On Saturday, October 7, as the sun sets the music will rise along the banks of Brush Creek just south of the Country Club Plaza. Boats carrying bearers of lit torches quietly move along the creek to light the wood in the braziers floating on the water. For the next four hours, Kansas City’s most talented singers, musicians and dancers will entertain the crowds in a celebration of the community’s performing arts. This is WaterFire Kansas City.

This free event — which is staged between Main Street and Pennsylvania — attracted 35,000 people last year. The performances on stage, the banks and in the creek are enhanced by the backdrop of the living sculptures of water and fire. It is a stage unlike no other in the region.

WaterFire KC was introduced in 2007, and brought to the community by its creator, internationally recognized artist Barnaby Evans. Evans initiated the art installation on the three rivers of downtown Providence Rhode Island in 1994, helping to revitalize a struggling area and becoming a signature event for that city.

The commitment of Kansas City’s local performers contribute greatly to WaterFire’s success. Last year (and for several, most or all of the previous five years), WaterFire KC featured Quixotic, Rhythmic Flames, StoneLion Puppet Theatre, Kansas City Drum Tribe and Trio Forte. We look forward to many of them coming back to WaterFire KC again this year.

WaterFire KC is produced by KC Creates and supported by charitable contributions.