A giant jack-o-lantern blazes at the Steel Yard's Annual Iron Pour.

Sometimes I wonder how Geoff hears about these things.  With little prior warning or details, we drove out the other night to The Steel Yard to witness their annual Iron Pour.  We arrived a bit after the ‘performance’ had begun, and there was already a significant crowd (of taller people) blocking the view to the action.  We literally couldn’t see anything.  We imagined something fascinating happening since every so often we would hear a collective ahh and see sparks fly out from the center of The Steel Yard.

Madeline happily viewed the show from Geoff’s shoulders.  However, I was most definitely not happy.  All I could see was the backs of people’s heads, and smoke from the fires our blew into our faces.  Upon complaining loudly, a neighboring observer (if you could call him that since he couldn’t see anything either) told us that the crowd had doubled from last year.  The bleachers, which were full, had been brought in this morning in anticipation of a larger crowd.  Yet it still struck me as so odd how so many people remained attentively facing the center although they couldn’t see a darn thing.  Not me.  I was ready to go.

Stoking the fire at the annual Iron Pour.

On our way out, we happened to find less obstructed, if more distant, view of the Iron Pour.  From here we could see the iron workers stoking the fires of the furnaces, and the blazing Jack-O-Lantern.  When they would pour the molten metal, sparks scattered across the yard.  We lingered a bit longer to watch.  Madeline truly loved the display, so much so that she started to protest loudly when we announced we were leaving.  It’s a good thing there was a man making balloon pumpkins — it made the perfect parting gift.

The Steel Yard
Their 5,612 square foot industrial shop is a multi-use venue featuring studios where artists craft ceramics, glass and jewelry, as well as shops for welding, metal working and blacksmithing.  Classes are offered on the premises.
27 Sims Avenue
Providence, RI
http://thesteelyard.org