Yesterday was the first ever WaterFire Day at Memorial Park in Providence and WaterFire Providence announced the 2023 WaterFire season! This year it will include seven (7) full lightings and five (5) partial lightings.
The 2023 season started with a pre-season lighting on April 1, 2023, sponsored by the United Way of Rhode Island.
Barnaby Evans, who is the creator and artistic director of WaterFire said, “All of us are looking forward to welcoming the entire community back to the river as well as greeting the many thousands of new visitors who will come to Rhode Island to see WaterFire for their first time this season.”
Some of the popular WaterFire events including The Clear Currents Community Paddling Night and the The Gloria Gemma Foundation’s Flames of Hope Celebration will be back this August and September. And WaterFire will team up with PVDFest, in downtown Providence, and there will be a full lighting on the evening of September 9th.
And the 2023 Season will wrap up with WaterFire's Salute to Veterans on November 4th with a full lighting. Check out the full schedule below!
2023 WaterFire Lighting Schedule
Saturday, June 3
Supported by Rhode Island School of Design
Full Lighting
Sunset ( 8:15 pm ) – Midnight
Sunday, June 18
Supported by The 28th North American Catalysis Society Meeting
Partial Lighting, Waterplace Basin
Sunset ( 8:23 pm ) – Midnight
Saturday, June 24
Supported by Textron Charitable Trust
Full Lighting
Sunset ( 8:24 pm ) – Midnight
Friday, July 14
Supported by Check the Stigma Hockey Classic to benefit Horizon Healthcare Partners
Partial Lighting, Waterplace Basin
Sunset ( 8:19 pm ) – Midnight
Saturday, July 22
Supported by Amica Insurance & Bank of America
Full Lighting
Sunset ( 8:13 pm ) – Midnight
Saturday, August 19
Supported by Cox Business & Cox Media
Clear Currents Fire Community Paddling Night
Full Lighting
Sunset ( 7:40 pm ) – Midnight
Saturday, September 2
Labor Day Weekend
Partial Lighting
Sunset ( 7:17 pm ) – Midnight
Saturday, September 9
Supported by Providence Tourism Council & Fidelity Investments
Full Lighting, PVDFest
Sunset ( 7:05 pm ) – Midnight
Saturday, September 30
Supported by Rhode Island Department of Education, XQ Institute, Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation
Full Lighting
Sunset ( 6:29 pm ) – 11:00 pm
Saturday, November 4
WaterFire’s Salute to Veterans
Full Lighting
Sunset ( 5:36 pm ) – 10:00 pm
Source: WaterFire Providence
Photo: Kristin Lessard