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2020 WaterFire Providence Event Schedule

Due to the current CORONA VIRUS pandemic, we do not currently have any WaterFire lightings scheduled. We are hard at work to ensure that when circumstance permit we’ll be able to hit the ground running and hopefully have an abridge lighting season this fall. We’ll see you soon down by rivers!

For 25 years WaterFire has been transforming place and building community in downtown Providence with impacts that reach into every corner of Rhode Island. More recently, with the opening of the WaterFire Arts Center in the underserved Valley/Olneyville neighborhood, we make world-class art, like Berlin artist Ryan Mendoza’s The Rosa Parks House Project and British artist Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon, accessible for all. We believe in and are committed to #Art4Impact. 

Stay tuned for more news and event dates. In the meantime please check out the WaterFire Arts Center event schedule.

Moon over the burning river. Photograph by Armin Kososki.

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2020 Season Schedule

All downtown WaterFire Lightings have been postponed indefinitely due to the current worldwide pandemic. Updates will be posted as they become available. #MaskUpRI

All Full WaterFire lightings light up over eighty braziers from Waterplace Park to Memorial/South Main Street Park on scheduled evenings throughout the season. Lighting occurs shortly after sunset and the fires will remain lit until half-past midnight (unless otherwise noted).

Basin lightings include the circle of twenty-two braziers in the Waterplace Park Basin and the twelve braziers leading up to the Providence Place Mall. Partial lightings usually include all of the braziers from Providence Place Mall to Steeple Street.

WaterFire Providence would like to thank all of our 2019 sponsors, their ongoing support helped to light up Downtown Providence.

As support and sponsorships develop, WaterFire will announce additional lightings and programming – check back for updates here and on our Facebook page and Twitter account.

You can help us keep the fires burning by making a donation to keep the fires burning, joining the Brazier Society of WaterFire Providence, or by becoming a WaterFire Sponsor.

WaterFire Providence’s Plan Your Trip to Providence web page is the #1 resource for up-to-date details about the event, transportation, parking, hotels, restaurants, and other local attractions.

Each year WaterFire attracts nearly 1 million visitors to downtown Providence to experience art in the city. Annually, WaterFire activity creates $113 million in economic output for local businesses, generates over $9 million of tax revenue for the State of Rhode Island and supports 1,294 jobs for community residents.

Fire marshal regulations do not permit folding chairs to be set up on any of the riverwalks to assure safe passage for all of our visitors. WaterFire is an event to be explored and savored on foot as you wander around to discover its many surprises, leave your chairs in the car, and start exploring all that our event has to offer.

Learn more:

16 thoughts on “2020 WaterFire Providence Event Schedule”

  1. It seems the virus has passed, ….. I do not know when the fall colors are in RI, but it would be good to have one at the high of Fall!

    1. Hi Robert, not sure what you mean by “the virus has passed,” but I can assure you that if we were able to safely hold a WaterFire lighting we’d be doing it. The virus is very much still present (1 million deaths worldwide, 200K+ in the US alone) and it would be irresponsible for us to act any differently. We care about creating WaterFire, but we care about our visitors’ health even more.

      1. To add on, the state of RI alone has seen a 63% increase in cases over the last 14 days. It has more cases per 100K people than the state of Texas. On 10/13, RI recorded its highest cases in one day EVER at 666. Formerly, the highest number of cases in a day was 430. On top of that, flu season and the cold weather will exacerbate that. There’s so much misinformation out there. Just look at the data and you will know everything you need to know. It’s not over…not even close.

  2. We attended a Waterfire event about 5 years ago while in Providence for a hearing loss conference. It is an exciting, awe-inspiring event. If you have the opportunity to attend one, don’t pass it up.

  3. We are planning a trip to the east coast in June and we were hoping to get to see WaterFire. Will there be any events this summer?

  4. hi i am shub from nj.

    when is the waterfire going to be open this year? i am planning on visiting on July 23/24 but I cant find a schedule when this event/performance will be held?

    1. Hi Shub, we’re not having any events that weekend. Look for our season schedule to be released on Thursday 7/29.

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