INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – Something unexpected will be happening this May at Bowl Incline: music is becoming a vehicle for compassion, and stories are turning into something far more tangible – clean water.
The event, called “Words to Water,” is not a typical concert. Now in its second year, it is an intimate gathering rooted in love, storytelling and a shared belief that small acts can ripple outward in life-changing ways.
At the heart of it are friendships formed years ago in unlikely places. One began at a charity event in Texas, where musician Josh Jenkins and WaterHope co-founder Steve Tomkovicz (who also owns Bowl Incline with his wife Tracy) met by chance when seated at the same table. What started as small talk grew into a lasting brotherhood – one grounded in faith, mentorship and a shared desire to serve others.
That relationship would eventually evolve into a collaboration that blends music and mission.
WaterHope, the nonprofit behind the event, has spent more than two decades working to provide clean drinking water to communities around the world. The need for clean water is urgent: according to the website, every year, over 800,000 children under the age of five die from diseases linked to contaminated water.
“Words to Water” approaches that crisis in a deeply human way. Instead of a large, impersonal concert, the event creates a space where about 350 people gather close to the stage, where no seat is far from the performers. Songwriters share not just their music, but the stories behind it like the birth of a child, the memory of a grandfather, or the quiet moments that inspired lyrics now heard around the world.
“It’s more than a concert,” said Jenkins. “We’re storytellers. We want to let you behind the curtain.”
That intimacy is what transforms the night.
At last year’s event, one woman, attending as a guest, was so moved by a song that she wrote a $5,000 check on the spot. This year, she’s returning to purchase an entire table, recalling how the lyrics seemed to mirror her family’s own struggles.
Moments like that are the point and the event’s name reflects its philosophy: words have power. They can divide, or they can heal. Here, they are meant to create connection and, ultimately, to help bring clean water to children who need it most.
This year, the event expands to two nights. Night one (May 9) features Nashville songwriters (Josh, his brother Matt Jenkins and J.T. Harding) sharing their craft in an unplugged format. Night two (May 23) brings John Ondrasik from the band Five for Fighting to the same intimate stage. The goal of the two nights is the same: to create a space where people leave not just entertained, but transformed.
According to Tomkovicz, attendees often describe walking out differently than they arrived – hugging loved ones a little tighter and thinking more deeply about their lives and their impact.
“It’s based on love,” he said. “If you live it, people feel it.”
In a world crowded with noise, “Words to Water” offers something quieter, and perhaps, more powerful: a reminder that stories matter, connection matters, and even a single evening can help change lives across the globe.
For ticket pricing, VIP options and more information about the event you can visit waterhope.org or bowlincline.com.
