Thank you to our 2025 WaterFire Season Supporters for helping to keep the fires burning.
Want to learn more about WaterFire and what we’ve got planned? Send us a text: (401) 399-4460. You can also stay up-to-date by following us on social media on Instagram: @WaterFireProv and @WaterFireArtsCenter and Facebook: WaterFire Providence and WaterFire Arts Center.
Upcoming WaterFire Lightings
2025 WaterFire Season Schedule
The 2025 WaterFire lighting season is proudly presented with generous support from the Providence Tourism Council and Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Full Lighting Dates
Saturday, May 31
Supported by: Rhode Island School of Design
Sunset: 8:14 PM | Lighting ends at Midnight
Onshore programming and vendors open at 7:00 PM
Music Program
Friday, July 4 – Celebrating Independence Day
Supported by: Providence Tourism Council
Sunset: 8:24 PM | Lighting ends at Midnight
Onshore programming and vendors open at 6:30 PM
Music Program
Saturday, August 9 – Clear Currents Community Paddling Night
Supported by: Amica and Providence Tourism Council
Sunset: 7:54 PM | Lighting ends at Midnight
Onshore programming and vendors open at 6:30 PM
Music Program
Saturday, September 27 – Celebrating Rhode Island Educators
Supported by the Rhode Island Department of Education and Cox Business.
Sunset: 6:34 PM | Lighting ends at Midnight
Onshore programming and vendors open at 5:30 PM
Music Program
Saturday, October 4 – Flames of Hope
Supported by: Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation Sunset: 6:22 PM | Lighting ends at 11:00 PM
Onshore programming and vendors open at 5:30 PM
Music Program
Saturday, November 1 – 13th Annual Salute to Veterans
Supported by: Rhode Island Energy and Manchester Street Station
Sunset: 5:40 PM | Lighting ends at 10:00 PM
Onshore programming and vendors open at 4:30 PM
Music Program
Basin and Partial Lightings
Thursday, June 19 – Juneteenth & RI Pride Partial Lighting: RISD + Memorial Park Area
Supported by: The Providence Tourism Council
Sunset: 8:22 PM | Lighting ends at 10:30 PM
Onshore programming and vendors open at 7:30 pm
Music Program
Monday, August 18 – Basin Lighting
Supported by: CSG East 64th Annual Meeting and Regional Policy Forum
Sunset: 7:41 PM | Lighting ends at 10:00 PM
Onshore programming and vendors open at 7:00 pm
Music Program
Tuesday, October 21 – Basin Lighting
Supported by: Visual Creations
Lighting begins at 8:00 PM and ends at 10:00 PM
Saturday, November 15 – Partial Lighting – RISD + Memorial Park Area
Supported by: Association for Preservation Technology
Lighting begins at 7:30 PM and ends at 9:30 PM
Friday, December 5th – Holiday Basin Lighting
Supported by: GoProvidence
Sunset: 4:15 PM | Lighting starts at 6:30 and ends at 9:00 PM
Onshore programming and vendors open at 4:00 pm
Starts at Sunset Lightings
Located on the Michael S. Van Leesten Memorial Bridge
Presented by the Providence Tourism Council
Thursday, May 15 – Sunset (7:59 PM) to 10:00 PM
Onshore programming opens at 7:00 pm
Thursday, July 17 – Sunset (8:17 PM) to 10:00 PM
Onshore programming opens at 7:00 pm
Thursday, October 30 – Sunset (5:42 PM) to 8:00 PM
Onshore programming opens at 5:00 pm
Wednesday, December 31 – Sunset (4:25 PM) to 9:00 PM
This page is the most up-to-date event schedule resource.
- Stay tuned! Thank you for your ongoing support.
- 2025 Season Schedule Printable (PDF) Version.
- Subscribe to the 2025 Season Schedule (ICAL)
- Full Lighting vs. Partial Lighting – What’s the difference?
- Starts at Sunset 2025 Series
- Clear Currents – Community Paddling Night
Learn more:
- WaterFire Arts Center Events
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Prior Year’s WaterFire Schedules
- Sponsorship Opportunities
- About WaterFire
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Your support of WaterFire Providence is more vital now than ever!
Celebrate at WaterFire
Proposals, anniversaries, date nights. Make memories at WaterFire.
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September
October
November
December
Thanks to our 2025 WaterFire Season Supporters
The 2025 WaterFire Season is proudly presented with generous support from the Providence Tourism Council, the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, and additional support from State of Rhode Island; Governor Daniel J. McKee; Rhode Island Commerce; The City of Providence, Mayor Brett Smiley; Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi; Senator Jacob Bissaillon; Representative Scott Slater; The Rhode Island General Assembly; Providence City Council; Rhode Island State Council of the Arts; Amica Insurance; Association for Preservation Technology; Bank Newport; The Beatrice; BrightStar; Breeze Airways; Cox Business; CSG East 64th Annual Meeting and Regional Policy Forum; DS SolidWorks Corporation; DoorDash; Dunkin’; Employers Association of the Northeast; Fidelity Investments; Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation; Hot Club; JPMorgan Chase Bank; Manchester Street Station; MetroPark Ltd; Mills Tavern Restaurant; National Association of State Procurement Officials; Papitto Opportunity Connection; Providence G Hospitality; Red Bull; Rhode Island Day of Portugal; Rhode Island Department of Education; Rhode Island School of Design; RI Energy; Textron Charitable Trust; Cox Media; Cumulus Media; iHeartMedia, Inc.; Rhode Island Monthly;The Providence Journal; WPRI 12 & FOX Providence & The Rhode Show; Cirque De Light; Fire Works Catering; Gooseneck Vineyards; McLaughlin & Moran; Pranzi Tent & Events; The Flower District; and United Site Services Northeast.
WaterFire Lighting Lingo Explained
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 midnight (unless otherwise noted). Full lightings include onshore programming such as performance stages, art and food vendors, and the Starry, Starry Night installation in Memorial Park.
Basin Lightings include the circle of twenty-two braziers in the Waterplace Park Basin and the eight braziers leading up to the Providence Place Mall.
Partial Lightings can include braziers in any section of the river. Examples include a Memorial Park Lighting which would include the 12 wall-mounted braziers in Memorial Park or a Basin to Steeple Street Lighting which would include all the braziers in Waterplace Park as well as the braziers in the two downstream sections of the installations ending at the Steeple Street Bridge. Typically Partial Lightings of WaterFire do not include onshore programming or food vendors unless otherwise noted.
As additional financial support is secured, WaterFire will announce additional lightings and programming – check back for updates here and on our Facebook page and Twitter account.
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 $149 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.
You can help us keep the fires burning by making a donation to keep the fires burning, joining the WaterFire Circle, or becoming a WaterFire Sponsor.
Fire marshal regulations do not permit folding chairs to be set up on any of the riverwalks to ensure 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.
Born and brought up in Providence, worked here five years,, then lived and worked for 35 years in NYCity and Washington DC, Retired to East Greenwich 25 years ago….biggest and best surprise to me has been WaterFire…..so proud to see what it has done for the city and our state. All my guests get to see WaterFire, and it never disappoints. I will be 90 soon and I’m still lining up guests for WaterFire 2025!
Thank you Vyra!
I see that the schedule for 2025 does not come out until April but wondered if there may be anything special in March while NCAA first round is in town
Nothing is planned at this time. Enjoy the games!
Looking forward to visiting this season with my family. Could you let me know the cost . Hope to come early June if possible’
Hi Robert,
Great news! WaterFire is free.
I know the schedule isn’t out yet, but I am wondering if there is a good chance that there will be a full lighting on Saturday May 31st this year?
Yes, very likely. That is RISD commencement weekend and has traditionally been our season kick-off event.
Do full lightings generally only happen on Friday and Saturday nights? I’ve never been so I don’t know past schedules.
Yes, full lightings are typically on Saturday nights and occasionally on Fridays. We’ve done full lightings for holidays like Independence Day that have been on other weekdays, but those occasions are quite rare.
I’m waiting for aprils schedule for water fire.
Hello Ann, we are still working on securing dates and sponsorships for this years schedule but we are planning on announcing our 2025 season schedule in mid-April, so stay tuned!
We have lived in Providence for 40
Plus years – have volunteered here and there with waterfire – so proud of the work you’ll do to
Make Providence and Rhode Island and amazing
place to live. Can’t wait to bring our guests this year.
Thank you Dharman!
What does a “Starts at Sunset” lighting entail? Is it different from a full or partial lighting? Can’t wait to attend this season!
Starts at Sunset events take place on the Providence Pedestrian Bridge. They are like micro events and only involve the lighting of five braziers mount on the bridge piers.
Anyone know is WaterFire a daily occurrence, or is it only held during scheduled events? I will only be at Providence on June 6 or June 7, and would like to plan accordingly.
Hello, WaterFire is unfortunately not a daily occurrence. It is only held during the scheduled events above and as of right now, we do not have one planned for June 6th or 7th. Thanks for your inquiry!
Hi! Do you need tickets for this?!
Hello, WaterFire is free for all! Through donations and sponsorships, we are able to put WaterFire on for the community for free.
We will be there on June 17th so we will miss the partial lighting on June 19th! It looks beautiful!!! Sorry to miss it!
On June 19th it’s a partial light but will there be beer and food tents on this specific night?
Hi Anthony,
There will be food trucks and a bar. https://waterfire.org/events/thursday-june-19-partial-lighting/
Hi,
Do you have any water fire events happening on on July 26 and/ or 27 ?
Hi Divya,
We do not.
All the best, Tim
hi
this event looks super cool
will it be going on over thanksgiving weekend?
I will be there thanksgiving-sunday
Hello, thanks for your interest in our event! Unfortunately there will not be one on Thanksgiving weekend. Our next lighting is a partial lighting and will be taking place on Friday, December 5th, 2025.
I need the 2026 event schedule to book accommodation.. When will I know? Thank you.
Hello Jayne, Thanks for you enthusiasm for our 2026 season! We will be releasing the dates for the 2026 lighting in March, when we are able to finalize sponsorships for each lighting.