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From Imagination to Reality: Youth Metalcasting Competition Takes Center Stage

The skill and creativity of young metalcasters will be on display at Metalcasting Congress 2024 as part of the first-ever Casting Dreams competition.

Hosted by the Steel Founders’ Society of America, this exciting initiative invites teens to bring their visions to tangible reality through metalcasting. The competition aims to celebrate the fusion of artistry and craftsmanship by encouraging participants to create their “dream” metal casting.

All Casting Dreams contest submissions are set to be featured on the exhibit floor at Metalcasting Congress 2024 on April 24 and 25 at the Baird Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With a top prize of $300 and various other rewards, Casting Dreams is a platform for budding talents to shine, receive informed critiques from professionals, and gain recognition within the wider metalcasting community.

This competition is open to all young people aged 14 to 18. Castings must be less than 10 kg (22 lb.) and submissions should include a story (fewer than 2 pages) of why, how, and what the casting is. Castings are due by March 29, 2024, and should be submitted to SFSA, 780 McArdle Drive, Unit G, Crystal Lake, IL 60014.

For entry details and more information, visit https://steamextremeffa.org and download the contest flyer here.


The American Foundry Society is a dynamic technical and advocacy organization that serves and represents the $50 billion metalcasting industry. AFS is the only association serving the entire industry, including all metals and processes, with a three-part focus on advocacy, education, and innovation. AFS also publishes Modern Casting and Casting Source magazines and presents Metalcasting Congress and CastExpo, the largest metalcasting trade events in North America. Founded in 1896, the organization is based in Schaumburg, Illinois, with an advocacy office in Washington, D.C. More information is available at afsinc.org.