The 34th Annual Apache Leap Mining Festival takes place March 10-12, 2023 in the historic mining town of Superior, Arizona. This event is a chance to celebrate the town’s rich mining history, with a focus on the past, present and future of mining in the area. Named after the red escarpment on the east side of town, this event is a favorite among locals and visitors from across the state.
One of the most popular events at the festival is the mining competition. The mining competition includes jack leg drilling, mucking, sawing and spiking. It is a competition of brawn, skill and strategy. While the spiking, sawing and jack leg drilling are individual competitions, mucking is a team sport. Participants are timed to see how quickly they can fill an ore cart, move to one end of the course and back, and dump it. Spectators will get a glimpse of the work by miners past and present that is often unseen, and will gain a new appreciation for the miners who work to bring critical minerals to the surface. This year’s competition will take place on Saturday, March 11, following the chihuahua races.
The Mining Festival includes historical presentations on the town’s mining past, along with booths from local mines educating the public on their projects and the importance of mining and mineral extraction.
Mining may be the focus of this celebration, but there is something for everyone at the 2023 Apache Leap Mining Festival, including a carnival, live entertainment all weekend long, a beer garden, speakers, chihuahua races, a petting zoo on Sunday and of course a wide variety of food and retail vendors.
For more information and a schedule of events, visit: https://apacheleapminingfestival.com/.
