The fires will be lit shortly after sunset (6:46 pm) and remain lit until MIDNIGHT.
Tonight’s sponsors are: (Up)Beat Cancer: Joe Andruzzi Foundation presented by East Commerce Solutions, Inc. & RI Rally4Recovery & The U.S.-China Institute and Confucius Institute at Bryant University & National Grid
We have a lot of exciting special events going on at this weekend’s WaterFire lighting. If you are looking for a fun, educational and easy way to get around Providence (including pick-up and drop-off at the free State House Parking lots) don’t forget to give the Experience RI shuttle a try. Half of the ticket price for the shuttle goes to support WaterFire.
The U.S. – China Institute and Confucius Institute at Bryant University have teamed up with WaterFire to celebrate Chinese culture and heritage! Join us at the Waterplace Basin stage prior to lighting for traditional Chinese Lion & Dragon dances and a beautiful Chinese Opera performance by Ms. Jia Xu. Bryant University will help kick off the lighting in a celebration of their 150th anniversary with a 150 person torch procession into the basin. Starting on Steeple street at 5 PM visitors will be “transported” to China, as the U.S. – China Institute and Confucius Institute at Bryant University celebrate and shares Chinese culture with WaterFire guests with great performances, interactive displays, exhibits, and more.
Rally 4 Recovery celebrates National Recovery Month with WaterFire for the fourth year: Rally 4 Recovery, an organized coalition of people in recovery from addiction, and their family members, friends, and allies will be celebrating National Recovery Month all day in Roger Williams Memorial Park. Family-friendly activities will include children’s and adult crafts, face painting, children’s bouncy houses by Jumpin’ Fun, inspirational and recovery speakers, and advocacy programs. Rally’s month-long celebration of National Recovery Month will culminate with an inspirational 50 person torch procession and a 400 person luminaria parade from Roger Williams Memorial Park to the Starry, Starry Night installation in Memorial Park at 7:00 PM. Stop by Memorial Park to read the many messages of hope, inspiration, and joy, all related to recovery. Check out the video below to get more information about this inspiring event.
Joe Andruzzi Foundation shares an (Up)Beat approach to cancer: The Joe Andruzzi Foundation, started by former Patriots Offensive Guard, Joe Andruzzi, is joining us for the first time at WaterFire. The Joe Andruzzi Foundation is a cancer resource foundation that takes a different, positive approach to fight cancer by providing help, hope, and a reason to smile for cancer patients and their families by contributing financial and emotional support when it is needed most. Please join us in welcoming the Joe Andruzzi Foundation to the WaterFire family! You can help support this great cause by purchasing tickets to their Mardi Gras Celebration at WaterFire.
Ten31 takes over WaterFire: WaterFire favorites and locally renowned performance art company, Ten 31 will be celebrating its beginnings at WaterFire with a special performance on September 21st. TEN31 creates living statues, human botanicals, and costumed characters all performed by trained artists. TEN31 began at Waterfire with its first creation, The Gargoyles. This magical pair soon became a perennial favorite at Waterfire.
To celebrate this magical partnership, A TEN31 Fairy Tale at Waterfire will run from 7:00 PM through 10:00 PM at the World War Monument in Memorial Park. Living Statues, a collection of Human Birch Trees will meander and integrate into the performance, and will also include special dance performances by TEN31’s Fairies. Dance performances will occur at 7:15 PM, 8:15 PM, 9:15 PM, and 9:55 PM. As always, this performance is paid through donations collected during the performance. TEN31 will provide a portion of the proceeds to Waterfire.
Check out this collection of Ten31 characters performing at WaterFire.
Other attractions at this WaterFire Lighting will include:
- Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular Installation in the Waterplace Basin presented by the famous Roger Williams Park Zoo Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular.
- The WaterFire Arts Festival Plaza on Washington Street.
- National Grid Courtesy Phone Charging Stations on Canal Street. Stop by Canal Street and charge up with National Grid.
- Providence Place Mall offers up a chance to win a $250 Gift Card. Stop by the Providence Place Mall booth on Canal Street for your chance to win.
- FoodForward: A Showcase of RI Food Innovators & Culinary Mavericks on the College Street Bridge. RallyRI will host FoodForward, a showcase tent to feature Rhode Island’s most ambitious food innovators.
Be sure to visit the September 21st event page for more details about all of this weekend’s festivities.
Bridge of Stars photograph by Jeffrey Stolzberg, Chinese Dragon photograph by James Turner, Rally4Recovery Quilt photograph by John Simonetti.
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.
