SUPERIOR — From Friday, March 13 through Sunday, March 15, the Superior Chamber of Commerce will present the 32nd Annual Apache Leap Mining Festival, a fun-filled event that showcases Superior’s rich history as a mining town. The theme of this year’s festival is “Celebrating Mining Machinery, Past and Present.” Featuring an exciting line-up of family-friendly activities including a parade, carnival, live entertainment, and opportunities to learn about the history of Superior and the mining industry. This unique event is much-loved by locals and visitors each year.
The Apache Leap Mining Festival will launch on Friday evening with a carnival, vendors selling food and handcrafted goods, music and dancing on Main Street. The festivities will continue on Saturday, beginning with the annual parade and hilarious Chihuahua races, which feature a runoff between the fastest small dog and the fastest Chihuahua. Live entertainment will contribute to the upbeat atmosphere throughout the day, culminating with Saturday night’s headliner band, Power Drive.
Each year, the Festival features a variety of fun hands-on activities for all ages. For instance, attendees will not want to miss the mining competition, in which participants perform grueling tasks such as sawing, mucking, spiking and drilling in a battle to win a portion of the coveted prize of $3,000. Less strenuous options will include a tug-of-war competition and rock painting for a project called Superior Rocks, in which small painted rocks are hidden throughout the downtown area, found and admired, and then re-hidden for someone else to find. Younger members of the family will enjoy the Kid’s Zone, where they will learn about mining through hands-on activities, like panning for pennies. After a full day, attendees can relax and enjoy a refreshing beverage in the Blasting Zone Beer Garden.
Offering a unique educational opportunity, representatives from different mine companies will be eager to share information about Superior’s history and the past, present and future of the mining industry, while historian speakers will bring to life the area’s captivating mining stories. Nature lovers will enjoy an interactive presentation by Wildman Phil, who will perform with his desert reptiles — and choose brave members of the audience to assist him!
The Apache Leap Mining Festival is free to the public, with the exception of vendors, the carnival and the beer garden. Festivities will run from 5-11 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday. The Superior Chamber of Commerce is proud to invite visitors to “Discover Superior a well-kept secret of an amazing little town.”
For more information, visit www.superiorarizonachamber.org, call 520-689-0200 or stop by the Superior Chamber of Commerce at 165 W. Main St., Superior, Ariz.
