2026 ROARING CAMP HAMMER-IN - CBA Event (August 14, 2026)

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 15:00:00 GMT

2026 ROARING CAMP HAMMER-IN

We encourage everyone with an interest in blacksmithing, the metal arts, etc., to come to the Hammer-in at Roaring Camp. It will be open to the public for viewing; everyone will be able to watch as our demonstrators push the boundaries of hot metal, bring ancient techniques to life, and share with the larger community their talent and dedication to the blacksmith’s craft. However, only CBA members who pay the registration fee may work at the anvils and forges.

DATE: August 14-15, 2026

LOCATION: 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton

PRICE:

Full Hammer-In - Register on or before July 14, 2026 - $135
Full Hammer-In - Register after July 14, 2026 - $155
Single Day Hammer-In - August 14 OR 15 - Register on or before July 14, 2026 - $90
Single Day Hammer-In - August 14 OR 15 - Register after July 14, 2026 - $110

REGISTRATION: Here on the CBA website. Registration is open till August 12, 2026, or until our maximum of 50 registrants is reached.

AUCTION, IRON IN THE HAT, NAIL TREE: Once again, we will have an auction at the Saturday night banquet. Iron in the Hat tickets will be sold throughout the event, and IITH will be run before dinner on Saturday night. Bring items you’d like to donate for either the auction or IITH. And be sure to make a nail for our nail tree!

MEALS: CBA volunteers will provide a coffee tent; donuts, bagels, etc. will be available. Breakfast items and Lunch are available on-site from the Roaring Camp Georgie's Cook House (opens at 10 AM). Friday night potluck. Saturday night banquet - $37 (full BBQ meal with vegetarian options; non-alcoholic drinks included)

T-SHIRTS: Will be available at the event.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Limited free on-site dry tent/car camping (10 spots, use the FIRST registration option, if available).
• Dry RV/Camper parking is available. These are parking spots only, with no hookups/dump, in Roaring Camp's upper parking lot.
• Camping may also be available in nearby parks.
• There are other motels nearby in Felton, Ben Lomond, Scotts Valley, and Santa Cruz.

DIRECTIONS: SR-17 to Scotts Valley. Take exit #3 at Mt. Hermon Rd., turn right and drive 3.5 miles to Felton. Turn left on Graham Hill Road, and drive 1/2 mile to Roaring Camp (it’s on your right, 5401 Graham Hill Road).

PARKING: Attendee parking permits for the main Roaring Camp lot, and for registered campers, will be distributed for printing by August 12.

HAMMER-IN CONTACTS: Bill Kasper at treasurer@calsmith.org, Michael Suwczinsky at secretary@calsmith.org.

DEMONSTRATORS:

Monica Coyne -- demonstrating forging of human hands and joinery into a sculpture:

Ian Brooks -- demonstrating the making of a fireplace set:

Russell Jones -- hands-on demonstration of canister damascus in the coal forge with striker partners.

EDUCATION:

These are hands-on workshops - come forge with us.

- David Thayer - hummingbird forging from bar stock, different techniques

- Keath Beifus - two-part cellphone stand (as in the June/July/August edition of the CBA Magazine!)

Spring Conference 2027 - save the date (April 22, 2027)

Thu, 22 Apr 2027 07:00:00 GMT

The 2027 Spring conference will be held at the San Benito County fairgrounds. This is the same venue as the 2015 Western States conference. The actual registration listing will come later -- this is just a save-the-date notification.

CBA Spring Conference will be held at San Benito Fairgrounds near Hollister.

We are developing an exciting demonstrator lineup: Jodie Bliss from Bliss Studio Custom Metalwork in Colorado will be making a sculpture, and Mathew Christiano from Reno Forge will be showing some curved stair-making tricks he learned working with Pete Matilla in Tasmania. We’ll have Salem Straub doing a knife-making demonstration. Jon Sarriugarte of Form & Reform will be talking about and demoing building light fixtures. Our international guests will be Forja Viva Guille Morales from Spain and Yukio & Chikako Kanari from Japan.

There is a strong possibility of an enameling workshop.

Our incredible education team, led by Victoria Ritter and Becky Schimpf, will cover key aspects of the national curriculum. And of course, there will be lots of hands-on forging opportunities.

This is a call for volunteers. As always, we need all the help we can get. There are many ways to help out, from planning to setting up to breaking down and loading out. Getting involved in the conferences is the best way to get to know the CBA community/family.Contact Cathy Weurtz our volunteer Coordinator to help out.

California Blacksmith Association upcoming events

2026 ROARING CAMP HAMMER-IN - CBA Event (August 14, 2026)

2026 ROARING CAMP HAMMER-IN

Spring Conference 2027 - save the date (April 22, 2027)