Summary
Experience molten iron pours, hands-on workshops, music, food, and fireworks at the Festival of Combustion 2025 at Pittsburgh’s Carrie Blast Furnaces.
There’s nothing quite like standing in front of a furnace as molten iron pours out in a river of fire. The roar, the sparks, the heat—it’s a spectacle that you’ll feel in your bones.
On Saturday, October 4, from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m., the Carrie Blast Furnaces will come alive with that unforgettable energy at the Festival of Combustion 2025, presented by United States Steel.
Now in its ninth year, the Festival of Combustion has become one of the region’s most exciting fall traditions—a daylong celebration of industrial arts, American craft, and the communities that keep those traditions alive.
The Iron Pour: The Heart of the Festival
If you’ve never seen an iron pour before, this is the year. Rivers of Steel’s metal arts team will fire up the furnaces throughout the day, streaming molten iron into molds while festival-goers look on. Even better, you can carve your own scratch mold and watch as it transforms into a cast iron keepsake. As evening falls, the furnaces glow in a dramatic iron pour performance that lights up the site in flame, sound, and color.
“The iron pour is both a nod to Pittsburgh’s past and a dramatic work of art in the present—an awe-inspiring experience that connects history, creativity, and community in a way that only Carrie can,” says Chris McGinnis, festival producer and Rivers of Steel’s director of arts.
What You’ll Find Beyond the Flames
What You’ll Find Beyond the FlamesThe festival is about the creativity that thrives in southwestern Pennsylvania today. Throughout the day you can:
- Try hands-on workshops like raku ceramics, mosaics, “Space Metal” aluminum scratch molds, penny pendants, graffiti art, and more.
- Watch live industrial arts demonstrations, including hot riveting (new this year!), power hammer forging, blacksmithing, welding, and glassblowing.
- Explore the Heritage Craft Tent, where you’ll find blacksmiths at work, rye whiskey tastings, historic games for kids, and cultural heritage organizations sharing their stories.
- Catch live performances all day long: The Polkamaniacs, Erika June and the Tunes, DJ Zombo’s Record Party, flame dancers, and graffiti and tattoo artists.
- Refuel with craft beer from Oskar Blues, Straub, and Cigar City, plus some of Pittsburgh’s best food trucks.
And of course, the night ends with a bang—a fireworks finale over the Carrie Furnaces, thanks to B&D Fireworks.
A First Festival for Rivers of Steel’s New CEO
A First Festival for Rivers of Steel’s New CEOFor Rivers of Steel’s new president and CEO, Mary Murrin, this will be her first Festival of Combustion.
“I’m excited to see firsthand how this festival brings people together around Pittsburgh’s heritage and creative spirit,” she says. “Events like this showcase the value these historic sites bring to our region—not only as touchstones of the past, but as vital spaces for culture, innovation, and community today.”
Plan Your Visit
- Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025
- Time: 3:00–9:00 p.m.
- Location: Carrie Furnaces, 801 Carrie Furnace Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15218
- Tickets: $25 in advance; free for ages under 18 at FestivalOfCombustion.com
- Parking: Free, on-site
Admission includes all workshops, demos, and marketplace access. Mini Blast Furnace Tours are also available with advance reservations.
The Festival of Combustion 2025 is made possible thanks to our sponsors: United States Steel, Peoples Natural Gas, NEXTpittsburgh, Butler Gas Products, Chiz Bros, Jackson Welding Supply, and UPMC Health Plan.
