50th Anniversary Celebration & Blacksmithing Conference
Johnstown, PA • June 6-9, 2024
Central Park
Events in Central Park are Free and Open to the Public
Food Vendors
June 6, 7 & 8 at 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Lizzie’s Wagon will be serving breakfast items, steak sandwiches, chicken strips, and fresh-cut fries.
Kid’s “Forging” Tent
June 6, 7, & 8 from 9am – noon & 2pm – 5pm
The Forging Industry Educational and Research Foundation will be in Central Park showing kids how hot metal moves with each hammer blow via a clay “forging” activity. The first 100 kids to participate will receive a goody bag.
International Team Forging Competition
June 6 & 7: Teams compete from 8am – noon & 1pm – 5pm
June 8: Teams compete 8am – noon & Finished work on display
Come hang out in Central Park and watch the Team Forging Competition! Watch as amateur and professional blacksmiths vie for bragging rights and cash prizes. All items forged during the competition will be available for purchase in the Art Auction on Saturday, June 8th.
Also cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award while the pieces are on display June 8th!
The Ring Project Assembly
June 6 & 7: Ring Project Assembly
June 8: Ring Project on Display
Blacksmiths from all over the world have been busy making a 10-inch forged ring that represents the Johnstown area. We will gather those individual rings in Central Park for the public to view. During our multi-day event, around 10-12 rings will be selected to be assembled into a larger, collaborative project. The final Ring Project will be available at the auction for a private buyer or company to acquire. Individual rings not selected will also be available at the Art Auction on Saturday, June 8th.
Brass Foundry Demo
June 7 at Noon to 5 p.m.
Demonstrator Bob Pickens will demonstrate casting with brass. Bob will cast a miniature anvil which will be available to bid on in the Art Auction on Saturday night. Chris Holt will narrate and answer questions for spectators.
Live Music with Silver Screen
June 7 at 6 – 9 p.m.
Silver Screen, voted Favorite Local Band at the 2023 “Best of Johnstown” Awards, will play at Central Park as part of First Friday hosted by the Discover Downtown Johnstown Partnership.
Additional Activities Near Central Park
Events are Free (unless otherwise noted) and Open to the Public
Gallery of Ironwork Exhibition
Made in Johnstown, 507 Main Street
June 7 from 1 p.m. – 9 p.m. with Artist Reception at 7 – 9 p.m.
June 8 from 9 a.m. – Noon
You’ll be able to see tools of the trade, examples of traditional blacksmithing, sculptural work, furniture, plus individual and collaborative designs. It is amazing what heat and a hammer can do! (Select pieces will also be for sale.)
Location: State Theater of Johnstown, 336 Main Street, Johnstown, PA
June 7 at 2 p.m.: Jerry Coe will teach “The Business of Blacksmithing” to smiths intending to start or expand a business.
June 7 at 6 p.m.: Metalsmith, writer, and historian Gabriel Craig will narrate his exploits in rediscovering Detroit’s historic architecture and ironwork, with particular attention to his exhaustive search to find all of Samuel Yellin’s works scattered across the city. A not-to-be-missed event for lovers of art, history, and architecture.
Location: CraftWork Studios, 134 Gazebo Park, Suite B, Johnstown, PA
June 6 at 1 p.m.: Intro to Finger Weaving
June 7 at 1 p.m.: Japanese Knot Bag
June 8 at 1 p.m.: Reversible Shoulder Bag
June 8 at 3 p.m.: Paint & Sip
Class registration fees apply and are very reasonable.
Art Auction
June 8 starting at 7 p.m.
The State Theater of Johnstown, 336 Main Street, Johnstown, PA
Join us Saturday, June 8 at 7 p.m. for the long-awaited art auction. One of the key pieces up for auction will be the Ring Sculpture – a Johnstown-themed collaborative piece assembled live in Central Park in the preceding days. Other auction items will include pieces made during the Team Forging Competition, items created during the various blacksmithing demonstrations, one of the world-famous “BAM Boxes” by Pat McCarty, as well as a variety of other items.
Peoples Natural Gas Park
Activities in Peoples Natural Park Require an Event Ticket
Pre-Registration has ended! Single-day tickets ($85) and Full-Event tickets ($225) are available at the gate.
Tickets for Peoples Natural Gas Park include entry into the park with access to:
- Blacksmith Demonstrations at Peoples Natural Gas Park
- Power Hammer Forging Demonstrations at the Center For Metal Arts
- Hands-on Beginner Forging Tent (First time? No problem!)
- Chance to buy raffle tickets for both the Iron-in-the-Hat Raffle & the Big Tool Raffle (Thousand$ in prizes!)
- Event Vendors selling tools, crafts, books, equipment, and more!
World-class blacksmiths will be showcasing their talents in a variety of demonstrations focused on artistic blacksmithing, traditional forging, bladesmithing, as well as using a hydraulic press, an induction forge, and toolmaking on a powerhammer.
Feeling the call of the fire? We’ve got an entire tent just for beginners to try their hand at forging hot metal. For those who have hammered a little bit of steel, you’ll want to visit the Education Tents with hands-on activities and demonstrations focused on all levels of the National Blacksmith Curriculum with an amazing team of blacksmith educators.
Tour of the Center for Metal Arts
Location: 106 Iron Street, Johnstown, PA
Event registrants are invited for a tour of the Center for Metal Arts. Patrick Quinn will speak briefly about the history of CMA and then attendees will have a full shop tour that includes the historic industrial forge shop.
Tailgating
Just outside Peoples Natural Gas Park
Searching for a great deal or that hard-to-find item for your shop?
Bring some cash and check out the tailgating just outside Peoples Natural Gas Park. Tools, material, and so much more.
Food Vendors
at Peoples Natural Gas Park
Food vendors will be at Peoples Natural Gas Park offering the best flavors Johnstown has to offer.