SPRUCE PINE — The annual Fire on the Mountain Blacksmith Festival will still happen later this month but it will take on a new format amid the ongoing pandemic.
The festival, which features demonstrations, vendors, competitions and hands-on experiences, will move to a virtual format on Saturday, April 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The 2020 festival was initially postponed as COVID began to grip the nation and then was later canceled. Spruce Pine Main Street Executive Director Libby Phillips said it was important to get the festival back in some format in 2021.
“We did not want to go another year and go two years without having the event,” Phillips said. “It was really important to have it and have a presence on the actual Fire on the Mountain date.”
The new format will mean that blacksmithing demonstrations will be in video format. The pre-recorded videos will be posted on the day of the event to the event’s social media channels and website.
“There was no way we could have over 100 people on the street with restrictions where they are,” Phillips said. “The demos lend themselves well to a virtual event. We’re going to keep the same agenda we normally have.”
Meghan Martin will lead off the demonstrations at 10 a.m., master blacksmith Elizabeth Brim will demonstrate at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and Andrew Meers will hold a demo at 1 p.m.
Brim, who lives in Western North Carolina and studied at Penland School of Craft, will present basic forge welding techniques and preparing and inflating iron pillows and forms.
In addition to demonstrations, the virtual event will also feature artist studio tours, blacksmith spotlights and the typical forging challenge.
Spotlights will feature images from local blacksmiths in Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties. To submit photos for the spotlight, email iron@penland.org.
Bill Brown will hold a virtual studio tour at 11 a.m., Seth Gould will hold one at 12:30 p.m. and Mark Woodham and Cole Aurichio will hold tours at 1:30 and 2 p.m., respectively.
Those interested in participating in the forging challenge will do so on their own and submit videos via social media.
The festivities close with a virtual question and answer period with the blacksmiths at 3 p.m.
“It’s kind of the same elements,” Phillips said. “The focus is all local.”
Phillips added she hopes the Blacksmith Festival can have some kind of physical presence at the next Barbecue and Bluegrass Festival, scheduled for later this year.
Phillips said she would love to see a section of that festival dedicated to blacksmithing, with special edition T-shirts and other wares for sale. Participants of the forging challenge this year will be tasked with making a barbecue fork, which Phillips said she would love for creators to donate to sell at the Barbecue and Bluegrass Festival.
Proceeds from the sale, she said, could go toward a sponsorship for a local student to pursue training in blacksmithing.
All of the day’s events will be available to watch on-demand online after they are posted. Phillips said the virtual format, while unique and challenging, has presented new, exciting opportunities for the festival.
All virtual content will be available through the Fire on the Mountain link at discoversprucepinenc.com. The event also has social media pages, including a Facebook page (@FireOnTheMountainFestival) and Instagram (@fire_on_the_mountain_sp).
“We’re going to see how it goes,” Phillips said. “With the virtual format, we’ve already seen a tremendous amount of people who have popped onto that. I think we’ll get an even bigger market than we normally would. As bad as we all want to be on the street and back to normal, for us, this is a safe way we can continue the event, continue the tradition and maybe have some new opportunities come out of it.”