Rivers of Steel’s annual Festival of Combustion returns to the Carrie Blast Furnaces this weekend (Oct. 4), promising an evening of music, food, and industrial arts unlike any other in the region.
Presented by United States Steel, the festival will showcase Pittsburgh’s industrial past alongside contemporary craft and creativity. The centerpiece is a rare public iron pour, where molten metal will be streamed from a furnace into molds.
Rivers of Steel’s metal arts team will demonstrate both iron and aluminum casting throughout the day, offering visitors the chance to carve molds and participate in the process. At dusk, an evening iron pour will illuminate the National Historic Landmark with fire, sound, and molten light.
“The Festival of Combustion blends Pittsburgh’s industrial legacy with today’s creative energy,” said Chris McGinnis, festival producer and Rivers of Steel’s vice president of programs and development. “There’s no better place than Carrie to create this spectacle. It’s a reminder of the power this site has to inspire awe across generations.”
Beyond the ironwork, dozens of artists and makers will lead demonstrations in blacksmithing, glassblowing, welding, hot riveting, power hammer forging, and more.
Hands-on workshops will range from ceramics and mosaics to graffiti art and children’s activities. A Heritage Craft Tent will feature whiskey tastings, historic trades, and regional cultural organizations.
Live entertainment will include performances by The Polkamaniacs, Erika June and the Tunes, DJ Zombo, flame artists, graffiti painters, tattoo artists, and aerial stunts by Xpogo. Food trucks and craft beer from Oskar Blues, Straub, and Cigar City will be available throughout the site. The evening will close with a fireworks display by B&D Fireworks over the furnaces.
“This will be my first Festival of Combustion with Rivers of Steel, and I’m looking forward to experiencing this event alongside our community,” said Mary Murrin, the organization’s president and CEO.
Tickets are $25 in advance and free for attendees under 18. Workshops, demonstrations, and the artisan marketplace are included with admission. Free parking is available on-site, and reservations are encouraged for Mini Carrie Furnace Tours.
More information is available at FestivalOfCombustion.com.
