Blacksmithing 102: Beyond the Basics at Naper Settlement

Let us start with the part that saves half of you a click. Blacksmithing 102: Beyond the Basics at Naper Settlement is not a beginner class. You must be 18 or older, only six people get in, and you must have already completed Naper Settlement’s two day Blacksmithing 101 program before you can register. If you have never swung a hammer at hot steel, this is not your entry point.

If you have taken 101, though, this is the follow up you have been waiting for. The class runs Sunday, August 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Settlement’s working blacksmith shop, on the historic village campus at 523 S Webster St in downtown Naperville. The fee is $100 per adult. One more thing to know before you plan around it: the August 30 session was showing as sold out on the registration page at the time of writing. There is a move to make about that, and it is further down.

The Requirements, Plainly

That six person cap is the whole reason this class is worth the money. Forge work does not scale. With six participants and a limited number of anvils and fires, you get real time at the steel and real correction from the instructor, instead of watching a demonstration over three rows of shoulders.

• Age: 18 and older. The registration page states that all registrants for this class must be 18+ years old.
• Prerequisite: you must have previously completed the Blacksmithing 101 two day program at Naper Settlement specifically. A workshop taken somewhere else does not appear to substitute.
• Class size: capped at six participants.
• Cost: $100 per adult.
• When: Sunday, August 30, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., three hours start to finish.
• Where: Naper Settlement, 523 S Webster St, Naperville.

What Beyond the Basics Means

102 builds on the foundational technique you covered in 101. You already know how to run a fire, hold work safely, and move metal in the handful of ways that underpin everything else a smith does. This class takes that vocabulary further at the Settlement’s working shop, which matters more than it sounds: this is a real blacksmith shop on a living history campus, not a classroom with a demo setup shoved in the corner.

Naper Settlement publishes the specific project and skill list on its own calendar listing for the class, and it is worth reading before you register so you know exactly what you are signing up to make. Three hours is enough to go deep on a small number of things rather than sample everything, so knowing the plan in advance helps you show up with the right expectations.

It Is Sold Out. Here Is Your Move.

When we checked the registration page, the August 30 session was marked sold out. With six seats, that happens quickly, and it is going to keep happening. That does not mean you are out of options.

• Ask about a waitlist. Contact Naper Settlement directly rather than treating the web page as the final word. Cancellations do happen.
• Know the cancellation window. The registration terms retain a $20 fee on cancellations and offer no refunds within two weeks of the start date. That means most drop outs land before roughly August 16, which is when a seat is most likely to free up. Check back around then.
• If you have not taken 101, book that first. The two day 101 program is the gate. Get through it once and you are eligible for every 102 that follows.
• Set a reminder for the next round. Naper Settlement runs these on a rotating schedule, so watch the calendar rather than waiting for an announcement to find you.

Plan Your Visit

Naper Settlement sits at 523 S Webster St, at the south end of downtown Naperville next to the Municipal Center. August 30 is a Sunday, which works in your favor on parking.

• Free parking: the Settlement’s visitor lot is at the southwest corner of Porter Avenue and Webster Street, 200 W Porter Ave.
• Weekend overflow: the upper level of the Municipal Center lot just north of the Settlement and the west side of Webster Street are free on weekends and after 5 p.m.
• Arrive early: give yourself 15 minutes before the 10 a.m. start. The campus is large and the blacksmith shop is not at the front gate.
• Dress for a forge: closed toe leather shoes and natural fiber clothing are standard for hot work, because synthetics melt. Confirm the Settlement’s specific requirements when you register, and leave the good clothes at home. You will smell like coal smoke.
• Afterward: you finish at 1 p.m. in downtown Naperville, which is a convenient time and place to be hungry. The Riverwalk starts a few blocks north if you want to walk it off.

Blacksmithing 102: Beyond the Basics runs Sunday, August 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Naper Settlement, 523 S Webster St in Naperville. The fee is $100 per adult, participants must be 18 or older, enrollment is capped at six, and Naper Settlement’s two day Blacksmithing 101 is a required prerequisite. The session was showing sold out at the time of writing, so contact Naper Settlement about a waitlist or the next available date, and confirm every detail on the Settlement’s own event listing before you plan around it.

Event Details At-A-Glance

• When: Sunday, August 30, 2026, 10:00 AM–1:00 PM
• Where: Naper Settlement
• Address: 523 S Webster St, Naperville, IL 60540, United States
• Admission: $100
• Organizer: Naper Settlement
• Tickets / info: Get details

Dates, times, and pricing can change. Confirm the latest details on the official event page before making plans.

Looking for more? Explore other things to do in Naperville or browse the full Naperville events calendar.