How long is the workshop?

The scheduled session runs about 90 minutes, which covers instruction, selecting color, and shaping your piece.

What is the minimum age?

Participants must be at least 9 years old; minors should be accompanied by an adult as required by the studio.

Where do I meet the group?

Meet at Huron St. Studios — 23 N. Huron St., Toledo, OH as listed in the workshop details.

When can I pick up my finished glass?

Finished pieces are typically available for pickup after approximately 48 hours, subject to the studio’s gallery hours.

How large are the groups?

Workshops are limited to up to 10 people to ensure hands-on instruction and safety.

Is the hot shop safe for beginners?

Yes—technicians handle the highest-risk tasks; you’ll be guided through safe, age-appropriate participation in shaping and blowing.

Make Your Own Drinking Glass — Hot Glass Workshop at Huron St. Studios, Toledo

At Huron St. Studios — 23 N. Huron St., Toledo, Ohio — the Make Your Own Drinking Glass workshop condenses heat, motion, and color into a ninety-minute, hands-on lesson in hot glass. In an intimate shop that welcomes up to ten people, you’ll stand near the furnace and pick colors and a form — tumbler, rocks glass, or stemless wineglass — then shape molten soda-lime glass with a blowpipe while technicians guide each step. The meeting point is the studio address; sessions run about 90 minutes and accept makers aged nine and up.

The scene inside is elemental: a bright orange glory hole, the hiss of annealers, benches lined with color canes and metal tools. Key features include the furnace used to gather glass, the marver for shaping, the pontil that frees the finished piece, and an annealing kiln where your glass cools slowly. The immersive microclimate of the hot shop feels both industrial and artistic — heat, reflective glass, and spinning color meld into tangible keepsakes. Finished pieces are available for pickup after 48 hours, subject to gallery hours, so plan a return trip.

Toledo’s identity as the Glass City lends local meaning to the experience. The city’s manufacturing and art-glass history makes this studio part of a longer tradition of experimentation and craft; visitors often pair a class with visits to the Toledo Museum of Art or a walk along the Maumee Riverfront. The workshop offers a beginner-friendly way to connect with that history while producing something you’ll use daily.

Practical notes you’ll appreciate: sessions are limited to small groups, so book early; wear natural-fiber clothing and closed-toe shoes; tie back long hair and leave loose synthetic fabrics at home. The class balances safety and creativity — technicians handle the kiln work while you participate in shaping and breathing life into the vessel. Expect to stand for much of the session, and bring a small bag for your finished piece if you plan to pick it up immediately after gallery hours resume.

This workshop is ideal for travelers who want an active indoor experience that ties craft to place: families with age-appropriate children, couples seeking a memorable date, or solo travelers after a tactile souvenir. In ninety minutes you get instruction, an introduction to the tools of hot glass, and a custom drinking glass that carries the heat and color of Toledo home with you. Classes run year-round, and the studio often schedules public workshops around holidays and local events; check availability before you travel. The small-group format makes for attentive instruction, and taking home a usable object transforms a short visit into a memorable skill-starter — a practical souvenir that speaks of material, process, and place. today.