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• L3 Smiths Hangout Day - Winterbash 2026

  • When
    January 22, 2026
  • Location
    Loomis, CA
  • Spaces left
    43

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  L3 Smiths Hangout Day 
  at Winterbash 2026

  Level 3 Smiths hangout day with Mark Aspery -- making finials for scroll work.
  

  DATE & TIME: Thursday, January 22th, starting at 9am.

  PRICING:  Free to all L3 smiths. $45 for all others.

  LOCATION: McLellan Blacksmithing Shop.
  6961 Horseshoe Rd., Loomis, CA

  REGISTRATION: Register here online. Online registration is open till the end of Jan. 20. 

  CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Victoria Ritter at Education@calsmith.org for questions

  MEALS:  Please bring a lunch/drink of your choice or you can order something from a local sandwich shop that morning!

  Bring your favorite beverage – this is a chance to unwind, hang out and enjoy our growing L3 family.

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• Instructor Training Day - Winterbash 2026

  • When
    January 23, 2026
  • Location
    Loomis, CA
  • Spaces left
    43

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  Instructor Training Day
  at Winterbash 2026
  

  DATE & TIME: Friday, January 23th, starting at 9am going until dark!

  PRICING:  Free to CBA Instructors. $45 for all others.
  

  LOCATION: McLellan Blacksmithing Shop.
  6961 Horseshoe Rd., Loomis, CA

  REGISTRATION: Register here online. Online registration is open till the end of Jan. 21. 

  CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Victoria Ritter at Education@calsmith.org for questions

  MEALS:  Please bring a lunch/drink of your choice or you can order something from a local sandwich shop that morning!

  INSTRUCTOR TRAINING DAY: 
  We will be doing a deep dive into heat treatment and show instructors a great way to demonstrate how to control grain growth in your tools. Everyone will have a chance to replicate the demonstration.

  As always, this is a way for the CBA to give back to our dedicated instructors by providing a day of fun, forging, and learning from each other.

  CBA loves our Instructors. See you there!

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• WINTERBASH 2026 - CBA EVENT

  • When
    January 24, 2026
  • Location
    Loomis, CA
  • Spaces left
    78

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  WINTERBASH 2026
  

  It is time for some winter forging at CBA’s Annual WinterBash

  DATE & TIME: January 24 th , Saturday from 9 am to dark

  PRICING:  $65 which includes a main lunch course. Asking everyone to bring a side dish, drink or dessert.

  LOCATION: McLellan Blacksmithing Shop.
  6961 Horseshoe Rd., Loomis, CA

  REGISTRATION: Register here online. Online registration is open till the end of Jan. 22. 

  CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Victoria Ritter at Education@calsmith.org for questions.

  
  

  MEALS: 
  Continental breakfast and coffee on site!

  Potluck Lunch: We will provide baked potatoes and chili (who doesn’t love loaded potatoes?!), and the Lovely Linda Mangum will send out a signup sheet a couple of weeks before the event so you can bring something to share or add to the potatoes!

  Contest: The contest has become a staple of The Bash, and this year is no exception: We are having a chili cook-off as part of our lunch extravaganza. So, cook up your best, and a panel of judges will determine whose chili takes home the prize!

  FORGING AT THE BASH:
  

  Hands-on Forging opportunities for all skill levels, from a brand-new smith trying this out for the first time to an advanced project and everything in between.

  Beginners: Alena Carnes and Jered Hampton from Knight’s Foundry will lead a project for beginning smiths.

  The in-between: Mark Asprey and team will lead a light duty tongs workshop. These tongs will be a welcome addition to your tool kit.

  Advanced: Watch a team of Experienced Smiths forge out large-scale material using the tried-and-true Smith and Striker method to produce a sculpture that will be auctioned off at the Spring Conference in Vista.

  Power Hammer Workshop: Dennis Dusek will lead a session on making a round back flatter, part of the newly developed Power Hammer curriculum.

  

  Vendors: Jacob Sands will be there with his amazing laser machine, so bring your apron or a leather item and get your name burned on it, or buy a patch from him; all custom and printed while you hang out!

  See you there!

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• 5-day Level-1 Intensive with Mark Aspery

  • Start
    February 23, 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM
  • End
    February 28, 2026
  • Location
    196 Wool St, Folsom, California

  
  

  https://www.folsomhistory.org/service-page/5-day-level-1-intensive-with-mark-aspery

  This Level I intensive will be a deep dive into foundational blacksmithing. These core skills include tapering, bending, forging, and heat-treating hand tools, punching and drifting, basic blacksmithing math, forging to dimension, forge-welding, and creating tenons.

  When: February 23-27, 2026 with a bonus day on the 28th to ask questions and finish up.

  Lodging is not included; there are many nearby options. Beals Point Campground had full hook-ups through reservecalifornia.com; look up Folsom Lake SRA. There are plenty of hotels and vacation rentals available in Folsom.
  

  
  

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• SPRING CONFERENCE 2026 - CBA Event

  • Start
    April 16, 2026
  • End
    April 19, 2026
  • Location
    VISTA FORGE, A.G.S.E.M., Vista, CA

  The 2026 Spring Conference will host a great series of guest demonstrators, hands-on education activities, and fun contests and games for all skill levels, not to mention great food! The 2026 conference committee will host an epic family-style barbecue as well! Plan your trip now and check back often for updates and registration.

  • Hands-on Education
  • Special Bladesmithing Area
  • Youth Education Area
  • Contests & Games
  • Gallery
  • Banquet and Auction
  • Vendors and Tailgating
  • On-site Meals
  • On-site Camping

  DATE:  April 16-18, 2026 

  LOCATION: 
  

  

  VISTA FORGE
  Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum
  Vista, CA
  
  

  TABLE OF CONTENTS:

  Conference Fees
  Schedule And Site Map
  Getting There And Lodging
  Demonstrators
  Education / Hands On
  Competitions / Contest
  

  ONLINE REGISTRATION: Register here online. Online registration is open till April 14, after that you can pay at the door.
  

  MAIL-IN REGISTRATION: TBD

  CONTACT & CO-CHAIRS: 

  Cathy Wuertz, Ann Whatoff, and David Morice are leading the planning.
  Chris Branuelas - publicity etc. David Gottfredson - advisor to the team

  Inquiries about the 2026 Conference:  cbaspringconference26@gmail.com

  SCHEDULE:  TBD

  SITE MAP: 

  CONFERENCE FEES: (subject to change)

  Conference Fees Per-Person * For CBA Members -- non-members  $20 more	On/Before March 26	After March 26
  Full Conference (Thursday - Saturday)	$245	$265
  Single Day	$125	$150

  *Non-participating family or friends may attend other open museum areas for $10 daily admission
  
  NO RISK REFUND POLICY - A full refund of conference and meal fees shall be provided if a member cancels at any time prior to the conference starting date. 

  Meals	On/Before March XX	After  March XX
  Saturday Banquet and Auction Only, VEGETARIAN option available	$37	$37 *

  * If not sold out.

  There will be a Family-Style Barbecue and Potluck on Friday night! This event has quickly become a tradition the whole family will enjoy. Everyone is welcome and there is no cost. Feel free to bring a ready-to-serve dish, drink, or dessert to share!
  

  GETTING THERE:  

  The conference will be held at the Vista Forge, located on the 55-acre Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum in Vista, California in northern San Diego County. The site has ample room for multiple blacksmithing events and education areas as well as on-site food and camping. Admission includes access to the museum's other areas as well, including a weavers and textile barn and cottage, a clock museum, a working sawmill, grain mill, antique steam and gas engines of all sizes, a clock museum, model railroad exhibit, and a working small track railroad. It is also an easy driving distance to a number of popular attractions like Disneyland, Legoland, Knotts Berry Farms, Sea World, and the San Diego Zoo and Safari Parks. There are many food options off-site and North San Diego is well known for its many breweries and wineries. 

  By Air, the San Diego International Airport and John Wayne Orange County Airports are the closest.

  

  LODGING OPTIONS:

  HOTELS: There are many hotels and motels within a short driving distance of the Conference site. 

  CAMPING: There are plenty of low-cost dry tent and RV camping spots on-site: 

  - Dry RV site $25 per night. Tent camping $20 per night - Showers and restroom facilities on-site available through the registration link.

  
  DEMONSTRATORS - TBD

  
  

  HANDS-ON EDUCATION

  There are many educational opportunities planned for the 2026 Conference! You will be able to try your hand at the demonstrations at the open forges with the instructors available for coaching.

  COMPETITIONS
  

  In addition to plenty of forges available for open forging and practicing demo projects, two evening competitions. Start practicing your skills now to compete and win!

  
  

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