There’s a sound a blacksmith’s hammer makes when it hits hot steel. It rings bright and sharp, and it cuts right through the noise of a crowd. Most of us have never heard it in person. On Saturday, November 7, 2026, though, you’ll hear it all afternoon at Timber Creek Distillery. It mixes with oak smoke, wood-fired pizza, and slow-cooked barbecue across our 240-acre farm.
This is Blacksmithing & Barbecue. It’s one of the most fun, hands-on events we host all year. There’s live forging. Plus all-you-can-eat barbecue, wood-fired pizza, and drinks. And the whole day has an easy, good-company feel. In short, it’s the kind of Saturday you’ll talk about all week.
So here’s everything that’s happening. We’ll also cover why it’s worth the drive and how to grab your spot before it sells out.
The Short Version
- What: Blacksmithing & Barbecue—live forging, all-you-can-eat BBQ, wood-fired pizza, and drinks
- When: Saturday, November 7, 2026
- Live blacksmithing: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM (free to watch)
- Food & drinks: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Price: $40—all you can eat, all you can drinkWhere: Timber Creek Distillery, 6451 Lake Ella Rd, Crestview, FL 32539 (about 45 minutes north of Destin)
- Good to know: All ages welcome; 21+ to drink. Seating is limited.
It Started as a Simple Hammer-In
Not every great event starts out that way. This one began as a simple hammer-in. Smiths gathered to fire their forges and work steel together. Pretty soon, though, it wanted to be something bigger. So we added wood-fired pizza. Then barbecue. After that, a few drinks and a wide stretch of farmland to spread out on. Suddenly, a casual get-together became a full Saturday worth clearing your calendar for.
That’s the spirit of the day: relaxed, real, and built around things made by hand. There are no velvet ropes here. You won’t find a rigid schedule, either, and no one will rush you through. Instead, you get good food, good drinks, hot steel, and time to enjoy all three.
What a Hammer-In Actually Looks Like
Maybe you’ve never seen blacksmithing up close. Here’s what you’re in for, then. A hammer-in works like the blacksmithing world’s version of a jam session. Smiths set up their forges, heat their steel, and work out in the open, side by side. Meanwhile, they trade techniques and talk shop as a crowd gathers around. It’s social, active, and honestly a little hypnotic. From 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, you’ll watch skilled smiths shape glowing metal in real time. They do it the old way, with fire, muscle, and an anvil.
First, a bar of cold gray steel goes into the coals. Minutes later, it comes out glowing orange. Then, under steady hammer blows, it turns into something useful. Maybe a hook, a leaf, a blade, or a tool. This craft has no shortcuts and no undo button. Every strike has to land right. So you’re really watching years of skill in a few minutes of sparks and heat. Whether you’re nine or ninety, it’s hard to look away.
And the best part? Watching the blacksmithing costs nothing. You don’t need a ticket to stand by the forge and feel the heat. The ticket covers the food and drinks instead. More on that in a moment.
Florida’s Blacksmithing Community Runs Deep
Here’s another thing that makes this event special. It connects to a real, living craft tradition. In Florida, blacksmithing isn’t a museum piece. In fact, it’s an active, thriving community. Much of that energy comes from the Florida Artist Blacksmith Association (FABA). This statewide nonprofit works to keep the art alive. It also gives smiths a place to connect, share knowledge, and create.
FABA holds monthly meetings across Florida, plus an annual conference. And the group stays busy right in our corner of the state. For example, its “Far West” region runs monthly hammer-ins across the western Panhandle. You’ll find them at spots like Traditions Workshop in Fort Walton Beach and Butler Farm in Pace. There, folks swing a hammer, bend steel, and punch a hole through iron.
So this event isn’t a one-off novelty. Instead, think of it as a doorway. Come out on November 7, and the sparks just might pull you in. After that, a whole network of Florida smiths stands ready to welcome you. We love connecting curious first-timers with master craftspeople. Today’s spectator, after all, often becomes next year’s hobbyist.
Now, the Food
Let’s be honest about why many folks will come through the gate. At 11:00 AM, the food and drinks fire up. From then until 4:00 PM, it’s a steady, generous, no-rush spread. For $40, you get all you can eat and all you can drink. Here’s the lineup:
- Barbecue—slow-cooked, smoky, and just right for a long afternoon outdoors
- Wood-fired pizza—pulled fresh from the oven, as much as you want, as many trips as you like
- Drinks flowing while the food’s hot—so the whole afternoon stays easy and social
And here’s the idea behind it. This isn’t a sit-down dinner, and it isn’t rushed service. We set the pace on purpose. So eat a little, then wander over to watch the forge. Grab another slice. Find some shade, and settle in. In short, it should feel like a long Saturday with friends.
One friendly note on the drinks. The event welcomes all ages and stays family-friendly. Still, you’ll need to be 21 or older to drink, and we’ll check IDs. Please plan a safe ride home, too. We want everyone to have a great time and get home safe.
Why a Distillery Is Hosting a Blacksmithing Day
At first, the pairing might seem odd. A craft distillery and a blacksmith’s forge? Spend five minutes on our farm, though, and it clicks. Timber Creek has always been about more than the bottle. We’re a grain-to-glass distillery on a 240-acre family farm near Crestview. Camden Ford and Master Distiller Aaron Barnes founded it in 2014. We grow, distill, age, and blend right here, the slow and deliberate way.
That work builds a deep respect for process, patience, and skill. And the same respect lives at a blacksmith’s anvil. Both crafts turn raw material and know-how into something lasting. Each one is easy to do poorly and hard to do well. Plus, both reward you far more in person than on a page.
So that’s the thinking behind events like this. We’re a working farm and a production distillery. Most of all, though, we’re a gathering place. We love opening the gates for good craft, good food, and a great afternoon. A blacksmithing hammer-in simply fits who we are.
Who This Day Is For
Honestly, just about everyone. Still, a few folks tend to have the best time. Families find a rare outing that teaches without feeling like a lesson. Kids, for one, get spellbound by the forge. Meanwhile, the all-you-can-eat pizza makes it an easy yes at home. Makers and tinkerers will feel right at home, too. They’ll watch skilled smiths work and pick up plenty of tips on how to start.
Foodies can come just for the spread, and that’s fine by us. Picture wood-fired pizza, smoked barbecue, and drinks on a scenic farm. Practicing smiths already know the pull of a good hammer-in. They’ll find camaraderie, shared techniques, and people who get it. And maybe you’ve driven past, heard the name, or tasted our spirits. If so, this is an easy, low-key way to see the farm and meet the crew.
Picture the Afternoon
Picture rolling in mid-morning. The forges already glow. A small crowd circles the first smith of the day. They’re drawing a long, bright taper out of a bar of stock. The hammer rings across the property. Behind you, the wood-fired oven climbs to temperature. Soon, the first pies slide in.
By late morning, barbecue smoke joins the woodsmoke. The whole place eases into a comfortable rhythm. So you grab a plate and find some shade. Then you watch a leaf take shape on the anvil while you eat. A kid up front gasps as the sparks fly. After that, you go back for the Pizza everyone keeps talking about. Sure enough, it lives up to the hype.
The afternoon stretches the way the best ones do. You chat with the person beside you. A smith explains two hammers you didn’t know had names. Then you glance up and realize three hours have flown by. That’s the day we’re building. And that’s what your ticket buys: not just a meal, but a genuinely great Saturday.
Getting Here
You’ll find Timber Creek at 6451 Lake Ella Rd, Crestview, FL 32539. The farm sits in the heart of the Florida Panhandle. It’s an easy drive from across the Emerald Coast. In fact, we’re about 45 minutes north of Destin. We’re also close to Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, and Navarre. Coming from the coast? The drive inland is part of the fun. You trade the beach for rolling farmland, and our gates wait at the end.
A few quick logistics:
- Come when it suits you. Forging runs 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, and food runs 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM. So the window is wide. Arrive early for the forge, or roll in for a late lunch.
- Dress for a farm. This is an outdoor event. Wear closed-toe shoes near the forge, and check the forecast first.
- Bring the whole crew. All ages are welcome. Just remember the 21+ rule for drinks.
- Seating is limited. We keep the day relaxed, so we cap the space. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.
How to Get Tickets
Because seating is limited, this event tends to fill up. And once it sells out, it’s gone. The good news? Grabbing your spot takes about thirty seconds. Your $40 covers all-you-can-eat barbecue and all the wood-fired pizza you want, plus drinks all afternoon. Meanwhile, watching the live blacksmithing stays free for everyone on-site. So go ahead and buy your tickets in advance rather than risk the day-of line.
Bring Friends. Bring Curiosity. Bring an Appetite.
Not many Saturdays offer this much at once. You can watch a centuries-old craft up close. You can eat all the wood-fired pizza and barbecue you can hold. Plus, you can spend an easy afternoon on a working Florida farm. And it’s all $40. In short, Blacksmithing & Barbecue is our favorite kind of event. We built it for slow afternoons, good people, and a place worth lingering in.
So mark Saturday, November 7, 2026 on your calendar. Round up a few friends. Then come see what happens when fire, steel, smoke, and great company share one afternoon. We can’t wait to have you.