The Halloween Iron Pour is not your usual cookie cutter date night idea but it is the perfect night out to celebrate the festivities of Halloween in Providence, Rhode Island. With 2,500 pounds of molten iron and fire, live music under the stars, vendors and food to browse and sample, your sure to make sparks fly. Literally. This year, the Iron Pour celebrated its ten year anniversary with a Monsters Versus City theme.
We recommend bundling up for this event and wearing comfy shoes as it takes place outside on concrete. We also recommend arriving early as there is a large line to get in and you’ll want to steak out a good spot for the best view. Resist the urge to check out all of the vendors first – you’ll have plenty of time for that later. Grab your food and drinks and find a spot either along the ropes or the last row of the bleachers for best view without having to worry about anyone who is taller than you blocking the action (my daily struggle).
This is really a unique experience and it’s no surprise to see an event like this take place in Providence, Rhode Island: home of the quirky and the creative. We didn’t know what to expect, but we did expect some sort of show. We were surprised to find that there’s not much of plot line, but entertaining and jaw dropping non the less.
While you’re waiting, fire dancers keep the crowd entertained while people in masks and fire suits heat up the massive tilt furnaces that are at least (or more than) 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Ominous music from the live band drifts into the air and when it’s time for the show, the men and women in the fire suits start pouring molten iron on everything they can find behind the ropes. That includes any metals, wood, cloth stuffed metal statues of creatures, balls on chains that they swing in circles to create massive arches of sparks and even pumpkins. Ever wanted to see a pumpkin on fire? Yup, you can cross that off your bucket list here.
As the hot iron was poured onto the different objects, different reactions occurred. Large shoots of flames, bright sparks shooting 20 to 30 fit in the air, massive combustions on contact and flames of different colors like white, greens and blues. As each bucket of molten iron was poured, ooo’s and ahh’s erupted in the crowd.
Well into the hour after the show started, they continued to find more figures and materials to pour the liquid hot iron onto. We felt that we had our fill of melting iron and decided to go explore all of the vendors and different areas that you could view the pouring from. We discovered talented local pottery makers plus Bolt Coffee Co. had a stand there as well. Alas we called an end to the night and left the Iron Pour with the smell of fire on our clothes and excited chatter of everything we experienced on the way back home.
This is a fun Halloween date idea that you can do a week before the holiday and definitely isn’t a snooze fest. It got the official stamp of approval from my adrenaline seeking husband. We’ve never experienced anything quite as unique as this and as I said earlier, only in Providence would you find a bunch of guys and gals running around in flame repellent suites lighting anything and everything on fire with hot liquid iron. We’ll be back next year for the 2016 Halloween Iron Pour.
I have never heard of this in Providence! Great find. I’ll have to keep an eye out next year. Nice pics too!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks! It’s unfortunately not heavily advertised and we found out by word of mouth but they do have a Facebook page (search for The Steel Yard) that they update. It happens every October the Saturday before Halloween.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Steel Yard posts this years date if you’re still interested. Looks like it will happen on the 22nd. Here’s the link for more info: http://www.thesteelyard.org/events/calendar/2016/10
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much! I totally just bought tickets for my wife and myself. I also told my friends. I appreciate the update!
LikeLike
No problem! Hope you guys have fun!
LikeLike
I took my parents one year and it was a bit of a bust for us… probably a better date idea, or even for singletons.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very true! Probably good if you have kiddos too. We saw quite a few families with kids there.
LikeLike
I want to go, sounds awesome. Will watch for it next year
LikeLiked by 1 person
Definitely! They have a calendar on their website that will have the date when Halloween gets closer. It always happens the Saturday before Halloween though. Hope you enjoy next year!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Nancy! if you’re still interested in this, looks like it’s happening on the 22nd. Here’s the link for more info! Hope you enjoy if you do go! http://www.thesteelyard.org/events/calendar/2016/10
LikeLike