Thank you to all who made our 8th Annual FireBall Gala a smashing success!

We didn’t want to wait any longer to share the good news– for the second year in a row, FireBall smashed the previous record and is officially our most successful fundraiser ever. Together, we raised a net income of $173,000 for WaterFire Providence: 100% of these funds will go directly to supporting WaterFire and our work in the community.

We couldn’t have done it without you! We’re incredibly grateful to our sponsors, committee members & chair Ting Barnard, hosts Joe Wilson, Jr. and Kristen Adamo, extraordinary performers, and all of YOU for contributing through ticket sales, sponsorships, and gifts to our Fund-A-Need. Thank you so much for being a part of this magical night.

It was a tremendous event and we were so excited to have you join us. You can see the paparazzi photos from the red carpet in this album– shoutout to our wonderful WaterFire volunteer photographers! And don’t forget to save your videos from the fabulous 360 photobooth by Luke Renchan Entertainment. Keep your eyes peeled for RI Monthly’s FireBall feature in an upcoming edition!

Again, thank you for making this year’s FireBall such a meaningful and memorable event. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our 30th anniversary– cheers to the next 30 years!

FireBall Fundraiser at the WaterFire Arts Center. Photograph by Tom Backman.

Committee Chair

Ting Barnard

Host Committee

Kristen Adamo
Margaret Brassard
Stephen Hourahan
Jonathan Lopes
Peter A. Mello & Andrea LaFazia
Marc A. Streisand

Honorary Committee

Andy M. Andujar
Michelle Carr
Jamie Coelho
Jennifer Curtin
Graze Dugan
Michael and Beth Huber
Chris Marsella
Emily Martineau
Rosanna Ortiz
Christina Rosciti

Thanks to our partners!

Water Sponsors

Barry and Kathleen Hittner
Russell Morin Catering and Events
Ting Barnard

Earth Sponsors

Barbara Sokoloff and Herb Rakatansky
Barry and Elaine Fain

Air Sponsors

Thunder Sponsors

Jennifer Lynch-Kerdock
Rhode Island Monthly

Ice Sponsors

Full Moon Sponsors

Deborah Mero
Liu Wang
Peter A. Mello and Andrea LaFazia
Ruby Shalansky
Sam Budway
Thomas and Antonia Bryson

About the author

Tim Blankenship

Director of Special Projects at WaterFire | + posts by author

Tim Blankenship, newly appointed Director of Special Projects, is a 22-year veteran of WaterFire and a steadfast advocate for the organization’s mission to unite the community through shared artistic experiences. Having worked across multiple departments, including a decade in production and recent years with the creative services team, Tim brings unmatched institutional knowledge to his new role. He will focus on strengthening internal systems and supporting the creation of new visitor experiences at both the downtown installation and the WaterFire Arts Center.