Last weekend, the City of Bellville was bustling with activity but none of the happenings were as sharp as the action at Phenix Knives for the third annual Texas Select from Forged in Fire event.

Cowboy Szymanski has hosted the event at the Blacksmith Shop in downtown Bellville – originally built in 1891 – for fellow competitors of the History Channel’s knife-making competition show Forged in Fire to participate in live demonstrations and competitions. Each year, Szymanski said the event grows larger in size and 2021 was no exception.

“The brotherhood from Forged in Fire is national so we can call anybody anywhere in the country and they’re all great friends to us,” Szymanski said Saturday afternoon. “Now we’ve got over 50 Forged in Fire guys from 20-plus states that are showing up to be a part of this in the little town of Bellville.”

Former competitors were once again pitted against each other in a series of tasks and skills to see who the top blacksmith was. All the while, the community was given a frontrow seat to years’ old techniques and methods in their backyard.

“The smiles and happiness on everyone’s faces, seeing them grin, getting to see them experience something they never thought they could do, answering questions and teaching the next generation on how they can get into this and how they can make it grow,” Szymanski said of his favorite part of the weekend’s events.

Szymanski was invited to restore the historic Blacksmith Shop at 305 E. Main Street in Bellville to a working shop in 2003 and has operated Phenix Knives since then where events and demonstrations are held throughout the year. He said the Austin County community adds to the success of the annual event.

“This was the third time we’ve done this event, every year it doubles in size, gets bigger and bigger and gets more of the community involved,” Szymanski said. “The way the community comes together to make this event so popular. The Lions Club, the Bellville Science Club, the Veterans Association, the Houston Area Blacksmith Association, all these nonprofit organizations coming together with the people in the town, the mayor is working here. Everyone helps us put the event on, the community is just incredible to me and makes it so much fun.”