Saturday, September 18

A WaterFire Lighting Celebrating Educational Excellence in RI with the Rhode Island Department of Education

Supported in part by Fidelity Investments

Partial lighting – Sunset (6:49 pm) – 10:30 pm
Music Program

WaterFire: Celebrating Educational Excellence
Starting at 4:00 p.m. in Station Park

Presented by The Rhode Island Department of Education and XQ Institute

Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green and the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) will once again honor Rhode Island educators for their outstanding service and dedication to the education profession and their students. The award ceremony and torch procession which will recognize district teachers of the year and educators identified for excellence in their content areas will begin at 5:00 p.m. at the Basin Stage next to Station Park. This is a celebration in partnership with the XQ Institute, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to rethinking the high school experience, which will host an array of activities nearby throughout the day next to Station Park. The day’s festivities are part of an ongoing partnership between XQ Institute and RIDE (XQ+RI) and will include an interactive, self-guided education data wall, live music, art+activism installations, the renowned Inside Out Photobooth Truck, and a forum for the public to share community feedback about how Rhode Island can invest in high school transformation.

“RIDE is excited to partner with WaterFire once again to celebrate the many educators across Rhode Island who have gone above and beyond for their school communities throughout the most challenging of times,” said Commissioner Infante-Green. “WaterFire is a cherished tradition and a fitting occasion to highlight our collective commitment to ensuring the success of our kids, families, and school staff. I am hopeful for the future of education and thank all those who have stepped up to ensure the wellbeing of our students and that the learning continued.”

The Inside Out Photobooth trucks bring the printers directly to the streets – allowing the public to participate instantly and for free! Participants enter the Photobooth and our camera snaps their portrait. Within one minute, a black and white poster is printed. Participants then take the posters to paste them in a public space.

Over 200,000 portraits have been printed at Inside Out Photobooth Actions around the world.

WaterFire Providence, in close cooperation with the Rhode Island Department of Health, requests all visitors, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, wear masks while attending the WaterFire event. Please remain aware of your surroundings and keep a safe distance from anyone outside your family/pod. If you are feeling unwell, please stay home and get tested as soon as possible. Visit the RIDOH website for additional COVID-19 testing and vaccine information (https://covid.ri.gov).