Festival of Combustion

Celebrate the industrial arts and American crafts at the Carrie Blast Furnaces across from the Great Allegheny Passage in Braddock, Pennsylania. The Festival of Combustion, a signature event of Rivers of Steel, features live music, flame performances, an evening iron pour, a host of arts activities, and a one-of-a-kind fireworks display over the Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark beginning at dusk.

Watch live demonstrations, ask questions, discover centuries-old techniques, and roll up your sleeves with hands-on activities designed for both children and adults. Workshops and demonstrations at the Festival of Combustion offer a chance for folks to get a closer look at the action and even make something of their own to take home that day.  Whether your interest is artistic or industrial, each of the activities reflect the type of creative hard work that built America and enables visitors to enjoy an authentic, site-based experience. 

Take a mini tour of the Carrie Blast Furnaces between workshops. Visit the marketplace to score some unique local products created by the region’s most exciting makers. With food trucks, craft beer, and live music all day and night there’s plenty to explore Whether you’re introducing your kids to the magic of making or you’re a lifelong metalworker eager to watch master craftspeople at work, you’ll find something to spark your imagination.