The Scranton Iron Furnaces, 159 Cedar Ave., serve as a reminder of the city’s forgotten past as the site of the first mass production of iron T-rails in the United States, but June1through 3, it will also serve as the location of one of the city’s most unique festivals and historical fundraisers. The third annual Arts on Fire Festival celebrates the history and craftsmanship of the early iron industry with an all-day iron pour, blacksmithing and ancient raku ceramic demonstrations, chainsaw wood carving, and professional glassblowing. A Ring of Fire demonstration performed by the Steamtown National Historic Site is also planned for Saturday and Sunday. Art vendors, live music, food, and historical tours and displays will run throughout the weekend.
The four giant stone blast furnaces themselves were once part of a plant operated by the Lackawanna Iron & Steel Company, which had the largest iron production capacity in the United States by 1865. It had poured 125,000 tons of pig iron for T-rails and other products by 1880; the iron and steel industry helped grow the city’s population from 2,230 people in 1850 to 76,000 in 1890. But in 1902, the plant moved to New York. The site has since become a historic park used for picnics and events such as Arts on Fire. The event is free and open to the public through the support of the Arts ENGAGE!, Keystone Iron Works Grant, Lackawanna County, the Lackawanna Valley Heritage Valley Authority (LHVA), and Entercom, though on Friday, the Fire at the Furnace fundraiser benefiting the Anthracite Heritage Museum and Iron Furnaces Associates is $20 at the door or $15 in advance by calling the Anthracite Heritage Museum at 963.4804. Held from 8 to 11 p.m., the fundraiser will include an evening iron pour by Keystone Iron Works and cocktail party with live music by bluegrass band The Lost Ramblers, drinks provided by Lionshead and LT Verrastro, food from Chicano’s and Savory Maza, and ice cream from The Lands at Hillside Farms. Organizations serving as event partners include the LHVA, the Anthracite Heritage Museum & Iron Furnaces Associates, the Lackawanna County Arts and Culture Department, the Elm Street Project, United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA, the Lackawanna Historical Society, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the Steamtown National Historic Site, ArtWorks Gallery and Studio, and the AFA Gallery.
