Sponsored by Fidelity Investments and National Grid.
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August 20th, 2016
Sunset: 7:37 p.m.
Lighting time: 7:57 p.m.
The fires will remain lit until 12:30 a.m.
Music Program
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All Full WaterFire installations light up over eighty braziers from Waterplace Park to Memorial/South Main Street Park on the below scheduled evenings. Lighting begins shortly after sunset and the event continues until half past midnight.
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Visiting from out of town? Check out our Plan Your Trip to Providence guide, it’s jam packed with info about parking, public transport, restaurants, hotels, and more.
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Things to see:
Origami Crane Folding with Fidelity Investments
Visit Fidelity’s crane tent, located near the WWI Memorial close to the corner of College Street and North Main Street, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Visit National Grid’s interactive installation on the Washington Street Bridge
Take some selfies in their photo booth, relax and charge your electronic devices at a Charging Station in the lounge area, and learn more about National Grid’s work bringing energy to our region.
National Grid delivers the energy to the places where Rhode Islanders live, work and play. This year, National Grid is once again proud to be a sponsor of WaterFire Providence to help shine a light on the rich cultural heritage of our community. Please visit www.nationalgrid.com and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter for energy-saving ideas for home and business.
Make sure you can capture the magic of WaterFire all evening long by visiting complimentary National Grid charging stations on Washington Street and College Street to recharge your smartphone and other mobile devices during the lighting.
Clear Currents returns for the 2016 Season
Grab Your Paddles and Help Us Light Up the River During WaterFire Providence’s Clear Currents Event On Saturday, August 20th.
Clear Currents is the portion of the evening’s WaterFire lighting that incorporates 50 illuminated Japanese koi (carp) fish temporarily mounted on canoes and kayaks that registered participants will paddle up and down the river after sunset. The light from these brightly colored fish will beautifully compliment the 80 wood burning braziers installed on the river!
Grupo Ondas Capoeira – Waterplace Basin Stage before the lighting begins!
Grupo Ondas Capoeira Batizado will perform at 6:30 p.m. on the Basin Stage before the lighting ceremony. This Afro-Brazilian martial art combines fighting, dancing, acrobatics, and music into a “game” that is as breath-taking to watch as it is to play!
Charge up the night with National Grid!
[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.
[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 silkscreen prints by local artists.
The WaterFire Arts Festival Plaza
Washington Street – 6:00 – 10:30 p.m.
[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 craftspeople. 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.
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
Expo Productions
Canal Walk, near the RISD Campus
Frenchy’s Popcorn
The Nutty Bavarian
Steeple Street
Fat Belly’s Irish Pub and Grille
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Washington Street
Bringeth The Meat BBQ
CilantroMex
Flatbread Company
Kettle Korn Express
UMelt – Lobster Rolls & Doughboys
Various Locations
Del’s Lemonade
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Little Bitte Artisanal Cocktails: Waterplace Basin 7:00 to 11:00 p.m.
Featuring drinks from Little Bitte Artisanal Cocktails. The new cocktail garden with 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 sipping pleasure.
Catch your favorite WaterFire performers:
Cirque de Light fire dancers Andrew Lindsay and Liz Knights will dazzle the crowds during several performances throughout the evening at the confluence, on boats, and on the wall of braziers near Memorial Park.
[sc name=photo-caption caption=”One of Ten31 Production’s gargoyle characters at WaterFire Providence. Photo by John Nickerson.” ]
Visit the living statues in Memorial Park at the World War I monument. Ten31 Productions returns with their interactive living statues and gargoyles in Memorial Park shortly after lighting.
[sc name=photo-caption caption=”Photo by Thomas Payne.” ]
Origami Master Andrew Anselmo – 7:00 – 10:30 p.m. in Market Square. A delight for young and old alike. See Andrew make paper come alive in Market Square, outside of the RISD auditorium.
Historical Tours
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. to 10:0 p.m., the last tour begins at 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.
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.
About the author
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.
Great post! Always so wonderful to see positive media. Can’t wait to attend 🙂
Any live music on Saturday? If so, whom? Thanks
There will a presentation of Brazilian Capoeira on the Basin stage before the lighting starting at 6:30 p.m.
Hi Tim, do you know if there is a map we can DL with the location of the stages and different attractions?
Thanks!
There is a map on the website: https://waterfire.org/visit/waterfire-event-map/
It should be printable. Also we give out event pamphlets that contain a map at each lighting.
Some of the best fun in R.I.. I rarely miss it. You will really enjoy it.
Is there a specific schedule for the fire dancers performances?
Not per se. It is very changeable so we don’t get a chance to give much detail.
The music gave the lighting a mystical, moody atmosphere when I was expecting a bustling carnival. I loved it.
Thanks Susan.