The blacksmithing festival in Irkutsk will gain international status for the first time this year and bring together participants from France, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and various Russian cities. Guests will enjoy master classes by famous blacksmiths, and special equipment, including a blast furnace for forging Damascus steel, will be installed in Kirov Square. The festival opens on September 7.

This year, as the organizers, the administration of Irkutsk, and the Union of Blacksmiths of Russia promised, the festival has been given international status. According to the head of the architecture and urban design department of the Irkutsk administration, Anna Niktovenko, this status will be fully justified. It is known that blacksmiths from France, Spain, and Sweden are planning to take part in the festival, and many participants are expected from Russian cities and cities of the Irkutsk region.
It is promised that the lineup of participants will be very impressive. The arrival of the well-known blacksmith and weapons maker from Ukraine, Petr Fedyoryako, is expected, and the president of the Blacksmith Association of France, artist-blacksmith Eric Quentin, has agreed to take part in the festival.
As part of the festival, master classes by renowned blacksmiths are planned.
The festival will take place in Kirov Square. Ten to twelve sets of blacksmith equipment and a hydraulic hammer will be installed here, and a bloomery furnace for forging Damascus steel will be set up.
The festival is scheduled to open on September 7.