2025 festival program

Saturday 17 May 2025

10:00am Festival opens (free entry)

10:00am The following activities commence:

10:00am-12.00pm Live performance by Gone Westerly

10:30am-12.30pm Roving performance by Wild Canaries

11:30am-12:15pm Bella the Bookworm (no bookings required)

12:30-1.20pm Welcome to Country, Official Festival opening and Firelighting

1:20-2:05pm Master musicians Kofi Nortey and Nii Abli from Ghana perform a roving set of African drumming and dance rhythms.

1:30-3:30pm Roving performance by Uptown Brown + pinball parlor in the Blacksmiths Games Arena

1:30-2:00pm Speed forging demonstration in Waterside Metal Art studio

2:00am-2:45pm Bella the Bookworm (no bookings required)

4:00pm Kid-smith zone, Give-it-a-go sessions and collaborative sculpture forging close

4:30pm Festival close

6:30-9:00pm Waterside Metal Art Studio ticketed event - Blacksmiths Gathering (booking required)


Sunday 18 may 2025

10:00am Festival opens (free entry)

10:00am The following activities commence:

10:00am-12.00pm Live performance by Gone Westerly

11:00-11:45am Bella the Bookworm (free - no bookings required)

11:30am-1:30pm Roving performers by Wild Canaries and Uptown Brown + pinball parlor in the Blacksmiths Games Arena

1:30-2:00pm Speed forging demonstration in Waterside Metal Art studio

1:00-1:45pm Bella the Bookworm (free - no bookings required)

4:00pm Festival close.

As part of the Official Opening on Saturday we will light the flame for a fantastic weekend of blacksmithing. Fire Lotus was created by blacksmith artist Matthew St George of Dragon Forge in Footscray.