Wood, Fire, Smoke Festival 2023

Things are about to heat up as WNC Sculpture Center puts on a dazzling display of fire, metal and heat. Come watch as they reduce raw metal to molten lava before pouring it into artistic molds. Once cooled these one of a kind artistic Iron Pour pieces will be auctioned off. This process uses a coke fueled cupola metal furnace and the iron is all repurposed cast iron radiators, bathtubs, sinks, manifolds, etc. This labor intensive process includes breaking the iron with sledgehammers by hand the foundry coke to fit the size of the furnace being used. Once hot, approximately 100 pounds of iron are tapped from the furnace every 12 minutes. Attendees of the BBQ Festival will have the opportunity to purchase blank iron tile molds to carve a custom design, watch the molds be poured in person and take them home with them at the end of the event. All pieces made during the Spectacle Events will be auctioned off via Silent Auction. Winners will be announced at 7pm.

Sparks are gonna fly as the hammer falls in Stevens Forged Ironworks spectacle space. Watch as this talented craftsman hammer super heated metal to his will. Stevens Forged Ironworks will be bringing hand forged tools, art, and functional pieces. Some examples include fire tools (grilling, fire pokers), cooking tripods, axes and knives, decorative bowls, hooks, herb choppers, dinner bells, and cooking trivets.

James Miller is the award winning artist/owner of Nature's Wonderland Carvings. He has been adding unique artistic twist to chainsaw craving since 2015. James will carve two items that will be raffled off at 7pm.

Local legends FracXured plays all the hits and keeps the whole town dancing.

NC Glass Center's Mobile Glass Unit will bring the captivating world of glass art to Lenoir North Carolina. Watch as they transform molten glass into a finished masterpiece in just 60 minutes right before your eyes. Their skilled artists will be available to answer any questions, infusing showmanship and artistry into every moment. This will be like nothing you have ever seen. NC Glass Center will also be making hand blown mugs specifically for the Wood Fire Smoke Festival!