Mountain State Art and Craft Fair Welcomes the Return of Blacksmithing Demonstrations in 2026

Mountain State Art and Craft Fair Welcomes the Return of Blacksmithing Demonstrations in 2026as blacksmithing returns to the fair for the first time in several years.

The Mountain State Art and Craft Fair is pleased to announce that Cash Forge will join this year’s fair not only as exhibitors, but also as live demonstrators, showcasing one of Appalachia’s oldest and most essential heritage crafts.

For generations, blacksmiths played a vital role in Appalachian life, creating and repairing tools, hardware, horseshoes, and household items that helped sustain rural communities. The art of blacksmithing remains a powerful symbol of craftsmanship, ingenuity, and self-reliance — values that continue to define Appalachian culture today.

Based in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle, Cash Forge is operated by blacksmith and bladesmith M. Cash McGee and Sara Marie McGee. Together, they teach blacksmithing classes, apprenticeships, and community programs while working to preserve and share traditional forging techniques with a new generation.

“We are not only interested in vending, but being able to demonstrate our trade,” the couple shared when reaching out to participate in the fair. “We always enjoy local events and opportunities to demonstrate our tradition and craft.”

Throughout the fair, visitors will have the opportunity to watch live forging demonstrations and learn about the history and techniques behind the blacksmithing trade.

Cash Forge also offers hands-on educational opportunities through workshops and apprenticeships, including their popular “Fundamentals of Bladesmithing & Knife Making” class. Students learn traditional forging techniques while creating knives from materials such as horseshoes, railroad spikes, and steel billets using hammer-and-anvil methods.

M. Cash McGee began blacksmithing at the age of nine while working alongside his uncle in the hollers of Poplar Camp, Virginia. Over the decades, he worked as both a farrier and blacksmith before apprenticing as a bladesmith in the late 1990s. After stepping away from the forge for several years, McGee reignited his passion in 2023 and officially reopened Cash Forge.

“I am a blacksmith who makes blades, and I have a passion for the craft and sharing it with others as it was shared with me,” McGee said.

Sara Marie McGee has worked alongside her husband for more than 15 years on a variety of construction, fabrication, and rigging projects. Over the past several years, she has expanded her skills through coursework in welding, fabrication, and blacksmithing while becoming an integral part of the growing forge operation.

The Mountain State Art and Craft Fair continues its mission of preserving Appalachian heritage crafts by providing opportunities for artisans to demonstrate, teach, and share their traditions with thousands of visitors each year.

The 2026 Mountain State Art and Craft Fair will take place July 2–4, 2026, at Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley, West Virginia.

For more information about the fair, visit:Mountain State Art and Craft Fair

For more information about Cash Forge, classes, and apprenticeships, visit:Cash Forge Website