Friday, May 23- Sunday, May 25
Great lakes international ironfest

New York State Designer Blacksmiths is holding a metal-mania weekend, featuring exhibitions and demonstrations by artists from Western New York, Ontario, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Buffalo was chosen as the location for the inaugural event, which hopefully will become an annual international and tri-state conference for metal workers and blacksmiths. The public is invited—free of charge—to view the various exhibits both Saturday and Sunday, 9am-6pm. For an admission fee, spectators can see demonstrations in the “U Forge” area, 9am-4pm. Five world-renowned metal artists will be presenters this year: Mark Puigmenti and Bob Cook will demonstrate both traditional and modern techniques; Andy Chambers will develop a decorative lamp utilizing aluminum bronze; Jim Hoffman (pictured) will use his “historical traveling forge” to create correct reproductions; and Kim Thomas will discuss the restoration of old masterworks. There will be an “Iron in the Hat” auction at 6pm (based on a blacksmithing tradition where participants trade items, tools, and supplies), and a live auction will be held, 7-9pm. On Sunday evening, a Pecha Kucha slide show will be presented as an open forum for the artists to share their work. The festival takes place at the Worthington Business Complex, located underneath the Thruway off the I-190 at the Clinton-Bailey exit. Registration for participants begins Friday, April 23 at noon, and includes Friday evening’s opening ceremonies, complete with a fife-and-drum flag parade and a post-ceremony demonstration of an 18th-century traveling military coal forge.

—k. o’day

Public hours 9am-6pm, Sat. & Sun. Worthington Business Complex, I-190 Exit 2 at Clinton-Bailey (ironfest.nysdb.org).