09:46 AM EDT on Tuesday, July 13, 2004

A performance of WaterFire Providence, two concerts and a big-screen showing of baseball's Major League All-Star Game are all part of festivities tonight in downtown Providence celebrating tomorrow's Triple-A All-Star Game in Pawtucket.

The free Baseball Block Party takes place at several downtown venues from 5 to 10 p.m.

At the Fleet Skating Center on Kennedy Plaza, Skye Sweetnam performs at 6 p.m., Evan & Jaron at 6:40, Hanson at 7:30 and ex-New Kid on the Block Joey McIntyre at 8:30.

Meanwhile, at Station Park, between the Amtrak station, Gaspee Way and Financial Street, the Pelligrino Band performs at 5 p.m., Narragansett Bay Chorus at 5:30, Kings Row at 6, Patrick McAloon at 6:45, Bellevue Cadillac at 7:30 and the Doug Flutie Band, featuring the San Diego Chargers quarterback, at 8:50.

There's an International League autograph session at Station Park from 5 to 5:45, and one by Pacific Coast League stars from 6 to 6:45.

At 8 p.m., both teams will take part in an Olympics-style opening ceremony, carrying torches from the State House lawn to Waterplace Park, off Memorial Boulevard, where they'll be introduced to the crowd.

This will be followed by a live showing of the Major League All-Star Game on a big screen at Parcel 2 near the park. A Red Sox Legends pavilion will be filled by players such as Luis Tiant, Bill Lee, Rico Petrocelli, Johnny Pesky, Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd, Frank Malzone, Tim Naehring and Dom DiMaggio.

At 8:40 p.m., WaterFire begins on all 100 braziers on the downtown rivers. The fires will be lit until 1 a.m.

WaterFire is weather-dependent, and heavy, sustained rain will cancel it. For updates, call (401) 272-3111 or go to www.waterfire.com.