The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) officially kicked off their 36th annual Minerpalooza event on Sept. 11, bringing the UTEP Miner spirit for students, faculty and people of all ages.
For 36 years, Minerpalooza has brought the UTEP and El Paso communities to enjoy live music, activities for all ages and food across campus.
UTEP President Heather Wilson says that Minerpalooza is a great way for the community of El Paso to go out and have some fun.
“It’s a great way for our students to raise money for their clubs and organizations,” Wilson said. “But also, for the community to just come and enjoy the campus and have some fun. It’s a great opportunity to support clubs and organizations while having fun with your friends in a really safe place. It’s a great tradition.”
UTEP’s Minerpalooza activities included games that were hosted by UTEP’s student organizations, Pete’s Playground an area for children to play and interact with other kids their age, the artisan market that hosted local vendors selling art and their own handmade products and the Wine and Beer Garden for adults if they wanted to grab a drink to relax.
The night would not have been complete without UTEP’s dance team, marching band and football team, showcasing their Miner spirit. The live music that Minerpalooza featured was Frontera Bugalu, Jezzika Sax, Dariel Amant and the winner of Texas Western Gold Rush’s Battle of the Bands, DJ Rûûb.
UTEP Dance Team members Kayla Dela Garza and Evelyn Ibarra Neraz made a comeback with the team after winning nationals last semester.
“I think it means a lot to us just because we’ve been working so hard throughout the whole summer and we just came off of a nationals win too last semester,” Dela Garza said.
Ibarr Nmeraz finds that their work ethic pays off when they’re able to show UTEP students what they’ve been working on.
“Coming here allows us to give everybody a chance to see what we’ve been working really hard on,” Ibarra Neraz said. “We spend the whole summer, even the whole year, all seasons [working], we don’t stop. We’re constant, so it’s nice to be able to show off what we got.”
For students, Minerpalooza is not only to have fun with their friends, but to also meet new people and create long lasting memories as the new semester begins.
UTEP hosted its 36th annual Minerpalooza on Sept. 11. The event invited students and members of the local community to enjoy food from local businesses, play games at booths hosted by student organizations and watch live musical performances.
UTEP freshman, Soren Mclaughlin, says that his first Minerpalooza helped him meet new people and find enjoyment, especially as a college student.
“I’ve seen so many people I know, and I’ve met so many new people now, it’s just really nice.”
“It’s a great way to just get out and do stuff. I think that goes with any school, but especially with college.”
UTEP senior, Luis Antonio Delmercado, found his first and last Minerpalooza this year to be exciting, finding the right time to make it to the event.
“Every previous Minerpalooza, I was always scheduled on the shift that day, and this is the first time that I was free that day,” Delmercado said. “I was very excited to come, it’s very lively.”
Delmercado believed that students can take the opportunity to find new experiences and shared advice for future and current Miners.
“Honestly, talk to the people around you, network and make new friends. That’s what it’s about. Coming to university is like making those connections that could last a lifetime,” Delmercado said.
Minerpalooza is an event that will always be happy to show it’s Miner spirit to students, creates exciting and new memories for the current Miners and for future Miners as well.
Aziel Ramos is a contributor for The Prospector and may be reached at [email protected]