WaterFire facts for kids
WaterFire is a unique art display created by Barnaby Evans. It takes place on the rivers in downtown Providence, RI. Barnaby first made WaterFire in 1994. It was part of a celebration for First Night Providence's tenth birthday. Since then, it has become a free art show for everyone to enjoy.
During a WaterFire evening, you'll see eighty-six burning fires. Each fire has about 33 pieces of wood. Some fires float just above the water. These are on the Woonasquatucket River in Waterplace Park. Others are on the Moshassuck and Providence rivers. Some fires are even placed on old bridge piers. About 40,000 people usually come to watch each night. Sometimes as few as 10,000 or as many as 100,000 people attend.
WaterFire events happen from May through November. They are usually on Saturday evenings, once or twice a month. The rivers have tides, meaning the water level changes. So, events are often planned when the sun sets at the same time as a high tide. This makes the fires look even more amazing.
WaterFire Providence: The Team Behind the Magic
WaterFire Providence is a special non-profit group. This means they are an organization that does not aim to make money. Their main job is to put on the WaterFire shows. The team has about 15 staff members. They also get a lot of help from volunteers. Up to 160 volunteers help make WaterFire happen on any given night. They are very important to the show!
The Story of WaterFire: How It Began
Barnaby Evans created the very first WaterFire in 1994. It was called First Fire. This happened on New Year's Eve as part of the First Night Providence celebration. First Fire had 11 fires on steel stands. They stretched from WaterPlace Basin to Steeple Street. In June 1996, Barnaby made Second Fire. This was for an art festival and a sculpture conference.
With help from many volunteers, WaterFire became a regular event. People from all over the region started to notice it. Soon, efforts began to raise money for the project. In 1997, WaterFire grew to 42 fires. About 350,000 people came to see it that season. Barnaby Evans received an award for helping to make downtown Providence better. WaterFire became a symbol of the city's new life.
By 1998, WaterFire had 81 fires. It even reached up the Moshassuck River and into the basin at Waterplace Park. Now, WaterFire is known all over the country and even the world. It has been featured on TV and in famous newspapers. Because of its fame, Barnaby Evans has created similar fire displays in other cities. These include places like Rome and Singapore.
WaterFire Around the World
WaterFire has traveled to many different places. Here are some of them:
- In June 1998, Barnaby Evans set up WaterFire in Houston, Texas. It was on the Buffalo Bayou river.
- In July 2005, Barnaby Evans designed a WaterFire show in Columbus, Ohio. It was called WaterFire Columbus.
- In 2007, Barnaby Evans created a new display in Kansas City, Missouri. It was on Brush Creek, near a museum.
- On September 24 and 25, 2011, WaterFire was installed in Singapore. A special flame from Singapore was sent to Providence. It helped light the fires there. The next day, a flame from Providence was sent to Singapore.
- On September 21 and 22, 2012, WaterFire was set up in Rome, Italy. It was on the Tiber River, near the old city.
- In August 2013, Barnaby Evans designed a WaterFire display in Sharon, Pennsylvania. It was on the Shenango River and called WaterFire Sharon.
