The free Liberty Arts Iron Pour runs 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday in Durham Central Park. Artists pour molten iron into tiles the public designed, with demos and food.

Durham’s Liberty Arts Iron Pour marks its 10th year Saturday, Nov. 14. Teams of artists will melt thousands of pounds of iron and pour it into molds in Durham Central Park from 4 to 9 p.m. The festival is free.

Liberty Arts, the nonprofit sculpture studio behind it, has held the pour every November since 2016. More than 5,500 people come each year, it says on its Iron Pour page.

What happens at the pour

Teams build furnaces on site and heat iron until it runs liquid. Through the evening and into the night, they pour it into molds. The molds make iron tiles designed by members of the public and sculptures by North Carolina artists.

Tripp Jarvis is the pourmaster. Kimberly Foytlin-Zhang, who was born in Durham, is the furnace captain. Pour teams from UNCG, Mixxer and STARWORKS join the Liberty Arts crew this year.

What else is on

Liberty Arts lists:

  • glassblowing, blacksmithing, flameworking and woodworking demonstrations
  • interactive fire sculptures and a metal casting gallery exhibit
  • make-and-take crafts with the Scrap Exchange
  • food trucks and local vendors
  • artwork and handmade goods from more than 24 local artists

Performers include Batala Durham, an iron casting performance piece by UNCG students and Forge Fencing.

Tile pickup Sunday

People who carved a tile design can collect their iron tile from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, in the park. The afternoon also has a performance by the Durham Bullhorns and free arts activities and workshops, Liberty Arts said.

Iron Heroes

The pour is also the finale for the fall group of Iron Heroes, a free nine-week metal casting course. Jarvis designed it for veterans and for young people from underserved communities, and it runs each spring and fall, according to Liberty Arts.

Getting there

Durham Central Park is at 501 Foster St. Liberty Arts said:

  • Road closure: Foster Street is closed between West Corporation Street and Hunt Street.
  • Parking: use the Farmers Market lot on Morris Street.
  • Access: the site is wheelchair accessible from Foster Street, with paved paths around the pour. Park benches give only a limited view; the grass and paved areas nearer the pour give a better one. Its accessibility note has more.

What it means for you

  • When: 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14.
  • Cost: free. Liberty Arts asks visitors to register on its Iron Pour page.
  • Driving downtown Saturday: plan around the Foster Street closure and park in the Farmers Market lot on Morris Street.
  • More this weekend: NC Comicon is at the Durham Convention Center the same weekend. See things to do in Durham this month.