Spray Paint Art by Charli Cupan
Our Artisan Marketplace is a Showcase of Talent in 2022!
WaterFire Sharon prides itself on striving to bring professional art market vendors and high-quality works of art to our marketplace. Our talented artisans are natural creatives who make amazing handmade fine art. Whether it’s a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry, pottery, woodworking, glass or fiber art, painting, photography, or mixed media piece – we have it all, in all price ranges – we know you will find the perfect item while walking the streets of beautiful downtown Sharon during WaterFire.
This Saturday you’ll find artisan tents full of beautiful and unique items. Talk to the artists to learn more about their processes, watch their live demonstrations and support our artists by selecting a handmade original piece to add to your home or give as a gift. Look for BowerHouse Creations, based in Meadville, PA. Tom and Tina Bowersox create wire-wrapped jewelry, wired-trees with gemstones, and wired-home decor. And you will love the spray paint art of Charli Cupan! Stop by her booth on the corner of Chestnut and State St. for demonstrations of her talent all day.
Want to sell your handmade art items at WF in 2022? Applications are open for Sept. on Zapp online: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=5271 . Contact Jenn at jenncrisan@gmail.com or artistinfo@waterfiresharonpa.org with any feedback or questions. We are looking forward to a great selling event in the artisan marketplace!
Apply on the Zapp App link on our website. Booth Size: 10′ x 10′
Booth Fee: $70. Apply for Sept 2022!
Children’s Fun Zone – 3-7pm
presented by
Be sure to bring the kids to the Children’s Fun Zone, located at the corner of Shenango Ave. and State St., directly under the American Flag. There will be lots of interactive projects, crafts, games, giant legos, music wall, robotics and so much more. Parents need to stay with their children. This is a non-smoking zone.
The Sharon Tiger Techs and the Sharon High School Robotics Team showcasing various types of robots. The Tiger Techs will be demonstrating their robots that draw artwork, will have robots that children can drive, and will also have a programming station for ages 7-14. The Sharon High School Robotics Team will have an area demonstrating their high school robot from this past year. Children and adults alike will have the opportunity to see robots in action, built and programmed from students from the Sharon City School District.
Food Court – 2-11pm
Stop by the food court to enjoy a variety of delicious treats. You will know you are headed in the right direction as you pick up the aromas of ribs on the BBQ! There will surely be a sweet smell of cinnamon rolls and funnel cakes. You can cool off with a milkshake! So much savory, so much sweet – you can’t go wrong with a visit to the food court. Just a few of the delicious food options: pulled pork, mac & cheese, hot sausage, philly cheese steak, fries, gyros, nachos, corn dogs and so much more!! Have lunch, dinner or take a snack to take home from the WaterFire food court!
Orb Lighters (click each image to read details):
Musical Entertainment – 2:30-11pm
Our Main Stage is located in the food court area.
Click to view the flyer
Ruby – 2:30-4:30pm
Ruby was born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia. At age 3, she began classical training on the violin which continued into college at West Virginia University. In her adult years, she branched out from classical violin, and began a lifelong adventure as a musical performer in multiple bands spanning from rock-n-roll to honky-tonk. In the studio, she’s recorded on cello, mandolin, bass, and piano, but typically performs live with violin, guitar, viola, and ukulele.
As a soloist, Ruby draws upon a lifetime of experience as a songwriter and live performer, creating a unique collaboration of musical styles including elements of her Appalachian roots, classical training, rock, blues, country, jazz and old-time music to forge her own original genre of American Roots music she’s coined “Mountain Soul.”
Ruby’s musical techniques and smooth, soulful vocals leave audiences everywhere mesmerized.
Beatlemania Magic – 5:30-8pm
Beatlemania Magic” a Tribute to the Beatles recreates the “magic” of “Beatlemania”. A national touring Beatles Tribute band recreating the early Beatles concerts with identical costumes, equipment and spot on harmonies. Songs from I Want to Hold Your Hand to I’m Down played using Vox amps, Gretsch, Hofner & Rickenbacker guitars made famous by the Beatles. The look and sound is uncanny. “Beatlemania Magic” also recreates the “Magical Mystery Tour” of Sgt Pepper, White Album, Let It Be and Abbey Road. If you missed them in 1964, you must see “Beatlemania Magic”a Tribute to the Beatles today and relive the “magic.”
Ally Grande – State St. Bridge – 8-8:30pm
Ally Grande has been performing in community theater since she was nine years old, beginning with the production of Les Miserables, where she portrayed Young Cosette. Ally has participated in shows throughout Western PA and Eastern OH. She has played principal roles in Aladdin (Jasmine), Mamma Mia (Sophie) and West Side Story (Anita). Ally has also performed at the new venue in Downtown Sharon, 40 Below. Ally has been a featured soloist at Waterfire Sharon for the past five years and is involved in the New Castle Playhouse as a Mini Star and in their Annual Stars of Tomorrow show. She is also an active member and performer for the Chrysalis Stage Performing Arts Conservatory in Sharon. She also sings regularly at the Peter Allen Inn in Kinsman Ohio. Ally is a 2022 graduate from Sharon High School and will be attending Gannon University this fall.
The Four Kings and a Queen – 9:30-11pm
A funky, soulful, jazzy, rock’n experience that will make you want to get up and dance the night way to classic R & B, Motown and so much more.
Ukuladies Gone Wild – 4:30-6:30pm
A group of high energy, kinda wild gals, who love our ukes and get a kick out of making music together! We’ve been playing together since 2019. It has been our pleasure to have performed at the Penn State Shenango University Earth Fest, Hermitage Buhl Day, Sharon Water Fire, Villa Maria Community Center, Maennerchor Club, and numerous local organizations and events.
Ukuladies:
Dorita Bolger – Retired Westminster College Professor/Librarian Emerita
Mary Jo Sanitate – Retired Sign Language Interpreter, West Middlesex School District
Rhonda Paglia – Retired Elementary Teacher, Hermitage School District
Babs Quincy – Retired Westminster College Counselor
River Festivities – 8:30pm
Our evening will begin with the Native American Blessing of the Shenango River by Leon Briggs followed by the lighting of the WaterFire Sharon PA orb along with 55 floating bonfires filled with pine on the river between Connelly Blvd. and E. Silver St. Enjoy the aroma, live entertainment and music on the river until 11pm. Be sure to bring a chair and stay awhile!!
Leon Briggs
Leon Sam Briggs, is an enrolled Tonawanda Seneca whose native name is H oya’degay hus, “he helps always” hawk clan. In 2004, he was ordained as a spiritual leader of the American Metis Aboriginal Association. He works in traditional Arts of beading, quill and leather work. He speaks on his traditional teachings in herbology, (focused native uses of plants), and works as a cultural consulting. He has made annual trips to Little Eagle, South Dakota to meet with the community and government leaders as a cultural lea son, participate in events and ceremonies, such as Peace Place powwow to support local efforts to start building the Little Eagle Community Center. He has participated as guest speaker on Native American culture, storyteller, environmental impact on indigenous plants at various events including Native American Awareness Week at the University of Dayton, and Sunwatch Village, since 2007.
Making Relations another gathering of communities for the exchange of cultures (Little Eagle and Eagle Butte, South Dakota, since 2009) and Native Peoples Celebrate the Peacemakers, University of Dayton. Leon is a consultant/ speaker with the Red Bird Center whose mission is to support the Healing and Unity of Native Families in Ohio. The Center specializes in assisting families in recovery from trauma and loss. Leon is a presenter at the Red Bird Center’s Annual Native Unity Gathering which focuses on the “Indigenous Healing Model” that restores the spirit and brings unity and connection within Native Communities. The Red Bird Center has been in operation since 1997 and is a Native non-profit organization. Making Relations another gathering of communities for the exchange of cultures (Little Eagle and Eagle Butte, South Dakota, since 2009) and Native Peoples Celebrate the Peacemakers, University of Dayton. He is a consultant/ speaker with the Red Bird Center whose mission is to support the Healing and Unity of Native Families in Ohio. The Center specializes in assisting families in recovery from trauma and loss. Leon is a presenter at the Red Bird Center’s Annual Native Unity Gathering which focuses on the “Indigenous Healing Model” that restores the spirit and brings unity and connection within Native Communities. The Red Bird Center has been in operation since 1997 and is a Native non-profit organization.
Jimmy Pyro
Jimmy Pyro has always been drawn to the power and sound of fire, which he uses to captivate his audience with explosive and dramatic performances. Jimmy is a born thrill seeker and a natural entertainer. He is completely self-taught and enjoys learning new skills and adding new and exciting stunts to his repertoire. Jimmy Pyro has been professionally performing for 10 years and has entertained over 270,000 people. He will leave you talking for years to come and a memory you will never forget. Jimmy Pyro will perform several times throughout the evening. Watch for Jimmy on a boat on the river, the bridge abutment and on the State St. bridge.
Dan Hogan & Brianna Bojewski
Dan Hogan and Brianna Bojewski have performed throughout western Pennsylvania together since 2013, including previous appearances at WaterFire.
Brianna has been sharing her gifted voice in public since her childhood In Fairview (Erie County). Dan taught music for 31 years, but didn’t start performing solos and duets until entering a vocal competition sponsored by the Greenville Symphony Orchestra in 2012.
Their music can be sampled at DanHoganSings.com.
Henry Ekker Autograph Collections 10am-5pm
Enjoy sports? Admire athletes and their accomplishments? Then you won’t want to miss this one-of-a-kind collection. Inside the Community Library of the Shenango Valley during WaterFire, you’ll find a large , autographed and unique sports memorabilia collection on display from 10am-5pm. There is no charge to visit this collection that you’ll find on the library’s first floor. Also, located at the Community Library is The Literary Garden. Members of Random Acts of Artists (RAA) installed this garden to help bring awareness to the importance of literature and the arts in our community. Each of the over 40 posts are painted to represent a book or piece of literature theme of the artist’s choice. Be sure to visit this inspirational garden.
click for details
Downtown Art Installations
Take time to visit all the inspiring art installations throughout downtown Sharon. You can walk your way from the Literary Garden at the Shenango Valley Library, to Random InterFace Alley, to Floral Garden Gallery located on Connelly Blvd. to Riverview Gardens Park to enjoy Willow Way and five wood cravings from ash trees. A must see is the HopeCAT Mural located along State St. World renowned mural artist, Joel Bergner, HopeCAT students, local artists and Park Inn by Radisson employees came together to create this one-of-a-kind work of art!
Don’t Miss the Upper East Hill History Walks During July’s WaterFire! – 12pm, 2pm & 4pm
Join the Sharon Historical Society for our famous Downtown Sharon History Walks which will focus on the last section of the Upper East Hill, an area not covered before, sometimes called “uptown.” Walks are free but donations are appreciated and will depart the front lawn of Sharon High School, 1129 E. State Street, at Noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. Stops to include Case Avenue Elementary School, Sharon High School and Stadium, the Carley bird sanctuary, coal mines, the Shenango Inn, the trolley line to Buhl Park, and bygone buildings and mansions. Rare photographs and interesting stories will be printed in our collectible booklet. The Walk route is approximately 1.2 miles and at times on grassy and/or uneven terrain. Please wear walking shoes. Parking can be found at several lots nearby on the Sharon School District property. Come take a glimpse into our rich history! For more information, please visit SharonHistoricalSociety.com.
Tag up!!
Take selfies and be sure to check in on social media while you enjoy your day and evening at WaterFire Sharon. A check-in on social helps our downtown merchants with visibility and draws more attention to their key presence in the growing vibrancy along the river! Share what you see and enjoy your day in beautiful downtown Sharon. Use our hashtags when you share your fun photos and selfies on social! Hashtag so we can see all the memories you make at! And we might collect a few of our favorites to share on our social profiles.
Ready to volunteer a few hours to keep the event going??
Have you seen enough to make you want to join in? We welcome new volunteers! Come alone, in a group, whatever works for you! Whether you want to help in the preparation and planning, help set up vendors, work at the information center, tend to the braziers during the evening, or a variety of other areas to lend a hand, WaterFire Sharon would be happy to have you join in. Our volunteers are known to say things like “I met so many new people and made so many new friends” and “It’s fun to be a part of something so big!” and of course “I’m always proud to see so many people come to our area and witness what we have going on here.” Maybe you’ll feel just that same way after experiencing WaterFire as a volunteer. Sign up for the next WaterFire event at the Souvenir and Information center located at the corner of West State Street and S. Water Avenue – in front of the food court. Ask questions and see what you may enjoy the most! If you can’t visit the booth, call our volunteer coordinator at (724) 301-1868 and Karen will be happy to fill you in on all the opportunities available to be a part of WaterFire.
