SIPESVILLE — A community festival is planned to mark the 15th anniversary of the rescue of nine miners trapped underground in the Quecreek Mine.

Mark Schweiker, who was governor during the 2002 disaster that trapped the miners underground for 77 hours, will address the media July 27, two days before the festival in Sipesvile. Schweiker remained at the Somerset County mine site until all nine miners were rescued on July 28, 2002.

The July 29 festival will include public tours of the mine rescue site.

The miners were rescued when crews drilled a small shaft used to bring the miners up one by one in a small, metal capsule.

The miners were trapped when water from an abandoned mine flooded their shaft.