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When I was at Providence College, the city underwent a major overhaul that included the revival of the river. My first experience at Waterfire was with my roommates, but my boyfriend at the time (now my husband, Dan) was waiting tables at Union Station Brewery, so we went there for dinner. We wandered under the overpass from the Capital Grille patio over the river. It was one of the best "dates" we've ever been on.

We were totally blown away - with the artwork under the bridge, by the crowd and then by the music, and finally, the water. It was a scene out of a European city; nothing like the downtown Providence we had know before.

Dan and I have attended quite a few Waterfires since that first visit. The night he proposed, in July 2005, he dropped to one knee on the exact spot where we had our first kiss eight years earlier on the Providence College campus. To make the night more special, he made plans in other Providence spots where we had lots of happy memories, including Bella Vista Restaurant, which has the best views of Waterfire. From dinner, we walked all around Waterfire, taking in the music, street acts and then calling our family and friends. It's sort of a blur, but I can tell you it was one of the best Waterfires I've ever been to.

Almost a year later, in June 2006, we got married at PC's chapel and had our reception at the Biltmore in downtown, essentially across the street from the Waterfire plaza. It was so important to us that our guests be able to see this event. You really have to experience it to understand it. According to our guests, they loved being a part of it.

I've convinced my parents to go, and they've convinced their friends. They love Federal Hill, so they go to dinner there and drive to the river to enjoy the scene. Providence is such a manageable walking city that on a good night, it's easy to cover the whole river, down and back. My recommendation is to go to the opposite end of the river - closer to Brown - at sunset. The Native American ritual of lighting the first (torch) is really beautiful and peaceful. It's a symbol of how much respect the Native Americans have for the Earth's elements and it's breathtaking.

- Christine King, Franklin resident and Waterfire romantic

Campfires mesmerize me. It doesn't matter where it is - in a backyard, on a beach, on a pedastal in the middle of the Providence River - staring into the flames simultaneously sparks both clarity and conversation, which is what makes it a great, relaxing spot for a date.

Before last summer, I hadn't been to the event in quite a while - either too busy or with too many plans to return - when my boyfriend at the time, now my fiance, planned a surprise date. The night included cooking me dinner, watching the sunset from the roof of his apartment building, and a trip downtown to Waterfire.

After dark, we set out through the humid night being drawn to the river and its fires. The smell of burning wood caught my nose before the flames, and the crowds lined up on the sidewalks next to the river came into sight.

After squeezing our way into a spot along the stone walls of Waterplace Park, both my fiance and I stared at the flames that were sending sparks into the sky and leaving a shimmering reflection in the water. Both engaged in the scene - watching the people, fires and sounds unfold in front of us - there was a comfortable silence that was eventually replaced with flowing conversation.

The flames seemed to be working their magic over the whole city as everyone around us seemed to be having an evening as laid back as our own. We walked to see the river from different spots and to listen to the bands playing around the city. The easy conversation continued the entire evening.

When the fires started to fade, we sauntered back to his apartment, enjoying the outdoors and each other.

Reflecting on that night, the campfires did what they always had and something new - they left me mesmerized and made the perfect backdrop for a perfect date.

- Jessica Kosowski, Sun Chronicle Living Well Editor