Superior’s Mining Festival celebrates its roots in mining

from February 2023 Issue of GlobeMiamiTimes

Sim

By Mila Besich

The Apache Leap Mining Festival takes place every spring in Superior, and it’s a rare opportunity where you’ll be able to witness – and even take part in – mining the way it was done in the Old West.

The competition events during the festival include jack leg drilling, sawing, spiking, and mucking. People come from across the state and beyond to compete, testing their brawn, skill and strategy. Jack leg drilling, sawing, and spiking are all individual events, but mucking is a team sport: How fast can a team fill an ore cart, move it down the course and back, and then dump it?

The festival gives spectators a chance to see and hear about the mining work that, even at the time, was largely invisible to anyone who didn’t actually work in the mines. It will give you a new appreciation for the miners who worked to bring critical minerals to the surface, and those who continue that work today - albeit with modern tools.

The mining competition has been part of the Apache Leap Mining Festival since its beginning in the late 1980s. The idea of a festival to celebrate Superior started as a way to sustain the town’s economy after the closure of the Magma Mine in 1982.

One of the first community-sponsored events in Superior was called Apache Leap Days - the name celebrated the red escarpment on the east side of town - and it included a mining competition from the very first. Over the years, the name for the event evolved; at one point it was called the Apache Leap Mountain Festival. As the event grew and leadership changed, the emphasis on mining and Superior’s history became more central, and today the event is promoted as the Apache Leap Mining Festival. But you’ll still hear many locals calling it Apache Leap Days.

The festival has grown to include something for everyone: a carnival, live entertainment, chihuahua races, and, of course, a wide variety of food and novelty vendors. And for the curious at heart, lectures by historians and other experts will offer insight and context on our mining culture. And local mines will have booths to educate the public on their projects and the importance of mining and mineral extraction.

When the event first began, the Town of Superior hosted the event, and funds raised were used to support community recreation programs. The Town later handed over the reins to the Superior Chamber of Commerce while still serving as a leading sponsor for the event. The infrastructure built for the Apache Leap Mining Festival, including a stage, restrooms and a food court, has also provided a foundation for eventsbased tourism in Superior including six major events throughout the year. The festival itself has become a primary fundraiser for the Chamber.

Today, it’s believed Superior might be the only town hosting a celebration focused on mining, a tradition the Chamber is proud to continue.

The 2023 Apache Leap Mining Festival will be held March 10-12 in downtown Superior. There will be a carnival on Main Street and live entertainment at the Besich Park stage and beer garden. Saturday morning kicks off with a parade, followed by the chihuahua races and the mining competition. Headliner entertainment for each day includes: