Canadian National Blacksmithing Conference
Dates: August 7-10, 2025
Location: Manitoba Agricultural Museum
Host City: Austin, Manitoba
CanIRON XIV will run from Thursday August 7 to Sunday August 10, 2025 at the Manitoba Agricultural Museum located on Provincial Trunk Hwy 34 south of Austin, Manitoba. The Manitoba Blacksmith Guild will host the event.
centerformetalarts.org/instructor/patrick-quinn/
instagram.com/ryanbelanger_truenorthforge
Since 1997, CanIRON has been the premier biennial blacksmithing gathering, aimed at fostering friendship, collaboration, and skills development. The initial purpose of the event was for the betterment of all who attend, to exchange thoughts, ideas, procedures, technology, etc. and then take the knowledge back home and share.
“This event is not just for people who are practicing blacksmiths. It will inspire artists and designers of all media, anyone with an involvement or interest in metal, and those who are totally unfamiliar with the craft” –G.Haverstock, CBBA president
Held every second year, CanIRON moves west to east across Canada and is hosted alternately by eastern and western Canadian blacksmithing associations. The conference features presenters and demonstrators from a wide variety of metal working disciplines.
More information about registration and accommodation.
Questions or concerns? register@caniron.ca
CanIRON has successfully partnered with cities, venues, companies, government and private organizations for more than two decades.
If you are interested in supporting a CanIRON event through sponsorship, please contact us via sponsor@caniron.ca or get in touch with the host blacksmithing association directly.
Individuals or groups who are interested in volunteering their time for set up, take down, preparing materials, documenting, media, or other creative input are encouraged to connect via volunteer@caniron.ca or through their local blacksmithing association.
Leah Aripotch, Oakland, California leaharipotch.com Leah Aripotch is a metal sculptor based in Oakland, California. She was born is 1987 and raised in Montauk, New York. She spent her childhood in swamps catching bugs and reptiles, surrounded by the lore of the abandoned air force base in her childhood backyard. She studied painting at SCAD …
Ryan Belanger, Aylmer, Ontario instagram.com/ryanbelanger_truenorthforge Ryan Belanger is a skilled blacksmith with a deep passion for crafting high-quality tools and sharing his knowledge with aspiring smiths. Known for his precision and dedication to the craft, Ryan specializes in hand-forged tools. His work balances tradition with functionality, ensuring each piece is both beautiful and built to …
Frank Annighofer, Beartooth Mountains, Montana woodandironworks.com “Frank always had an artistic talent. He has been handcrafting little sculptures and training his eye in photography since childhood. Frank learned blacksmithing in the late 1960s/early 1970s in his father Dieter’s shop in Hamburg, Germany. In these years he traveled around in Germany and Italy to take photographs …
Continue reading “CanIRON XIV Demonstrator: Frank Annighofer”