For the past 30 years, WaterFire Providence has included Memorial Ceremonies in many of our events, a commitment to the community that continued even during the COVID shutdown when we lit memorial candles every night at the WaterFire Arts Center. 

As an artwork that profoundly touches many, WaterFire will now present the Memorial Ceremony for every full fire, and we invite the community to join us in remembering your loved ones. For the lighting on May 31, the Memorial Ceremony will begin at 9:30 p.m. from the Waterplace Basin tunnel and proceed downstream towards the Bay. During this ceremony, WaterFire will honor the memories of recently passed dedicated WaterFire volunteers Sharyn Orton, Dawn Fox, Allan Redfern, Jean Giorgio, and Jim Adams. We invite you (the community and visitors from afar) to make your dedications and share your memories here. WaterFire Providence will publish the collected dedications on the event page for the May 31, 2025, lighting

WaterFire Providence offers this commemorative experience to all who wish to honor those who are no longer with us. The Ceremony features a specially adorned canoe carrying candles, lanterns, and flowers that gracefully threads its way down the Woonasquatucket and Providence Rivers as it makes its way toward the open Narragansett Bay. This ceremony is observed with quiet reflection by attendees all along the river and symbolizes the quiet passage onward. The canoe with its empty wicker seat and poised paddle serves as a poignant reminder of the loss we feel. The lanterns and candles represent the enduring light that we will remember from those departed, while the flowing water beneath the canoe signifies the continuous passage of time.

The WaterFire Marketplace will return to Canal Street

Stop by to support WaterFire with a donation or a purchase of locally designed apparel, jewelry, glassware, and gifts. Meet WaterFire Accelerate artists Caterina Maina and Lizzy Sour, who will be displaying their work, as well as glass blowing by Gather Glass. WaterFire will also have additional information and merchandise stations in front of the RISD Auditorium and on both sides of the basin in Waterplace Park.