pm – Food Fairs, Artist Vendors, Living Statues, & More!
WaterFire Marketplace will return to Canal Street, stop by to support WaterFire with a donation or a purchase of locally designed apparel, glassware, books, and gifts. Make a quick and easy donation with DipJar and watch glass blowing by Gather Glass.
Food fairs will be open on Washington Street. Enjoy local food from festival favorites: Saugy’s, Sweet Smokin’ Pits, Kettle Korn Express, Red’s Street Kitchen, Caribbean Delights Ja’ Patty and One2Taconmore. Additional vendors will be located on College Street including Madonna Rosario Society, Pams Grill on the Go, Spanglish, and Vegan Suga.
Artist & makers located on Washington & Steeple Streets will include: Taft Street Studios, Astr Noir, Celeste Diaz Falzone, A Poet’s Hand, Heart To Life Designs, Eric Sturtevant Illustrations, Jeremy Schilling Fine Art, Coral Anchor RI, Amber N’ Crystals, Pourever Creations, Maeven in Me, Slay Natural, Joseph Mushipi Visual Art, Gavel, Boojie Lolli, Revibed Vinyl, Casted by T, Jessie Jewels, Eric Sturtevant Illustrations, Into The Woods, Regina Teresa Design, Henna by Heather, Moonlight Jewelry, Glass Monkey, & Recycled Silverware.
Andrew Anselmo, Origami Master will be hanging out all night at Market Square and visitors can find A Silent Soapbox living statue at the bottom of Washington Street Bridge and Canal Walk starting at sunset. The living statues from Ten31 Productions will be in Memorial Park at the base of the World War memorial.
The Starry, Starry Night installation returns to Memorial Park near the Crawford Street Bridge; add your light to the night by wishing on a star or dedicate a luminaria candle lantern.
Catch fire spinning performances beginning at sunset and continuing throughout the lighting by Cirque de Light.
Funkademic the Providence-based ensemble playing funk, soul, and R&B music on period-correct instruments will be playing sets on the Steeple Street Music Stage at 7:00, 8:00, and 9:00 pm. Founded at Brown University in 2019, Funkademic’s groove erudition runs deep. Featuring special guests Corey Chouinard and Lexi Sebastian. Trinity Beer Garden will be on the corner of Steeple Street and Canal Street.
Charged up with our General Dynamics Electric Boat Mobile Device Charging Stations
WaterFire Providence is excited to be able to provide mobile charging stations free of charge to visitors at four locations along the riverwalk. The charging stations will be located on College Street, at the WaterFire greeter station located outside the RISD auditorium, at the WaterFire Marketplace tents on Canal Street, and at the WaterFire greeter station located in the Waterplace Park Basin Tunnel. The mobile device charging stations are supported by General Dynamics Electric Boat.
Visit the RISD ISB Gallery on Canal Walk! They are open from 12:00-10:00 pm.
The RISD Illustration department would like to invite the community to the ISB to celebrate the life and work of the late RISD Illustration professor Mahler Ryder. Ryder was a civil rights pioneer who was a founding member and first secretary of the Studio Museum in Harlem. In addition to having a solo show at the Whitney Museum, his work has been featured in numerous exhibitions throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.
As an educator, Ryder championed students of marginalized identities. He also fought to diversify the RISD faculty. Despite push-back from those who did not understand or support his diversity efforts, he never wavered in his work. His tireless commitment to diversity and inclusion was recognized by RISD with a plaque and installation of a permanent piece of his work in the RISD Carr Haus building in 2011.
With a year of exciting change upon them including their inaugural MFA, Presidential Inauguration, and forward momentum of SEI integration in Illustration curriculum, the Illustration department felt it would be fitting to open the academic school year with a celebration of the legacy of Ryder’s work and contributions to RISD.
Organizer
