WaterFire Schedule Unveiled at Press Conference Featuring Verbal Exchange Between McKee and Elorza

WaterFire Schedule Unveiled at Press Conference Featuring Verbal Exchange Between McKee and Elorza

WaterFire is back in 2021 — after the Providence City Council reversed course and restored promised funding to arguably Providence’s most successful cultural and tourism event — the dates are now set.

The 2021 WaterFire season is now four full lightings and five partial lightings, according to organizers who made the announcement at an awkward press conference that included a confrontation between Governor Dan McKee and Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza. The two are potential political rivals in the race for the 2022 governor's race.

McKee and Elorza were captured on video in a verbal exchange that detracted from the WaterFire announcement, with the war of words tied to the failed Providence School system. 

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Providence Schools have been a national embarrassment. The school system was taken over by the state of Rhode Island in 2019, after a study by Johns Hopkins University named the system among the worst in the nation. 

The system has not faired much better under state control over the past two years. 

McKee's office refused to give comment on the exchange.

 

WaterFire Schedule

The WaterFire season will open with a full lighting thanking COVID Heroes on Saturday, September 4 (Labor Day Weekend).

Other lightings will include WaterFire’s 25th Birthday Celebration; a BIPOC Arts, Technology and Business Night; WaterFire Salute to Veterans, and the return of a WaterFire for the Holidays in December.

“We couldn’t be happier or more excited about getting back downtown and on the river to make the magic of WaterFire happen,” said Peter A. Mello, WaterFire Providence’s managing director and co-CEO. “In addition to the State of Rhode Island and the City of Providence, we are grateful that many other businesses and organizations have stepped up to make the 2021 season possible.”

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 marked the first year in WaterFire Providence’s 25 year history that there were no lightings.

Here is the newly released schedule:

Saturday, September 4 (Labor Day Weekend)
Thanking COVID Heroes including Essential Workers
Full lighting

Thursday, September 9

Partial lighting

Saturday, September 18
Partial lighting

Friday, September 24
Partial lighting

Saturday, October 2
Full lighting

Saturday, October 16
Full lighting

Wednesday, October 27
Partial lighting

Saturday, November 6
Full lighting

Saturday, December 4
Partial lighting