You must be an NRBA member to register and attend the conference. Click here to join as an NRBA member: New Member Signup . Once you join, log in to the site and click on the Conferences button, then click on the current conference. There will be tools and anvils available for folks to use during the conference if you don't want to bring their own.
Our fall conference is from September 18-20, 2026, in Choteau, Montana.
Our demonstrator will be Shawn Cunningham of Front Step Forge, https://frontstepforge.com/
Shawn began blacksmithing in 1991, and opened Front Step Forge in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1993. He speaks of his work this way: "As a one-person forge, every piece is shaped by my own hands. To keep the work steady and give each visitor the time they deserve, all visits, pickups, and custom talks are by appointment only. Thank you for honoring the craft and the time it takes to make things the old way." Shawn will be demonstrating a new project for a bit each morning and afternoon, and working with us the rest of the time as we progress on our individual projects using his techniques.
Things will be a little different at this event. As part of our efforts to reach out to the public, we will be having our September conference in connection with the Threshing Bee in Choteau, MT. Although members of the public are charged to attend the Threshing Bee, if you are registered for our conference there will be no separate charge for the Threshing Bee.
Your registration covers breakfast for Friday morning which we will provide from a local restaurant, but all other meals will be on your own from local vendors who will be there at the Threshing Bee. We will have coffee and water all three days. We will still have our normal meeting and the auction (please bring items for the auction!) on Saturday evening, but you will get your own food from the vendors. We have reduced the costs of registration, so registration is only $125 up until September 10th, at which time the registration cost will increase to $135.
There will also be a table that we will staff to welcome interested persons. You are welcome to bring items from your forge for sale to the public, as we are hoping there will be a good crowd that will also be attending the threshing bee. Our working area will be roped off from the general public, however, so the public can watch but won't be among us while we work.
Camping Available. There is a campground at the Choteau City Park, $10 per night, honor system, no hook ups, a 3 min walk from the threshing bee. The website says first come first serve, but Choteau officials do not expect it to fill up for this event, and if it does people park across the street and anywhere and the city doesn't care.
The second option for camping (with hookups) is Mountain View RV park, also walking distance, from $32 to $70 per night. Their website is www.campchoteaumt.com
If you have any questions email or call Jim Taylor, jimtaylor@nrba.us, 406-880-6159.