Word-class arts and music festival ends its thirteenth season after 29 successful events since 2013
Sharon, PA, October 17, 2025 – 2025 saw WaterFire Sharon, PA concluding its thirteenth year of performing summer events on the Shenango River in downtown Sharon, Pennsylvania. This summer marked the end of the organization’s events, allowing a celebration of more than a decade of success while opening space for a transition to new arts and music events downtown.
WaterFire Sharon, PA began in 2012 with a trip to Providence, Rhode Island, where WaterFire was created. Led by Gary Meszaros, a Founder of Quaker Steak and Lube® and a downtown Sharon stakeholder, a small group from Sharon travelled to see if it was something that could be performed in Sharon. Raising over $300,000 from the local community with help from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the first event was held in 2013, bringing 15,000+ people to each event, or nearly a half-a-million over the last thirteen years. However, after twenty-nine successful, and free, events in downtown Sharon, the group has decided it’s time for something new to replace it.
WaterFire Sharon, PA relied heavily on volunteers, up to 200 for each event, and public support to supplement private donations. Labor intensive, board members and volunteers alike can agree it was a labor of love and commitment for many years by many people. Intended to spur economic growth through arts and culture and an influx of thousands of attendees to the downtown area from the region and states away, WaterFire Sharon, PA’s board of directors can happily say those results were achieved.
While WaterFire Sharon, PA will no longer conduct events in downtown Sharon, its legacy will continue as a new group is formed to support further arts and culture initiatives and events specifically in downtown Sharon. Interested parties have already begun presenting different and exciting ideas for events to draw different crowds throughout the year to Sharon’s downtown along the Shenango River.
“As a fine artist, I’ve always supported WaterFire. Now I’m excited to see what’s next for our artist community as we celebrate each other’s art and create new events for downtown Sharon,” said Alane Jewel, Board Secretary of WaterFire Sharon, PA and a small business owner.
To honor and celebrate thirteen successful seasons and all those who made this dream a reality, WaterFire Sharon, PA will host a dinner on Thursday, December 18, 2025, for all volunteers and financial supporters, past and present. WaterFire Sharon, PA would especially like to thank the City of Sharon for all of their support, for without them, these events could never have happened.
If you are registered as a volunteer or have made financial donations to WaterFire in the past, please RSVP to Karen Anderson, where event details will be provided, via email at: kanderson@waterfiresharonpa.org
More information about WaterFire Sharon, PA can be found here: WaterFireSharonPA.org
