Our WaterFire story began when our son, Ted, started at Brown University. We heard about WaterFire in an orientation pamphlet and were intrigued. Not knowing what really to expect, we ambled “down the hill” one night and in doing so, our lives were changed – forever.

We were totally captivated by the pageantry of the WaterFire spectacle. We meandered along the water’s edge, mingling with others, under the streets, and were transported to the time of pirates and medieval torches (my husband’s favorite part). We watched and listened, ooh’d and aah’d over the music and lighting ceremony and the gondolas floating past. We stopped for dessert, people watched, and just enjoyed the delightful atmosphere of the evening. It was and remains a magical evening. . .

Through the ensuing years our trips to Providence – luckily for us – always included an evening of WaterFire. It became an annual event and a highlight of our trips. Sadly, before Ted’s senior year, my husband passed away. Knowing that Tim would not be with us, I wanted to make Ted’s graduation somehow extra special. The year already had been so hard and I knew that graduation without Dad would be as well. My parents joined myself and my daughter, Sam, for the graduation festivities that weekend in May. The evening of the graduation, I had planned dinner and dessert for the five of us at restaurants along the river … including, in between courses, a WaterFire gondola ride.

As we glided through the lit waters, sipping our champagne toasting Ted’s accomplishments, there was such a sense of peace and joy that I knew somehow Tim was sharing this experience with us. It was such a lovely part of our commemorative evening.

I have told my friends here in water-less Denver, over and over again, the majesty of WaterFire and truly wish we had something like it so that they could experience it themselves first-hand. There is just nothing like it. Thank you so much for such lovely magic and the wonderful memories we have of all those years.

– Les, Ted and Sam McCarthy
Denver, Colorado