Riverwalk and Waterplace Park

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About Riverwalk and Waterplace Park

For much of the 20th century, the rivers that run through downtown Providence flowed hidden beneath parking lots and roadways. In the 1990s the city rerouted and reopened the Woonasquatucket and Moshassuck rivers, created Waterplace Park, a circular basin with a stepped amphitheater, and a pedestrian promenade, the Riverwalk, with arched bridges and stone sidewalks.

The promenade follows the rivers from Waterplace Park to the confluence with the Providence River, passing between downtown and College Hill. In summer, there are Venetian-style gondolas for canal rides and sightseeing boats.

In 1994 artist Barnaby Evans created WaterFire, an installation in which dozens of braziers anchored above the water are lit at dusk and fed with wood by boatmen until near midnight, accompanied by music and the smell of burning wood. Each year there are several full-fire nights, with more than 80 braziers, and other partial events, generally from late spring through fall.

On WaterFire nights, thousands of people line the banks, with street performers and food stalls. On other nights, the Riverwalk is a quiet stroll between downtown and the historic neighborhoods.