Across three days, Steel Weekend – Oct. 10,11 and 12 – remembers the men and women who built Bethlehem Steel and brings the magic of molten metal, music and memory to life.

The weekend opens Friday, Oct. 10, with a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Bethlehem Steel, the People Who Built America. At 3:30 p.m., Bette Kovach – Bethlehem Steel’s last spokeswoman – shares insights before a screening at Univest Lehigh Valley Public Media.

That evening at 7, the full documentary premieres on PBS39. To end the day, NMIH presents a Metal Health Workshop led by U.S. Marine veteran and artist Jay Elias, blending creativity, healing and steel.

Saturday, Oct. 11, begins with music as Roland Kushner performs Songs of Steel, setting the tone for a day of memory and pride. Steelworkers and their families gather at the Overtime Lunch and Reunion, a tradition that brings old friends together.

Celebrate the Veterans of Steel at 1 p.m. with a keynote, panel discussion, and the premiere of a moving new documentary honoring those who served in the plant, the offices and in research.

As the sun sets, the museum grounds come alive with fire and molten metal during an unforgettable outdoor iron pour demonstration, complete with narration, food and local brews.

History takes center stage Sunday, Oct. 12. At 1 p.m. as historian Mike Piersa brings the iconic No. 2 Machine Shop to life with stories from the archives.

At 2 p.m., the Bethlehem Steel Legacy Band fills the museum’s new Next Level second-floor space with music that carries the spirit of steel.

Later that afternoon, curator and artist Katie Hovencamp guides visitors through Materia Medica, the striking exhibition by Marissa Baez at the Alvin H. Butz Gallery. Between programs, witness the Corliss steam engine roar back to life and explore live industrial demonstrations across the museum.

Steel Weekend is more than an event – it’s a reunion, a remembrance, and a living tribute to the people and places that shaped our community.

Contributed article