Join Rivers of Steel in celebrating industrial arts and American craft at the Carrie Blast Furnaces!
This one-of-kind extravaganza invites audiences of all ages to celebrate the industrial arts and American crafts through hands-on activities, trade demonstrations, tours, live music, fireworks, and more!
Showcasing the creativity of our region’s artists, makers, and builders, the Festival of Combustion takes inspiration from the iron-making legacy of the Carrie Blast Furnaces. An all-day iron pour is at the heart of the festival—mold your own design or simply watch the spectacle as designs are cast from hot metal. Check out other demonstrations by blacksmiths, glassblowers, welders, metal fabricators, and more, then get creative with hands-on activities for adults and children alike. After dark, the sparks fly with power hammer forging from the Center for Metal Arts, followed by fireworks over the furnaces!
To accommodate more tour-goers than in prior years, Rivers of Steel is offering self-paced tours of the landmark furnaces with tour guides stationed throughout, paired with an “Ask a Tour Guide” information tent near the hub of the activities. This year, Rivers of Steel is also celebrating the tenth anniversary of Casting the Iron Garden—an event that created iron plaques describing the flora of the nature-reclaimed space on the eastern edge of the grounds. Originally developed in 2014 by artists Addy Smith-Reiman and Josh Reiman, the project was completed with the help of the Penn State Master Gardeners who will attend the Festival to help share the story of this exciting project!
Craft beer, food trucks, live music, tattoos, and a maker marketplace with regional artisans will add to the festival atmosphere, including performances by Tom Breiding and the Union Railroad, The Polkamaniacs, and Ames Harding and the Mirage. It’s a day of fun for everyone!
Tickets are $20 in advance, which covers both day and evening activities. Admission is free for those under age 18. Live demos, marketplace admission, and workshops are included in the event ticket.
The event runs 1:00 to 9:00 p.m. Online ticket sales close at midnight on Friday, October 4. Tickets will be $25 at the gate. Free parking is available on the grounds.
Full details can be found on the festival webpage.
The Festival of Combustion is October 5, 2024 from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m.
$20
Kids under 18 are free. We recommend purchasing tickets in advance. Tickets at the gate are $25.
The Carrie Blast Furnaces are located in Swissvale and Rankin, PA in the Monongahela River Valley. The address is 801 Carrie Furnace Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15218.
As a former industrial site, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure an enjoyable visit.
Thank you for following these guidelines. We wish you to have the best visit possible, and appreciate your patience as we continue to improve the visitor experience.
For more information, contact info@riversofsteel.com.
such as tours, workshops, and festivals happening at each unique attraction.
