An Evening At Waterfire

One of the most enjoyable things my family does during the summer months is to spend evenings downtown at Waterfire. This free event is a great way to experience the Providence waterfront as it once was - a hub of commerce and community. For those of you who aren't familiar with this event, let me fill you in! Waterfire Providence is a non-profit arts organization that has been around since 1994, when Barnaby Evans created First Fire to commemorate First Night's tenth anniversary. Since that time, Waterfire has evolved to an ongoing event. According to Waterfire's official website, over ten million visitors have enjoyed the Fires to date!  A driving force behind the vision of Waterfire was the desire to revitalize downtown Providence and bring people back into the city. While downtown Providence was historically a bustling community, there were quite a few years when the future of the city looked bleak. Downtown was deserted on the weekends and hardly anyone went there at night, except perhaps to go to an occassional event at the Civic Center (which is now known as the Dunkin Donuts Center).

Thankfully, all that has changed! Anyone who hasn't been to the city in years wouldn't believe the metamorphosis that has taken place. Providence has come back to life, in part, due to the extraordinary creation of Waterfire. Although, my family goes to Waterfire many times throughout the year, it is always an enjoyable, uplifting experience! 

Although, it is fine to arrive at any time during a Waterfire event, we always get there early to see the opening ceremony. When night falls, the beginning of the fire lighting ceremony is marked by the sounding of a gong - then a parade of black boats full of firewood and volunteers all dressed in black, proceed down the river. The volunteers light the firewood installments one at a time, until the length of the river is illuminated. At first, the fires burn brightly, but as the evening progresses they calm down to a soothing smolder - until they are stoked once again. All the while, music is played to set the mood. Most of the musical selections are hypnotic and meditative in tone.  

While at Waterfire, you can have a romantic evening with someone special, or you can just have a fun family night out. If romance is on the agenda, there are gondola rides for two (Venetian style), or rides on larger boats for families to enjoy. Be smart and plan ahead by making reservations in advance if you want to take one of these boat rides, though. In addition, you can make reservations at one of the restaurants with outdoor seating that overlooks the river - with great views of the Fire, or if you prefer more casual dining there are plenty of street vendors that you can buy a meal or a snack from. Food vendors are located on the streets at the bottom of College Hill near Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). So if you get hungry you can easily grab a bite to eat: Middle Eastern food (yummy falafel sandwiches), Indian cuisine, doughboys, pastry from Palmieri's Bakery, or free Coffee Coolata samples from Dunkin Donuts - along with many other food options!

Although Waterfire is a free event, finding parking can be tricky and will cost you about $10 for the evening in the surrounding parking lots. Some people choose to park in the Providence Place Mall parking garage (this is a good option if you don't plan to bring any chairs or a heavy cooler, etc. with you, because lugging a lot of stuff through the garage and across the street could be a hassle). If you do decide to park at the mall, you could get away with spending a lot less for parking, if you limit your stay to a couple of hours.

Once you are down by the river, there are plenty of great spots to sit along the water: city benches and grassy areas. Last night, I noticed a couple of city picnic tables situated near RISD that offered a comfortable way view of the Fire. I imagine you'd have to get there really early to score one of them for the evening, though!

Even when you find the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the Fire, in order to get the most out of the evening, you need to get up and stroll along the river. The sidewalks are crowded with people of all ages and all persuasions. It's great for people watching! Street performers, which include several living statues (who only move to blow a kiss or wink when someone puts a donation in their jar), a mime who makes origami creations, as well as, various musicians add to the free entertainment.   

As for our family, we have our usual spot at Waterfire. We sit in the same place everytime and basically "set up camp" for the evening. We bring a blanket for the kids to sit on, chairs for the adults, some snacks and a cooler. My friend, Donna, usually buys some glow sticks at the Dollar Tree to hand out to our kids. She also has her children bring several of the light-up type of toys that she bought them at the circus. This saves us big time, when the vendor walks buy trying to sell their glow gadgets for $10 each!

July 30 was RI Philharmonics Night. The weather, the music, the food, and the company were exceptional! It was one of those nights when - all seemed well in the world! At the end of the evening, when the kids were stretched out on the blanket together giggling and whispering to one another, with my husband and our two best friends by our sides, I had an overwhelming feeling of being so blessed! Waterfire has given our family the chance to create a wonderful summertime tradition. A great big thank you goes out to all the dedicated volunteers who work so hard to put on this very special event for all to enjoy! Both corporate sponsors and private donations are what make Waterfire possible. If you'd like to learn more about Waterfire Providence or to make a donation to this worthy cause please visit the Waterfire website.