About the Blacksmiths Festival
The Blacksmiths Festival is a free biennial community event started quietly in 2013 on the banks of the Maribyrnong River in Footscray, Australia. Since then, the event has grown to become one of the most celebrated events on the blacksmithing and local community calendars. Run by a cohort of merry volunteers under the banner of the Blacksmiths Festival Association Inc. (BFA), the festival attracts thousands of attendees who come to enjoy something very special in a location that many describe as the jewel of Footscray.
Check out a summary of the fantastic time we had at our previous festivals - 2022, 2021, 2019, 2017, 2015 and 2013.
Blacksmiths Festival Association Inc.
The Blacksmiths Festival is managed by a dedicated volunteer committee, who work to foster a strong and vibrant community. The BFA is a not-for-profit organisation that exists exclusively to bring this community event to life. The BFA Committee is the beating heart of the event. Without their dedication the festival would not be what it has become today. The committee meet regularly in the lead up to the festival.
The BFA’s mission is to:
Organize and host a blacksmithing and metal art festival that strengthens connections within the Australian and international blacksmithing and metal arts communities.
Encourage collaboration, idea-sharing, and community engagement among blacksmiths, metal artists, and the wider public.
Promote and celebrate contemporary artistic blacksmithing.
Run a metal art sculpture challenge as a key feature of the festival.
By fostering creativity, artistry, and community spirit, the BFA continues to support and showcase the art of blacksmithing in all its forms while delivering a family-friendly free community event.
The BFA operates as a not-for-profit Incorporated Association (No. A0060801T, ABN: 50 878 926 520) and is endorsed for charity tax concessions.
Meet the BFA members!
Volunteers
Apart from our members, we would also like to acknowledge the massive volunteer workforce (70+ for each festival) who include local residents, family, friends and many of the blacksmiths who travel from all around Australia and internationally to attend and support the festival. Thanks good people, you rock!
If you’d like to join our team - we’d love to have you! Register here.
Our Sponsors
Many thanks go to our regular sponsors, without which this festival would simply not run. To these organisations, the BFA, all our blacksmiths (local and abroad) send many thanks.
