WaterFire — The Element of Surprise

It’s difficult for any local to imagine someone not knowing about WaterFire. But it’s not common knowledge to everyone. I mentioned it to some friends from as nearby as New York, and they’d never heard of WaterFire – even the word suddenly seemed strange. We forget the unusualness of it – my New Yorkers’ immediate concern was, “What about earth and wind?” Ask creator Barnaby Evans, and he’ll make a strong case for all four elements – wind in the outdoor air, the carefully selected music wafting through it, and the smell of the burning wood; and earth as the footing for the tens of thousands of participants, and the substance that encompasses and channels the water. Perhaps the name WaterFireAirEarth was just a bit too unwieldy.

You don’t need to prep to enjoy WaterFire. The spectacle lends itself to casual, unplanned visitation. Even just dropping by, you’ll discover things you couldn’t have expected – I’ve seen everything from jugglers to rock-climbing walls just randomly appear on a WaterFire street corner. Vendors of all sorts line the walkway, random passersby offer you roses or pretzels, and apparent statues and gargoyles come unexpectedly to life. You may also find fire dancers, bands, wedding processions and other oddities.

If you do want to plan, check out WaterFire.org – the site isn’t just a schedule of when the next one is (and a chance to recognize the non-profit’s much-needed sponsors), it also details themes and whether there are musical events tied in, including the ballroom and swing dancing that sometimes happen in front of the Turk’s Head building. To find other events that are partnering with WaterFire to help you make a day of it – with activities before the lighting or near the event (like other Gaspee Day events) – visit the Ignite project at igniteprovidence.com.

If you really want to ramp it up, book a romantic gondola ride (gondolari.com) or a tour down the river with Captain Tom of the Providence River Boat Company (providenceriverboat.com) – or get on the waiting list to volunteer. Yes, there’s a waiting list to volunteer, but the experience will give you an added appreciation of what goes into the event. And if you’re a lighting volunteer, you’ll get to indulge your inner pyromaniac and have a zen-like riverboat experience as you feed the floating braziers.

If you have visitors from out of town, this is one of the ways to give them something Rhode Island flavored that they’ll remember for a very long time. You can get a copy of the documentary film that was made about WaterFire a few years ago, and you’ll be able to answer all their annoying-out-of-towner questions, like, “Why does this happen?” and “Did Roger Williams set the first WaterFire?” (no, he did not). The documentary is also available through the WaterFire website – deeply hidden, in true RI fashion. Click on “Shop,” then “Books & DVDs” to find it.

Special WaterFires this season include one that’s sure to go all out in conjunction with the City of Providence’s brand-new arts and entertainment festival, the Providence International Arts Festival on June 13 (See story on page XX), which is also part of a Gaspee Day celebration. There will also be a partial lighting in August in conjunction with Necronomicon, the once-every-two-years celebration of HP Lovecraft and his abiding influence on the horror genre. That one will feature arcane chants and creatures, a procession of Big Nazo creatures, and perhaps – if the stars align – an appearance from Cthulhu himself. In September (not, technically, summer anymore) there will be a Chinese-themed lighting celebrating Chinese culture and educators, sponsored by Bryant University’s Confucius Institute.

Here are the summer dates that we know of at press time:

Sat, Jun 13

Tues, Jul 14 – Basin Lighting only

Sat, Jul 18

Sat, Aug 1

Sat, Aug 15

Sat, Aug 29

Sat, Sep 12

Sat, Sep 26