Light ’em up! The 2021 WaterFire season will kick off with a full lighting on Labor Day weekend, ending with a partial holiday event in the beginning of December. Four full lightings and five partial lightings will now be possible through some creative city and state funding. From the ProJo:
Last month, as WaterFire fretted that it might not have the funding needed to stay afloat, the Providence City Council and Gov. Dan McKee’s administration each pledged $300,000 to the group.
This still makes for a lean budget and some pruning will be necessary. From WaterFire managing director Peter Mello:
“We’ll find ways to make this happen. WaterFire will be very different this year …. It’ll probably be more of a return to the roots of the pure art installation, with the fire and the music on the rivers and less of the peripheral kind of shoreside activities like vendors and things like that this year.”
[Squabble erupts: This good news was announced at a ceremonial mini-lighting Wednesday afternoon, downtown at Memorial Park during which Mayor Elorza and Governor McKee got into it over the Providence teachers’ contract. Video at WPRI. My money is on Elorza: McKee has the height advantage but looks kind of soft around the middle. Elorza cycles everywhere and seems like a scrapper.]
WaterFire Schedule:
Saturday, September 4: Full lighting
Thursday, September 9: Partial
Saturday, September 18: Partial
Friday, September 24: Partial
Saturday, October 2: Full
Saturday, October 16: Full
Wednesday, October 27: Partial
Saturday, November 6: Full
Saturday, December 4: Partial