Some Like It Hot: Annual Hammer-In Festival gets fired up this weekend
Colleen Nelson
Artisan blacksmiths from the tri-state area will be firing up the forges on Saturday for the 39th annual Hammer-In Festival at the W.A. Young & Sons Foundry and Machine Shop in Rices Landing.
Sponsored by Rivers of Steel, this celebration of the industrial past is a chance to see and experience America’s evolution from blacksmith shops to the machines of the industrial age.
Hammers will be ringing by 9 a.m. and there will be guided tours and demonstrations in the building and on the grounds into the afternoon.
William A. Young built the machine shop that sits on the bank above the Monongahela River in 1900 and added the foundry 1908. Over the years it repaired riverboats and fixed coal mining equipment, forging parts made from wooden patterns that were designed on-site.
When the family business closed in 1965, its inventory and equipment – some dating back to the 1870s – were left intact and undisturbed. This historic time capsule was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 2017.
Saturday’s event features a new makers market for area artists and their crafts. The selection includes original prints and T-shirts, woodcrafts, painted ware, artisan foods, hand-forged metal, raised copper art and more.
A note to shoppers: Internet access is spotty by the river, so bring cash for all transactions, including the auction of hand-forged art donated by members of Pittsburgh Area Artist Blacksmiths Association and the Appalachian Blacksmith Association who will also be demonstrating. The auction begins after the welcome ceremony at noon.
Back by popular demand, an aluminum pour by Rivers of Steel Arts outside in the afternoon rounds out the day of demonstrations.
Food and refreshments are also available. The festival hours are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Driving directions and more information about the heritage site are posted online at riversofsteel.com.
For those who want to extend the day, a 2-mile section of Rails to Trails runs from Greene Cove, Fayette County through Rices Landing in Greene County. Boaters can dock in Rices Landing and walk to the foundry at 114 Water St.