You are Invited to Become a WaterFire Volunteer!

For more information email Allison, allison@waterfire.org, today!  

WaterFire may only be a seasonal production, but to make it happen, we need volunteers to help us year-round, helping us to prepare and repair everything, from paperwork to boat motors…

Volunteers are an essential part of WaterFire. They assist in all aspects of the event, from "running the show" to special projects on non-event days. We have everything from construction, to fire tending, merchandise sales, computer support, street performers, stage managers, flower arranging, reception hosting, boat captains, and even "undercover" activities!

At any one WaterFire, we need over 150 volunteers working on a number of different and interesting projects. Volunteers prepare the river and park for the evening’s event, set up receptions, and even help construct stages. Come nightfall, dressed in all black, the volunteers create an unobtrusive and ceremonial communal presence, and actually create WaterFire. We dress in black to be a part of the night, but do not wear masks so that we can celebrate the individuals who come together to build community through firelight.

The volunteers who are working as fire tenders are not behind the scenes, but rather, they are actually performers, an integral part of the WaterFire sculpture. Volunteers are a significant part of WaterFire’s symbolic message. They represent "everyman", the traditional Greek Chorus and our communal spirit. They are the ones out on the river, weaving the magic, tending the fires during the night, and on shore welcoming visitors from far and wide. If you find that you prefer to be less visible or behind the scenes, you can help us on land, assisting with our VIP receptions, managing performance stages, or helping at one of our many donation stations like Luminaria or Ribbons of Light.


Even between lightings there are fun activities for volunteers. Potluck dinners, parties, and other interesting events, and projects go on throughout the year. On the off-season volunteers help with boat building and repairs, mechanical tasks, fundraising, preparations for the next season, and the occasional special project like sewing or online research. Our volunteers come from all walks of life, and we appreciate the diversity and talents that are among them. Over the years, a network of volunteers has been established, and we are delighted at the community that they have become.