Fire and Water Mix in Providence….and the Food!

Last Updated on October 5, 2022

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

By Tony Tedeschi

Fires ablaze on the rivers of a major American city – a catastrophic ecological disaster? Nope. “Waterfire, Providence, RI“. Alternate Saturdays, mid-May to late November.

Each year, more than 80 wood-stacked braziers are set ablaze along the Providence, RI Woonasquatucket and Moshassuck Rivers. The river help define some of the city’s downtown districts.

The six-month-long riverfront celebration turns a significant part of the central city into a festival, replete with food, drink, entertainment and a party atmosphere. It also engenders a sense of community among the throngs who drift along the riverfronts, drawn to the fires and their musical accompaniment.

A Hypnotic Experience at Waterfire in Providence, RI

Spectators stand or sit with legs dangling along the walls lining the rivers, watching near hypnotically. The fires cast their glow upon the facades of office towers, turning them into yellow-to-orange accents against the blue-black night, while gondolas and other small boats ply the rivers, taking passengers along the fire-snaked routes.

As the descendant of pyrotechnics, who had emigrated from central Italy just prior to World War I, I found myself almost spellbound by Waterfire in Providence, RI. It is a kind of answer to the ephemeral nature of my ancestors’ bombs bursting in air. The spectacle gave me both something to hold onto, from sunset to midnight, as either the center of my attention or, alternatively, an ongoing performance that drew me to it as I proceeded along my passeggiatta.

Waterfire Is Awash in Music

The entire Waterfire course is awash in musical accompaniment, which also adds to the hypnotic effect of the experience. Genres are juxtaposed. There’s jazz of Chet Baker, a French torch song by Yves Montand, opera by Bellini, guitar work by Ry Cooder. IThere are also recorded natural sounds and music related to the ritual, religious and symbolic sources of the fiery sculpture.

The organizers vary the soundtrack with each performance and include works by artists from throughout the world. They juxtapose “the character of the music . . . to the minimalism of the sculpture—just as fire is paired with water.”

Waterfire in Providence, RI is the brainchild of Barnaby Evans, a multimedia artist. Evans is agraduate of Brown University, in the heart of Providence. A smaller version began in 1994 as “First Fire.” It then grew into its present incarnation in 1997, attracting millions of visitors over the years. Despite having studied sciences at Brown, Evans eventually became one of those artists, who illuminate the soul of a place. His handiwork has drawn the attention of other cities around the country and the world.

The Epicenter of Design

Waterfire is clearly the center of attention on the evenings of its captivating half-year tenure. But what else to do during a long weekend in the city?

The Rhode Island School of Design enjoys a major presence just east of the Providence River in the heart of the city. Funding for the founding of RISD was a bit quirky. With $1,675 left over from fund-raising for Rhode Island’s participation in 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, the Women’s Centennial Commission was faced with the choice of financing the school or a water fountain in Roger Williams Park. They chose the school.

Rhode Island had emerged from the Civil War as the most industrialized state in the Union. Businesses in the state were cranking out everything from jewelry to machine tools, textiles to steam engines. Civic leaders were convinced that to remain competitive, there was need for industrial art and design education. As well as an appreciation for fine arts.

Museum of Art

The Museum of Art that emerged as an adjunct to the School of Design. It is a must-see attraction, even if you’re in town for Waterfire in Providence, RI and are short on time.

That it has its share of works by impressionists, expressionists, cubists, surrealists, fauvists and pointillists is reason enough to go. But the distinction that sets this museum apart is its exhibits depicting a breadth of works. There’s everything from graphic design to sculpture, video to mixed media, as well as designs that all-but-defy categorization.

There are thought-provoking exhibits on graphic arts that dazzle and push the envelope in print, photography, drawing and painting, video and Internet, including book covers, typefaces, work clothes, high fashion, clothing accessories, furniture, business-related sculpture, wall coverings, even a first-aid kit and a new take on a lumberman’s axe.

The exhibits are so unique in this museum, it almost makes you forget the Picassos, Cezannes, Renoirs, Van Goghs. Almost.

Ellie’s Baked Stuffed Shrimp

My wife, Candy, had been to Hemenway’s Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar on South Main Street during a business trip and had been insisting we go ever since we’d hit town. Based on her report of her previous visit, it wasn’t a tough sell.

Our waitress introduced herself as, “Ellie, your server for this evening.”

I responded by introducing Candy, and myself. It elicited a warm smile. She let us know the specials, then took our drink order, a bottle of Martin Codax Albariño, one of our favorite Spanish whites.

Candy was leaning towards linguine with shrimp; I became fixated on the paella. I hadn’t had it since a trip to Madrid and was salivating over the mere thought of it. Despite the certainty about the paella, an item in the adjacent column intrigued me: “Ellie’s Baked Stuffed Shrimp.” When she returned, I had to ask.

“Yes,” she said, “it’s my recipe. We had a little competition at the restaurant and my recipe was selected.”

I couldn’t free myself from the paella, but asked if I could somehow have some of the stuffed shrimp as an appetizer. She said she’d ask the chef. He agreed and fixed me two of them. Heavenly. And, since Candy is allergic to onions in the linguine sauce, the chef also prepared a special order without them.

The best restaurants handle special requests like those and are happy to do it. And, after having dined on the above, I can say with certainty, I’d never had a better seafood experience than Hemenway’s . . . and you should definitely try the baked stuffed shrimp during Waterfire or any time of year.

Federal Hill Restaurant Row During Waterfire

The fact that Providence is habitually named to best restaurant and foodie lists opens up a host of possibilities. The problem being how do you choose from an embarrassment of riches in Providence, RI when you only have a couple of nights during Waterfire or on a long weekend? Lunch anyone?

Along Atwells Avenue on Federal Hill, there are blocks and blocks of restaurants, the preponderance being Italian, many with outdoor dining. Costantino’s Venda Bar & Ristorante near the intersection with De Pasquale Avenue opens onto a plaza replete with a fountain. Costantino’s shares the space with other restaurants, all having plenty of outdoor seating. So, a pizza and a bottle of Peroni under an umbrella on a plaza glittering in the sunshine, well, what could be better?

The fact that the menu went on forever, with all-but-irresistible appetizers and entrees, was resulting in second-guessing about having made dinner reservations elsewhere, but we resisted and had a satisfying pizza as planned. There was no second-guessing about the $1,000 bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild on the wine list (I’m not sure it would pair well with pizza), or an espresso with a $350 bottle of Chateau D’Yquem to go along with it.

. . . The deliciously prepared cod dinner at Centro Restaurant and Lounge in the Omni Hotel on Exchange Street . . . the old-fashion meatloaf and mashed potatoes at Murphy’s Deli & Bar on Fountain Street . . . the grilled chicken, mozzarella and red pepper sandwich at the Paragon (now closed, unfortunately), just off the Brown University campus . . . OK! . . . O. . .K. Providence, RI is worth the trip for the food experience alone during Waterfire or not.

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You may also enjoy: Food Festivals in Europe / The Maine Coast: A Great Summer Road Trip / Historic Boston: Following the Freedom Trail

If you go:

Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau
10 Memorial Boulevard
Providence, Rhode Island 02903
www.goprovidence.com
Tel: (401) 456-0200

Museum of Art Rhode Island School of Design
20 North Main St (you can also enter at 224 Benefit Street)
Providence, RI 02903
www.risdmuseum.org
Tel: (401) 454-6500