Tonight’s lighting
is brought to you by
Fidelity Investments &
Commonwealth Ventures LLC
with special thanks to our
season sponsor
Citadel Broadcasting;
WPRO NewsTalk 630
WaterFire Providence is presented on the three rivers in downtown Providence and will be lit shortly after sunset at 7:44 pm and remains lit until 12:30 pm.
Weather Update (8/16/08 - 5:00 pm):
WaterFire is going ahead as planned. The weather looks great for tonight. The passing thunder storms seem to be passing north of us, probably for the whole day. A slight possiblity of a second storm line around 7:00, but unlikely and short lived. From sunset on we are expecting that the evening will be wonderful with a full moon.
The Ribbons of Light Program:
WaterFire volunteers will be giving out gifts of glowing blue Ribbons of Light in exchange for donations to support WaterFire. WaterFire is an independent non-profit and your contribution is what Keeps the Fires Burning. The volunteers are located along the river at stations marked by illuminated blue columns. Please make a donation to support WaterFire and keep the fires burning. Donations of $3, $5, $10 or more are much appreciated and allow us to keep offering this event for free. All proceeds go to support WaterFire. By wearing a glowing blue necklace you will become a part of the artwork and create a river of soft blue light flowing alongside the riverbanks.
Thank you for coming to WaterFire and thank you for your support!
The 6th annual distribution of the 7000 Fidelity 2008 Origami Cranes:
All along the river over 7000 hand-folded origami cranes will be distiributed by Fidelity volunteers as a gift to the community. Each year they feature a different color and design and are avidly collected by thousands. Come be surprised by this year’s design.
In addition our annual offering of a special collectable porcelain origami crane will be on sale (in a special gift package) for $10 at the WaterFire Sales table in front of the RISD Auditorium (between Washington and College Street along the river). The proceeds all support WaterFire.
There is also the Fidelity Origami Crane Folding Tent at the intersection of College Street and South Main Street where everyone of all ages is invited to learn this ancient artform. Volunteers from Fidelity Investments, WaterFire and the Institutie for the Study and Practice of Nonviolnce will be on hand to teach you all you need to know. The tent is free to all and is open from 7:00 to 10:00 pm.
The Sovereign Plaza Ballroom with our annual Salsa Festival features The Salsa Night Band, starring Javier Arroyo
The eighth year of our astounding Salsa festival organized by Jeanne Oki and WaterFire features The Salsa Night Band, lead by Javier Arroyo. Mr. Arroyo grew up in Puerto Rico and developed his musical roots with the help of his father and uncles. The Salsa Night Band debuted at the Puerto Rican Festival in 2002 in Boston. With 12 of the best musicians in the Northeast, Salsa Night has the elements to become one of the best salsa bands in the region!
7:00 pm - Salsa lessons
You won’t want to miss this opportunity as the evening starts off with Salsa dance lessons by the wonderful Master of Ceremony Tony Felix paired with the legendary Jeanne Oki.
7:50 - 8:00 pm - Salsa Demonstration by Carlos and Sydonee
8:00 pm - Our annual special salute to the scholarship winners presented by the Latino Dollars for Scholars; Presentations made by Mayor David Cicciline, Victor Cappelan. and Barnaby Evans. Please join us in congratulating a wonderful group of inspiring young people.
8:15 - 8:30 pm - Salsa starts with DJ Tony Felix
8:30 - 9:30 pm - Dancing with the Salsa Night Band - first set
The Salsa Night Band takes the stage. Be sure to make their beats a part of your WaterFire experience. The Sovereign Plaza Ballroom is presented each year for free courtesy of the generous support of Sovereign Bank.
9:40-10:00 - Salsa dancing to the DJ artistry of Tony Felix
10:00 pm - The Salsa Showtime featuring spectacular interpretations of Salsa by:
The Latin Rhythm Dancers
Salsa Con Clave Ensemble
Hacha Y Machete Dancers
10:20 to midnight: The Salsa Night Band continues for your dancing pleasure!
Continue the salsa adventure for the rest of the year at Lot 401, where Jeanne Oki presents Strictly Salsa Sundays from 9:00 to 1:00 am every Sunday at 44 Hospital Street in Providence (across from the Providence Children’s Museum).
Salsa comes to the Waterplace Basin Performance Stage at 8:50 pm
At 8:50 pm keep an eye out for the sensational Hacha Y Macheta performing two dances on the stage by the river at Waterplace Basin near Waterplace and Ruth’s Chris. See the fire of the salsa lit by firelight.
The Bolivian Heritage Festival at the Skating Center and Parade
The wonderful food, dances, music and culture of Bolivia will be featured at the annual Bolivian Heritage Festival held at the Bank of America City Center (Skating Center), just south of the Waterplace Basin. Walk thru the tunnel under Memorial Blvd and discover a wonderful world of color, excitement and life. The dancers will be featured on our WaterFire lighting procession. See www.ribaa.com for more details. Several of the Bolivian folk dancers will be featured on the boats during the opening procession and we are including five Bolivian folk songs in the evening’s music program.
The Festival also features a wonderful parade of Bolivian peformers and dancers that steps off at 2:00 pm on Smith Street and travels east on Smith to Canal Street, turning right at the Roger Williams National Memorial. The parade then goes down along the river and turns right onto the Steeple Street Bridge and ends at the skating center.
The 2008 Scholars honored by the Latino Dollars for Scholars:
At 8:00 pm on the stage of the Sovereign Plaza Ballroom, WaterFire is pleased to honor and recognize this year’s eighteen recipients of college scholarships from Latino Dollars for Scholars of Rhode Island. Each of the scholars will place a WaterFire Luminaria Candle Lantern at the fountain on Sovereign Plaza. Our 2008 scholars are:
Lucellis Nieves, Laura Huaranga, Erik Argueta, Sonia Gonzalez, Rosa Amaya, Ariadna Benitez, Keyla Gonzalez, Tatiana Gomez, James Picot-Vierra, Nejla Calvo, Jennifer Quirca, Milton Padilla, Yairy Hernandez, Joana Tejada, Jessica Morales, Abel Ziesse and Keyla Hernandez.
WaterFire honors the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence in a special ceremony in Memorial Park at 8:30 pm:
At 8:30 pm WaterFire offers a special Luminaria Candle Lantern ceremony which will add 300 lights to the night, representing the important work The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence does throughout the city. The Institute promotes the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in reaching out to people to help they to "Choose Peace." They provide counseling, role models, advice, and interventions to help counteract the idea that violence is the answer. WaterFire wishes to take this moment to have the entire city reach out to recognize the importance of the work that they do and to thank them for their dedication and leadership in our community.
Mayor David Cicilline will offer his praise and introduce the Institute’s director, Teny Gross. The 300 Luminaria Candle Lanterns will be placed in Memorial Park near the WWI monument near College Street and South Main Street. The lanterns will be set in place by the Institute’s streetworkers. councelors, Beloved Community summer jobs program, staff, Board members, donors and friends. Team members of the Institute will be at the information tables to anwer your quesitons about their programs. The 300 Luminaria Lanterns will be on display from 8:30 to 11:00 pm.
You too are invited to add your own Luminaria Candle Lantern to the park to honor their work by making a donation to WaterFire at the information table.
In a special partnership Fidelity Investments will be joining WaterFire in honoring the Institute this evening by coordinating their distribution of 7000 hand-folded origami paper cranes as gifts to visitors. The origami crane is considered to be a symbol of fidelity and peace and volunteers from the Institute joined the Fidelity employees and WaterFire volunteers in folding the 7000 cranes. Institute and Fidelity volunteers will be on hand to teach you and your family the ancient art of folding an origami crane in the Fidelity crane folding tent on College Street (at South Main Street). The tent will be open form 7:00 to 10:00 pm.
WaterFire welcomes the return of the Morris Dancers:
From 6:30 to 7:30 pm in Memorial Park these dancers will recreate the ancient and mysterioius border dances of thousands of years ago in Great Britain. Featuring The Ladies of the Rolling Pin, the Pine Mountain Boughs, and the Wreckers (who came all the way from England).
The Morris dancers will return for a second performance besides the fires from 8:30 to 9:00 pm on the plaza in front of the RISD auditorium, down near the water by the three flag poles.
Light Luminaria Candle Lanterns for Good Luck
Light your own luminaria candle lantern and
participate by adding your light to the Renassiance City!
WaterFire invites you to dedicate your Luminaria paper lantern with a commemoration, a dedication, a wish, a rememberance, your name, or the reason for your visit to WaterFire. You will light your candle lantern and be led into the park where you will place it in a special spot. All the dedication cards are saved and preserved in a book at WaterFire.
The candle lanterns are availible for a donation to WaterFire. Please give what you can. We suggest a donation of $10 per candle.
By lighting a lantern you will become directly involved in the event in a memorable and special way and you will join the ranks of those who support WaterFire.
5:30PM - 6:30PM Walking Tour of Historical Providence presented by the RI Historical Society. Tour starts at the John Brown House at 52 Power Street. Tickets are $10/person. Reservations are strongly encouraged at 401.273.7507 x62 or bbarnes@rihs.org
7:00PM - 10:30PM WaterFire Merchandise Sales Table opens at the RISD auditorium for the night. Purchase WaterFire merchandise such as posters, t-shirts, commemorative hats, and tote bags and help keep the fires burning! A new addition tonight are the special porcelain origami cranes!
7:44PM - 12:15AM Sunset and the beginning of the music program. Please pick up a complete music program listing from a WaterFire ambassador in the park at the illuminated blue balloon sculptures. (Please make a donation to keep the fires burning!)
8:40PM-11:00PM Discover the Gargoyles at the WWI monument near College Street and South Main Street. The Gargoyles are the creation of Ten31 Productions in Providence.
8:30PM - 11:00PM Michael Grando, the noted master mime, will portray Pierrot (Pedrolino) from the Commedia del’arte, in his naive and everlasting quest to win the heart of the beautiful girl. Pierrot will be tossing hundreds of long-stem carnations to the crowd from a boat during the evening. Each flower is accompanied by a different quote that illuminates the connections between life and art.