Ages 16+ | Conner Prairie

Prairie Pursuits: Blacksmithing - Dog Face Hooks

Use your imagination to create a whimsical wall hook or two, perfect for hanging dog leashes, hats or keys.

Join Conner Prairie’s agriculture staff to learn about the history, selection, training, and care of these magnificent draft animals.

Join new and old friends at our Wednesday evening cookout for good food and great conversations. This is also a chance to be able to purchase items made by Conner Prairie’s crafters and workshop instructors. All proceeds go to support Conner Prairie’s educational mission.

Traditional Arts & Arms Workshops: Basic Hornwork

Master Hornsmith Art DeCamp will show you the tricks to design, layout and execute beautiful scrimshaw work.

Traditional Arts & Arms Making Workshops: Leatherworking

Take your pouch making to the next level as Ken Scott teaches you advanced techniques in making hunting bags and pouches.

Traditional Arts & Arms Workshops: Folding Knife

Bladesmith Brian Barker teaches how to create a historically appropriate knife.

Traditional Arts & Arms Making Workshops: Basic Blacksmithing

Join Nathan Allen as you learn the basics of blacksmithing including drawing, punching, hardening, tempering steel and forge welding.

Under the guidance of Dwight Gallian, you’ll learn about the history and creation of a traditional hand-forged knife.

Join Ken Scott as he teaches you his unique style of making hunting bags and pouches.

Traditional Arts & Arms Workshops: Axe Forging

Explore traditional forging techniques with blacksmith Nathan Allen.

Traditional Arts & Arms Making Workshops: Leather Accouterments

Learn a variety of basic leather-working skills with noted leather-worker Ken Scott.

Traditional Arts & Arms Making Workshops: Hearth Cooking

Learn to prepare a traditional meal over an open fire.

Traditional Arts & Arms Making Workshops: Advanced Hornworking

Work alongside master hornsmith Art DeCamp to make a screw tip horn.

Traditional Arts & Arms Making Workshops: Forging Damascus Steel

Blacksmith Nathan Allen will teach the fundamentals of making pattern welded steel from proper steel selection to basic pattern development.

Traditional Arts & Arms Making Workshops: Engraving

Master engraver and author of Engraving Historic Firearms, John Schippers, teaches you the art of metal engraving.

Crafting your own knife is a satisfying challenge. We’ll up-cycle used steel into hand-forged and finished knives. Learn about proper forging, heat treating, and handle construction.

Be a blacksmith for a day. Learn to heat metal in a coal forge and shape it on an anvil.

Hammer, punch, grind, harden, and temper your own hatchet. We’ll use spring steel and traditional forging techniques to make our own creations. If time permits, we’ll also craft and custom fit a hickory handle.

Join Conner Prairie’s Ag Staff as we discuss everything you need to know about sheep and goats, including breeds, handling, basic care, nutrition, housing, and reproduction.