WaterFire

WaterFire in the heart of Providence is pure magic—flickering rivers of fire with over 80 bonfires, ethereal music drifting through the evening air, and shimmering reflections gliding across the water. It's a breathtaking marriage of art, fire, and humans that ignites the city and makes it an unforgettable dreamscape on Saturdays. Be sure to check the event calendar beforehand, and keep in mind that parking will be tough.

It's a great time for everyone, live music, every vendor you can think of, alot of close restaurants and bars, weather you go early and catch the lightning ceremony or just getting there after dusk.

I attended WaterFire on the Fourth of July and had a wonderful experience. The event was thoughtfully organized and offered a memorable alternative to traditional fireworks. Nearly 100 bonfires lined the rivers, creating an atmosphere that felt both peaceful and inspiring. The combination of music, firelight, and the crowd’s energy made the evening feel special. It was easy to walk along the riverwalk and take in different perspectives, and the vendors added a nice touch without feeling overwhelming. I appreciated how the event blended art and community in such a unique way. Highly recommend experiencing WaterFire if you’re in Providence.

Support your local art scene!! A long standing institution in Providence, it's a great event to enjoy community, vendors, drinks, and just be in the moment and appreciate the city in a unique way. It's such a cool thing that has been happening for 30 years. Unfortunately, the full lighting on 5/31/25 was not super crowded and the coffers were looking low. Granted, it was a cold night - but with everything going on in the world, it's worth coming together as a community and not forgetting tradition and togetherness.

My second time that I have been lucky enough to time my visit to the area on a weekend that this event is happening. Very well organized and although a few viewing areas get a little crowded you can easily move along and find seating area with more space. Awesome to see everyone coming out to enjoy Water Fire together in the spirit of enjoyment.

We attended the show November 1st, the music and atmosphere was great! Close to the mall as well!

What an absolutely terrific event to bring the community together. The atmosphere was incredible and everyone was having a great time.

The atmosphere was fun and the fires themselves along with the ceremony was really good. It would have been nice to know what the music and the celebration was actually about instead of just watching it and hearing the music that we did not know the correlation of what was going on. As suspected, the food in restaurants were highly priced. Definitely didn't make a profit on that special occasion but all in all it was a decent evening.

It's been a minute since I visited Waterfire and it is still as popular as ever. Come into the city early to get a prime parking spot for you vehicle and for you around the Basin where the lighting begins. When the sun sets the boats begin to make their way up river to the basin. A fire performer stands in the keel doing their thing. A perfect compliment to the fire element of the evening. The night we visited kayaks followed the boats and continued on around the basin and river for part of the evening adding to the energy of the event. Music is piped in. Each event has a different playlist. Volunteers keep those fires roaring all night. Art and food vendor tents are set up along the lower river area near RISD. Public restrooms are available in the auditorium there. You may also see a living statue or two in this area. Give them a dollar to see them move. They are very good. Volunteers help keep guests safe as they cross streets in this area. Water, fire, music, art, food, community.

Last night, the Waterfire theme was Clear Currents. A yearly event that brings kayak enthusiasts to the river and basin with brightly lit paper fish figures. One of the Chinese dragon boats from the Pawtucket Dragon Races made an appearance as well. The event was very well attended, with many areas of the Riverwalk at capacity during peak times. Foot traffic jams made it difficult to navigate freely around the basin area. Lots of vendors and food trucks located around the RISD campus gave the event an even more festive flair. A great way to bring downtown Providence alive !

A MUST for everyone. The vibe is unity. The music is magical. Arts, crafts and food. The fire on the river is mesmerizing. So much to see. Great night for the whole family.

The WaterFire is an event that takes place in Providence, RI. There are bonfires lit on three rivers and approximately a million visitors per year. The first waterfire was lit in 1994 and it was the work of a sculpture artist, Barnaby Evans. The amount of braziers expanded throughout the years; eventually there were 100 bonfires. The waterfire season starts in April to November, annually. Since I grew up in RI, I remember going to this event almost yearly. It's a fun event seeing the fires, the workers adding wood to the braziers from the boats, and the whole atmosphere. It's a unique and fun RI tradition. The best part is that, it's free and open to the public. It's unique, I've never seen another event like this. When you're walking through downtown PVD during the waterfire, take in all of your senses; the sights, sounds, smells, and touch. It's such a lovely time and everyone should experience it.

REALLY neat event, that you have to go to AT LEAST once!! Every month of May through November, (check the online calendar for specific dates), the 3 rivers in downtown Providence are lit up by over 80 bonfires. Volunteers will move around in gondolas on the river, and light the piles of wood right at sunset. You can walk around Waterplace Park, and watch all the flickering fires on the water, as well as the lit up bridges. You will hear unique music playing on speakers all around you, and you'll see lots of vendors and food scattered throughout. Some weekends they do art exhibits, live music, etc. Highly suggest going to one of the restaurants in the area, that are on the river, and watching part of it while you eat dinner! Really cool and memorable experience, I would definitely go again!

Really cool experience in Providence. I recommend walking around the area before the lighting to check out the vendors and food, then settling in as they light the fires before walking along the river to see it from different angles and in different locations. An amazing way to spend a Saturday night so if you're looking to visit Providence, I recommend planning around Waterfire to experience it.

This is my third trip to Providence for WaterFire. I was here in August 2013 & September 2016, both times were memorable. WaterFire started in 1994 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of First Night Providence, and has become a free public art installation. WaterFire is held May through November, with lightings on Saturday evenings once or twice each month. It starts at sunset and ends at midnight. There are food, vendors, craftsman, and all kinds of WaterFire swag for sale. On WaterFire evenings, downtown Providence is transformed by 81 burning braziers, each burning about 33 wood logs. Volunteers in gondolas stoke each fire. They burn just above the surface of the rivers that flow through the middle of downtown Providence. This year there was an arts festival, a food fair, live music, Cirque de Light, fire performers ....

What can I say? This is our 2rd time at Waterfire and it is always a wow and then some. It's a bonfire on the river set to music. The fire from the wood gives off a great aroma. It is a happening in Providence! They have a live band near the basin and the start of Waterfire with the boats in the river is a sight to behold. Romantic and a great night out. It's free and donations are always welcomed. Can't wait to do it again. Next year? Possibly.

My friends and I took the commuter rail from South Station to Providence to catch the WaterFire show on a Saturday night in August. Overall, we were very impressed by the scale of the event! There was plenty of staff and security, so it felt like a safe event. The surrounding area was very lively, with food stalls and plenty of vendors on the nearby blocks. The vibes were awesome and there were crowds of people all around. As for the actual show, there were lots of kayaks and gondolas going down the water. The kayakers navigated around fire pits stationed along the river. It was really cool walking along the promenade to see different views of the spectacle. I'm not sure I'd go back, but it was definitely one of those things that I'm happy I got to see once.

Absolutely amazing experience. Beautiful music, mesmerizing water fire. Love the vibe for this experience. A variety of food trucks, bar on the street corner, vendors and activities galore. We were there 3 hours and didn't get to half of it.

WaterFires are a highlight to the summer in Providence. Such a cool and unique art installation. Worth a visit.

One of a kind event. Somewhat limited vendors but overall a good time for young and old. Great night time activity for date nights or family nights.

It was my first time here with mixed reviews from my friends. However, this was something I really wanted to do and I feel it was mazing display of the waterfire and the activities that were planned. I strolled through during the day and night after the fire was lit, both of the walks felt relaxing and and fulfilling. The crowd was amazing and the week I attended the waterfire included honoring the beast cancer survivors. There is limited seating so get there early and it's right next to the mall so you can get a paid parking within walkable distance. Lot of great restaurants to eat nearby with food trucks the days of waterfire.

Waterfire is FUN! We drove in from Boston and made a day of it: walking around the downtown historic area, going to RISD museum, eating a great Italian restaurant (Rosalina's) and ended our day at Waterfire. It's a bit crowded, but we had great seats and a friendly neighbor who explained what was going to happen and when. The crowd was friendly and the evening was great!

Oh Waterfire, It just never gets old. I absolutely love going down to Waterfire. It is a great reason to walk around the city, hang with friends and we always make a night out of it. Waterfire - Dinner - then cocktails. This was my first time attending the Salute to Veterans Waterfire and I was thoroughly impressed. The lighting ceremony was incredible. They had bag pipers piping, veterans carrying flaming torches down to the basin area, professional flame spinners on the front of boats, a HUGE american flag was displayed between the ladders of two fire trucks high up in the sky, they played the star spangled banner as everyone watched on. It was absolutely incredible. I love seeing all the restaurants packed with customers and the streets lined with people. The city certainly felt alive that night. I see that some people have said... "How many times can you watch wood burn?" and my answer to that is A MILLION TIMES! It's so relaxing, listening to the crackling of the wood, the intoxicating aroma of the fires burning and the comforting heat that comes off the flames. How can you not love this? If you have been a dozen times and have yet to attend the Salute to Veterans one, DO IT. Get down there before it starts and enjoy the lighting ceremony.

Water + Fire = Nothing...that's what you and everybody else thinks, unless you've visited Providence, Rhode Island. If so, you know the two go together better than spaghetti and meatballs. Don't know what I'm talking about? By the end of this review you'll be dying to experience this for yourselves. Welcome to Watefire. Now this combo didn't always jive as it's only been around since the 90s, but once that fire started burning, it hasn't ended and has only grown in size and festivities. I mean, why not light up the rivers that run through the middle of your city several times a year and bring in thousands of folks from around the world to see it? That's just what Waterfire is, a lighting of braziers all along the waterways and into Waterplace Park creating a circular ring of fire. With it comes worldly music that plays throughout the area for hours as boats travel along keeping the fires burning. It creates an artistic, cultural, Nordic, exciting, (free) and truly different vibe then one you've ever encountered. Honestly, you might not really "get it" from these words or even the pictures, but when you're there and you feel the heat and see the beauty of the flames running along the city with that music setting the mood, it's a sensory experience you won't soon forget. But the fiery water isn't the only thing taking place. Beyond the lighting you'll find streets closed off and filled with food, drinks, vendors, performers (statues!), and plenty of fun. When we went, they also had the Starry Night exhibit which turned several trees into a sky of light-up stars that added to the awesomeness of the evening. Overall, Waterfire is unlike anything you've experienced before. A bonfire on the beach is great and sitting around a campfire in the woods can be nice, but it pales in comparison to Waterfire. It's such a unique and enjoyable evening that I would repeat it multiple times in a given summer if I could. Well, you can (if you have the time) because Waterfire goes on for several weekends over the course of the warmer months and into the fall. So what are you waiting for? There's still time to experience a combination you never thought you'd see, and by the end of it, you'll always want to. Waterfire for life!

Cool to watch but to be honest, it can get boring after a while. One of Providence's most well-known things to do.

First, some background. Providence used to have the dubious distinction of having "the worlds widest bridge". What does that mean? It means the ProvidenceRiver and it's tributaries, in the name of progress, were completely covered over with concrete and pavement. The area was ugly, and the traffic notoriously dangerous. One such traffic interchange was know locally as Suicide Circle. Back in the last century, Providence had a mayor. Like the mayor of DC, he was often known as The Mayor for Life. He was as popular as he was crooked, and, despite two separate felony convictions, kept getting re-elected. This mayor loved his city, though, and he had a vision for it. Somehow, someway, he managed to acquire the funds to reroute the railroad and the interstate. Likewise, the worlds widest bridge was removed, once again allowing the rivers to see the light of day, making a very pleasing civic space between downtown and the historic side of town. Where does Waterfire come into this? Waterfire is a series of large steel baskets, set up on poles, in the middle of the restored river. Periodically, at dusk, bonfires are built in the baskets, and this civic space fills with people; LOTS of people. This feels centuries away from the Providence of my youth, when the city rolled up the sidewalks at 5:00, and even going to the train station or the Civic Center was an iffy proposition. Here's to you, Buddy. You may have been a crook, but you also did a lot of good for your city.

"Something unique which you won't find everywhere" - First of all, you have to find schedule at their website As this is not you can find every weekend. Been there twice. Each outing has diff types of event which you can find at their website. Music, fireworks and much more At main Audi, prefer to go 30 mins before to claim your seats. If you are with your spouse/GF then this is what you are looking for. You can also book a reservation at hotels/ restaurants nearby. Take your DSLR to capture those beautiful fires on water. You can also take a boat ride in $20 bucks. Parking- you can park at the nearby mall or there is event parking for 10 bucks. Not a big deal and if you reach there after 10 then it's all free. Parking attendants are not there after 10. Google for pics. It's awesome.

This was a very good time There was a festival with food and craft vendors. The fire on the water was very interesting, and the music was also very good.

This is a beautiful way to foster community gathering...nothing celebrates summer (or early fall) nights quite like this. The event itself is nothing but lighting of the bonfire( over 80+)...once the caldrons are lit it's just a party atmosphere. Music, food trucks,gondola rides....Various artists perform in the gallery before the main event ..thats where we were sat, people gather all around over the bridges and along the river, there is no one "best" viewing spot. See the schedule for time and dates after the event we walked all the way to memorial park to see the "starry starry nights" illumination... which was beautiful. Parking can be tricky as 100s flock..It's seems like a quite popular from the looks of the the crowd gathered. There are many parking lots around the area, there is also mall parking.

Second time in Providence. What can I say.... If you've never been, I suggest planning your arrival around a Water Fire. It had more going on than I thought it would and the vendors and art were a pleasant surprise. The crowds weren't horrendous and we parked about a 15 minute walk away. Which sounds far... ...if you're one of thoooose people.

It was wonderful to attend the WaterFire Providence event and be in town to watch it. The organizers do a great job of doing this and we enjoyed the ambience and seeing the fires being lighted. It's also nice and moving that it raises money for different causes each year. This time it was for Hepatitis C.

Water Fire in Providence is one of those things that you have to experience at least one time for yourself especially if you're a RI'er. I've been a couple of times and figured my son who's nearly 4 was finally old enough to check it out. We went this past Saturday and it was sooo packed. So if you're not a fan of crowds- you can definitely still go but you'd probably want to remain on the side toward the city as that side had nearly nobody looking on but the adjacent side was crazy! Granted it was "Big Bang Science Fair Night" so that could be why it was so busy. Parking is a little crazy too. I'm sure you COULD find a parking spot downtown but instead of searching for hours- I parked in the lot across from Capriccio's for $15. It saved me a lot of time and energy. I also recommend women wear sneakers or flat shoes as their are cobblestones and large stairs. The activities and vendors were plentiful but this is where the crowds were so thick I could barely walk through. I'm talking like busy days at Disney world! That's how many people were there. It was so congested and crowds don't usually bother me- but I was extremely claustrophobic here! I stepped away to try and find a port-a-potty or restroom and ended up getting stuck in these crowds for like 20 minutes and it was extremely difficult to walk through. So if you don't like crowds don't walk in this area! They had some awesome little activities for kids that were science related- me and my son did a bunch of them! They had a sand table and a bunch of science glow stick mazes that my son get a kick out of. They also had a bunch of stuff geared toward older aged kids as well such as an animation station- that showed how drawings came to life. So I really liked that there were educational activities here. The RI museum of Science probably had the best setups for toddler aged kids! They also had some food vendors and alcohol vendors as well as Del's. But there weren't many good food or snack options- they should also incorporate the food truck community or something. Because the lines for the alcohol and the snacks were crazy long. But overall Water Fire is pretty cool and it's free so you literally don't have to spend any money to come here- which is amazing & it's great to just sit and watch the fire. My one complaint is the music they play. It is weird. Even my son commented on the weird music. It's somewhat dark and depressing. I get what their going for but I know the majority would prefer something more positive and upbeat & I feel it would represent Water Fire much better! The music actually hurt my ears at some points... I definitely would be back

WaterFire is an experience that one could enjoy with anyone. They light a bunch of logs on fire, put it in the designated spots on the water, and have music playing. That's about it. Now, for everything else that's happening, they have a lot of shops/little eating stops along the street. But keep in mind, it's extremely expensive. We did the Jamaican stop to get one of those pineapple drinks and it was $16. What a scam! It just tasted like they blended pineapple and water! Gross and unsanitary at that. They have shows of two people twirling around fire on boats and at designated stations so that's something to watch. Keep in mind it's hot near the water because of the fire so I don't suggest wearing a hoodie or anything heavy. Parking is non-existent. I suggest going to a neighborhood and parking and walking there or Uber in. But overall, something to do in Providence!

What a disappointment. We were traveling through and saw them setting up and waited around for a couple hours. If we would have known that they were just going to light up wood in the water we would have just walked around and enjoyed the site and atmosphere. but to sell it as a show was a huge overstatement. They need to drop the music and just light the waterways and it will be perfect but to build up and watch a bunch of boats to circles was not a thing to call we watched for an hour hoping it would be more than just boats doing circles. What is everybody watching? I would like to thank bubble Man who blew big bubbles into the crowd. It kept my daughter and all the other kids entertained. Get some food trucks down there and people will walk around.

It has to be said. Providence kicks Hartford's ass. WaterFire proves it beyond a shadow of any doubt. Waterfire sees tens of thousands of people mass into a vibrant 20-square block area downtown. There is music, street performers, food vendors craft vendors, and a festive sense of celebration. It is nothing short of amazing. We noticed the crowds really starting to mass around 5:00. We walked around and grabbed a few seats to a live performance by "The Sultans of Sax", a 7-person sax band. At around 8:20, the WaterFire music program started, a blend of New Age and Tribal music seems to describe it best. The downtown waterways that snake around the area have hundreds of floating piles of wood that are eventually lit by a boatful of folks. I did think there was a bit too much time between the 8:20 music and the eventual torch lighting some 45 minutes later. I did like the choice of music when the torches where we were standing got light - a sweet reggae song, "Rivers of Babylon" by the Melodians. We really enjoyed the festive crowd, and were particularly taken by a guy who drew a cityscape on the sidewalk using an Altoids. No lie, I posted a picture! WTG Providence, you showed me how cool of a city you really are.

This is one review that could never do justice to the actual event. I've gone to it twice and am just mesmerized by it's beauty. The more simple description is that there are three rivers that run through the area and spread out over the water are over 80 floating, but tethered cauldrons filled with logs that stay lit through the entire evening while thematic music is played the entire time. It's such sight to behold! Guaranteed that you've never experienced anything like it. You really need to go early for the best parking and to get a good seat to observe the lighting ceremony. Trust me, there will be tons of people. That opening ceremony involves vessels of people going very slowly and in the front of the two boats are people who are swinging orbs around them which eventually get lit. Beginning as the sunsets, each pit is then lit along the rivers. It's a very moving experience! Just to see the fires reflecting and contrasting with the water is spectacular! The music is very unique and is different each time based on whatever theme is chosen. Throughout the night, small boats come along with people dressed in dark clothing to add more logs to keep the fires burning. They are meant to be as unobtrusive as possible so you might only see the silhouettes. Of course, there are vendors so that you can walk around and buy things, too. These events happen several times a year and the money is donated to different causes. Because WaterFire is free to spectators, they probably raise money from the vendors. I tried to take videos and photos, but nothing can match being there. Simply breathtaking!

When I first moved to Providence, I never really understood the hype surrounding WaterFire. But the longer I've lived here, the more and more I've come to realize what an amazing display of community, artistry, and friendship this celebration is. This isn't so much a spectacle (although there's plenty to see), but a time to connect with your friends and neighbors while being warmed by roaring fires on the river and surrounded by people interested in unity. This is a special experience.

What's not to love about this FREE event that is a beautiful immersion into the Providence downtown? My SO and I missed this event 2 times over the summer due to weird circumstances that I can't even remember so I would definitely recommend checking their website for the new year's schedule. This non-profit arts organization partners with sponsors to bring the Providence community a magical night illuminated by the braziers along the entire waterway. They even have a special night in October for Relay for Life and one in November to celebrate all Veterans' service. As expected this event draws hundreds of tourists so I would suggest planning ahead to figure out parking as there's road closures for all the vendors to set up and of course dreaded traffic. My friends and I also managed to check out RISD beforehand so we arrived earlier in the day and secured a parking spot to avoid some of the parking craziness when the event started. We also got dinner at a local restaurant so we were able to just walk down to the WaterFire booths and begin the tour. All of the vendors are local businesses and they display their wonderful artistic crafts. One of my friends was especially fascinated by the live glass blowing and asked about the mushroom necklace. He offered to show us live immediately and of course several other people gathered since watching glass blowing is quite memorizing. We then stopped by one of the Italian bakery booths that I'm kicking myself for not remembering the name, but my goodness the Tiramisu and Eclair we purchased was simply heavenly! Soon after a huge line formed around the booth so they must have known we were onto something good. For activities they also offer gondola/boat rides at one of the docks. I have no idea how exorbitant the prices are, but they looked quite fun! In order to keep the fires burning they also have several crew members on boats restocking the wood in the braziers. They also provide a map and program at the WaterFire main booths as well as memorabilia items for purchase where the money will go towards the arts and future WaterFire programs. How could I almost forget the best part?! I was initially snubbed for a carnation from one of the guy's on the gondoliers handing them out in the first round, the second time I was on one of the bridges, he threw it up and I caught it!! I dragged that thing around with me the rest of the night and loved it! It also stayed in my car for another week or two since I didn't know where to put it. I had a surprisingly lovely time and look forward to coming back for 2017!

In a quaint little metropolis holding down Brown University and the infamous RISD, WaterFire reflected the rich art that is deeply ingrained in the culture of PVD. We ventured down Memorial Blvd after visiting the state/federal RI buildings up the path (which were also stunning btw). 1/4 mile walk following the crowd and you will find yourself in a local park, be sure to grab yourselves a seat while you can, or you will be boo-ed for blocking the view for this fantastic show. The event starts with the Japanese drummers, and as the sunsets, the torches are lit and the "water fire" or what I call mini water bonfires are ignited, creating a beautiful reflection in the water. They have various events throughout the day leading up to this event at night, which are worth a quick glance, but nothing more. Definitely see the Waterfire festival for yourself if you're in the area. Was this 4 hour treck up to PVD worth it from NYC? I say yes.

Hit or miss experience. The first time we went, it was great. The lighting, the music and everything else was very good except for a minor fire accident at the parking lot in the mall. The second time we went, the theme and music weren't great. I know they change the arrangements throughout the season, I guess we just picked the wrong theme. Good show otherwise, would recommend it to anyone visiting or living in Providence. Its mostly on the weekends in the summer and you can look it up on the website before making your way over. Interesting history as well and is supposed to represent the revival of Providence as a city similar to a Phoenix.

Change my mind...It seems as though some New England residents can't handle reading the truth from the original 3 stars. The uncalled for impertinence has lead to the lower stars.

Closing streets to host any event is bad for business and scares customers away except for residents who live nearby. In the wake of COVID, this event should be paused for another couple of years so restaurants and other businesses can recover. I recommend leaving all streets open to traffic and investing in crowd control.

The Providence Rhode Island water fires occur several times from late May until into October every year. They are musical festivals with cauldrons of wood that burn in a floating stand in the river. The event usually starts well before sunset with live actors musicians tables of different vendors and interesting information. The festival's include lots of great food vendors with different ethnic foods coupled with the Rhode Island School of design and help from Brown University which is right across the street from the waterfire event. There is ample parking so that you can park and then stroll along the river and enjoy the music that accompanies the water fire. Each water fire has a different theme and usually the music has the same thing. So for instance this year inJuly there was a water fire that was on the same night as the 50th anniversary of the moon landing so all of the music something to do with the Stars the space and the Moon. I would encourage anyone who wants to attend these events to go ahead and visit them. They are free to the public so the only expense would be parking your food and refreshments but it's definitely a unique and fun event to visit if you're in the Providence Rhode Island area during the summer.

If WaterFire is going on while you're visiting Providence, you need to go and experience it! As an outsider to Providence, it was a really cool and memorable experience. Here's what to expect: - Dozens of fires on the water throughout the canals. - Eclectic ambiance that adds an old-worldly European ambiance along the fires. - A beautiful show of a variety of floating LED lights in the water; definitely adds to the atmosphere. WaterFire reminded me of the San Antonio RiverWalk, but at night and more as an artistic transformation during the event. There are plenty of booths and stalls throughout the event with vendors who do fire demonstrations to selling trinkets/food and more. Parking will be challenging so consider taking an Uber/Lyft or using some form of public transport.

This is definitely an event to attend if you get a chance. It was so cool to see all these people come together watch the full lighting. The lighting itself happens in the river and a little boat comes by and people like each bonfire one by one I thought that was pretty cool. Not sure if this happens all the time but they had a few events and festivals days leading up to the event itself. Even got a free Rhode Island T-shirt

This is a really cool way to spend an evening in Providence. During certain Saturdays throughout the year, Waterfire has a celebration which may include food trucks, live music, live entertainment, craft vendors and of course the lighting of the braziers in the river. The lighting itself is a spectacle. We have watched it from the basin twice. What is the basin? It is a large circular area at the beginning of the river walk. There is plenty of space to sit or stand and watch as the boats travel the circle lighting the braziers. We got beers and kettle corn and checked out some of the vendors. We saw living statues and got photos with living gargoyles. We tried some science fair booths and watched a man fold origami animals. There is a large amount of people but not so many that it feels crowded. There is plenty of inexpensive parking at the nearby Providence mall. Food and beers were inexpensive. Check out the schedule and plan an evening by the fires of Waterfire.

A wonderful way to spend your Saturday in providence ! It was very beautiful! There was a great deal of people there all along the water and above, but everyone was having a good time.

I absolutely love Waterfire! Ive been going for years, and it just keeps getting better. I went this past Saturday and it was a great time. Obviously the fire on the water is the main attraction, but there is so much more. Different restaurants and food vendors set up. There are crafts along with unique local artist displaying there work. I think my favorite part are all of the beautiful blue, lit stars hanging from the trees. Also for $5 you can write a dedication and receive a candle to go with it. Really cool idea, everything looks so awesome lit up. The vibe is always the same, peaceful and tranquil. Im always amazed at the amount of people there are, yet everyone is on the same page and just goes with the flow. If you haven't been yet, GO! You we be pleasantly happy with your decision! -plenty of room to roam no matter the amount of people - always at least 2 spots to get beer and wine -restrooms available -great food and restaurants around -clam vibe -you can bring chairs or blankets -it's FREE!

It's like the slow food movement of entertainment. And really, if that's not your thing, I'd rather you just didn't come. One, there are already too many people there. Two, you would probably be one of those who would just be loud and obnoxious. Now, I say that as someone who used to be loud and obnoxious in inappropriate settings. So I know. But, I can't really complain. I remember once being at a beach on a winter night, surrounded by stars, and deep pounding sounds of the dark endless ocean. The brisk wind heightened my senses, and I was just drinking in as much as I could. Meanwhile, my compatriots were talking about going to some kind of casino, and not seeing any of the beauty around them. One of them broke from the group. I thought, to stand by the edge of the water and gaze out into the sea. I was so pleased, until I went a little closer and realized he was taking a piss. I think that sums it up. Don't piss on Water Fire. You are lucky to have it. And I suggest going on nights when it's a little damp or threatening... it really thins out the crowds.

Ever since I went to school in providence and found out about water fire I fell in Love there is nothing like this anywhere on the east coast and when they have full lightings it's fun for the whole family. Where else can you see water with wood burning fires over the canals with gondola boats cruising up and down the river like you're in Italy? They also have fire spinners and a lot more If you've never been to this you need to free up a weekend and come down and check this out!

45 minutes south of Boston and you will feel like you traveled a lot farther. WaterFire is a must see this summer. Spend the day and take in Federal Hill First. Parking is tough so if coming from Boston I would take the commuter rail. You can park in Canton Junction for $4.00 and the ride to Providence is about the same per person. Providence Place is also a great take with parking but it can take a while to get out on the nights WaterFire is going on.

If you are in the area in the summer this is certainly worth a stop. Parking can get a little tricky so try to get there about 2 hours before sunset and park on hope or benefit street as you approach from the south east. Make sure you have a reservation at one of the restaurants on the river or do Al Forno or Hemenways and then walk down after dinner. Enjoy the fires and the music. In our experience gondola rides must be reserved in advance as well as the other boat rides. Plan ahead and you will have a great time.

Its a really popular and beautiful event that I believe warrants a visit at least. During the summer in Providence every other Saturday night they light up the bonfires in the middle of the river since 1994. I suppose being the 20th anniversary this year would make the place even more crowded. I think the crowds have definitely gotten to max capacities in my opinion. Its very beautiful but at the same time hard to just sit and enjoy the fire when there's a lot of foot traffic. It was so crowded that I thought might be worth it to shell out the money for the gondola or ferry ride around the rivers to avoid the crowds. But its free and its supported by donations and sponsorship so I can't really complain. I love the fact they have an online schedule of all the music they play throughout the night and that there are many art performers and art craftsman stalls. Also we were lucky enough to see the fire performers performing on the boats that was definitely one of the highlights of the event. Its a pretty long wait from dusk to the light actually being lit and the crowds does gather up very quickly. We were there at 7:30 for the 8 lighting and that was already too late to get a decent seat. Even though it says lightening at 8 doesn't really start for another 45 min after dusk. So my experience had been bit diminished mainly because of the crowds and the wait. Most likely gotten very popular over the years where I would think a lot in attendance were out of towners like me. So my suggestion is to either get there super early like around 5-6 like I've seen some reviews and just pick a good spot like you would do for 4th of July fireworks or just skip the lighting ceremony and just come bit later past 10 as the they keep the fires burning until midnight every night. We stayed until about 10 that night and it was still very crowded where people were walking shoulder to shoulder. But I do recommend a visit though just need some mental preparation. Hopefully with enough preparation you can have a much better experience than I did :)

Allow me to speak to the out-of-towners as I have been one until now: My First Waterfier! I can be considered a true Rhode Islander and you can too. It's just water with floating pits of fire, but it is beyond beautiful with this small but glittery city as a precious backdrop. Music sets the scene and the night is made complete with an outdoor bar, food stands including Mamma Kim's BBQ, and every kind of painted street performer you can imagine posing with you for a donation. The cost is free, making it a cheap date night. Just two words of advice: 1) drive your smallest car for ease of parking should you choose to go street, and 2) have a dinner plan. We did Red Fez, per uge - so scrummy.

WaterFire is a cool and interesting event for sure. Apparently it is a nationally renowned festival however I hadn't heard of it before until I started doing research for my trip to Rhode Island. Basically WaterFire is all about taking in your sorroundings and atmosphere as opposed to full blown nonstop live entertainment. Don't get me wrong there is some entertainment like a guy juggling fire, a pirate that rides by on his ship, and some bands and dancers and stuff. But once the fires along the rivers downtown are fully lit the commotion subsides and more classical type music begins playing that leads to a much more relaxed and laid back atmosphere almost serene. WaterFire is cool because its different honestly. Theres something that is just really cool about all of the fires lit up along the city rivers. With that said I definitely recommend getting here several hours before the event and walking around the area just to avoid parking and traffic issues. Traffic downtown leaving the event was expectedly terrible.

I loved the music at this event and the ambience. The light show from gondolas and the fire pits were beautiful and the staff did a great job entertaining the crowds. It's not an all day event, but a good 1-2 hour event to visit.

This was a first time for me. Though I only live in the Bristol area I have never been to waterfire. We!! Shame on me! My family was visiting from KY we looked up some things to do whole here. Waterfire was at the top of our list. It was a amazing experience. We arrived early to get a bite to eat. There's venders everywhere from local artist to speciality eatery a . We enjoyed ice cream for the kids from The Ice Cream barn , kettle corn , pizza, lobster rolls. After all that we strolled along and then saw RON's gourmet pastry 's !!! Once it was dark enough the lighting started on the river. Even on the murky waters it was truly beautiful. The boats float along with people enjoying the lighting. The starry night display where you can donate to keep the fires burning and make a wish or write a note to a loved one that passed . It is a great tribute . The stars are beautiful to walk through. There is street entertainment from locals. Statues that move when given a dollar. It was a amazing time!! Can't wait to read other reviews.:))