Join Rivers of Steel for the 2024 Intercollegiate Iron Pour!
Students and faculty from across the United States are invited to the Carrie Blast Furnaces for an Intercollegiate Iron Pour taking place from March 15 – March 17, 2024.
The three-day event welcomes students to participate in an iron pour, be included in a suitcase exhibition, have a small mold cast, and join their peers for additional add-on opportunities. It’s a great opportunity to make lifelong connections with others in the metal arts community!
The weekend begins with the opening reception for the suitcase exhibition on Friday, followed by the iron pour on Saturday and the clean-up day on Sunday. Attendees arriving early on Friday can drop off their molds and take advantage of some free time to explore the city of Pittsburgh before the reception in the AC Power House at the Carrie Furnaces, where you’ll mix and mingle with colleagues and enjoy light refreshments.
Participation in Saturday’s iron pour includes the ability to cast a mold you’ve created in advance that requires less than 25 lbs. of iron. Want to bring more than one mold? Contact Paige Henry for information on additional fees / mold. Can't bring a mold? Create a complimentary artist tile from a premade mold form on Friday and have it cast during the pour.
Basic registration is $100.00 and includes the activities mentioned above. You can round out the experience by adding on a mold-making workshop on Thursday and Friday for an additional $185.00. The weekend’s itinerary also includes opportunities to add on a Doodle Bowl workshop for a discounted fee of $40.00 and/or tour the Carrie Blast Furnaces for just $10.00.
Add-On Opportunities
Two-day Mold-Making Workshop
This workshop covers multi-part mold and pattern design, offered daily from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. beginning Thursday, March 14, 2024. Participants will prepare molds to be cast during the pour on Saturday, March 16, 2024. The workshop fee is $185 and includes up to 250 lbs. of sand and corresponding chemical, waste removal, and related foundry consumables. Sand and chemical needs beyond this allotted amount are available for $.31/lb.
Space is limited—register here!
A three-hour Doodle Bowl workshop will be offered on Friday evening from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Participants can customize a premade sand mold in the shape of a bowl to create a unique bowl in solid aluminum! Space is limited for these workshops. Registration is $40.
Carve a Doodle Bowl
Mini-Industrial Tours of the Furnaces will be offered on Friday, March 15 at 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, March 17 at 2:00 p.m. These one-hour tours are $10 each.
Add a Tour
Schedule of Activities:
Thursday, March 14, 2024
- 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.—Two-day workshop begins
Friday March 15, 2024
- 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.—Two-day workshop continues, molds completed by end of day
- 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.—Check-in and drop off artworks for the suitcase exhibition
- 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.—Mini-tour of the Carrie Blast Furnaces
- 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.—Doodle Bowl workshop
- 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.—Suitcase exhibition opening reception in the AC Power House
Saturday March 16, 2024
- 11:00 a.m.—Iron pour preparations begins
- 2:00 – 8:00 p.m.—Iron pour (actual times may vary)
Sunday March 17, 2024
- 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.—Iron pour clean up
- 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.—Mini tours add-on
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Participants should prepare their own accommodations, travel, and food. There will be pizza and/or a basic buffet style spread during the pour day on March 16, 2024.
As a former industrial site, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure an enjoyable visit.
What to wear: The majority of this program is indoors. However, the Power House is not temperature controlled; please dress for the weather. Additionally, the ground is uneven—sensible shoes are a must. Sneakers or boots are recommended. Open-toed shoes and high heels are prohibited.
Rivers of Steel has some safety gear to loan, but it helps if people can bring their own safety gear when possible. Closed toed shoes are required at the Carrie Furnace National Historic Landmark site. When onsite, guests are permitted in the sand-molding workshop space and the central courtyard where the iron pour occurs; the only way to see the rest of the site is by registering for on a tour on Saturday.
Restrooms & concessions: The rawness of the site is certainly part of its charm. However, that rawness also limits the creature comforts many of us are accustomed to, like running water. Portable bathrooms, hand-washing stations, and hand sanitizer are available. Food amenities are generally not available (with some exceptions, such as food trucks at festivals).
Photography: Photography is permitted. For safety reasons, videography and drones are prohibited.
Accessibility: Handicapped parking is available and the ramp to the workshop space is ADA compliant. However, the grounds to the space may not be accessible for all wheelchairs. Contact us for details and options.
Covid-19: Please be advised of our current COVID-19 policies.
Liability: By purchasing admission tickets, all visitors consent to the terms of our liability waiver and consent to be photographed (PDF).
Admission: Site access is limited to guided tours, workshops, and events. Unless otherwise noted, all admissions are ticketed.
Location: The Carrie Blast Furnaces are located at 801 Carrie Furnace Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15218.
Thank you for following these guidelines. We wish you to have the best visit possible, and appreciate your patience as we continue to improve the visitor experience.