Cities in the Midwest are deep in planning mode for festivities to celebrate a rare astronomical phenomenon that will sweep across the United States this spring while travelers are nailing down plans to witness it.
During the total solar eclipse on April 8 the moon will completely block the sun, leaving visible only its corona — its ethereal outer atmosphere.
Unlike a “ring of fire” eclipse when a thin circle of sun peeks from behind the moon’s silhouette, during a total solar eclipse the sky darkens to deep indigo twilight with sunset colors circling the horizon. Temperatures drop, the wind picks up, insects chirp, bats come out to feed, farm animals head for their barns and birds go to roost. Bright planets, stars and even a comet may appear if the skies are clear.
When totality occurs over oceans or sparsely populated land masses, the phenomenon receives little notice. But when totality happens over cities, thousands travel to soak up the eerie sensation.
An August 2017 total eclipse — the first since 1918 to cross the U.S. from coast to coast — drew massive crowds in the Midwest. The moon’s dark shadow was 70 miles wide and totality lasted for about two minutes.
On April 8, totality will occur in a 125-mile-wide band and, depending on location, will last up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds, according to the American Astronomical Society. The next total solar eclipse to traverse the U.S. will not occur until 2045.
While it’s OK to stare at the sky without eye protection during totality, observers must use eclipse glasses — sunglasses won’t cut it — or a special handheld viewer to prevent eye injury before and after the moon completely blocks the sun.
Camera lenses, telescopes and binoculars must have solar filters over the front opening. The AAS has a list of providers of eclipse-viewing equipment. Eclipse glasses will be available at some events.
A partial eclipse will be visible in many Midwest areas, but anyone who wants to experience totality, starting about 1:50 p.m. CDT in southern Missouri and about 3:10 p.m. EDT in northern Ohio, should book lodging and campgrounds well in advance and keep their fingers crossed for cloud-free skies on April 8.
Cities continue to plan festivities, many starting the weekend before the Monday eclipse. Check websites for updates. Here are some locations where you can still participate in Midwest eclipse-viewing activities.
Illinois
Carbondale: Situated at the center of the path of totality, Carbondale claims to be the Eclipse Crossroads of America. An eclipse event at Southern Illinois University’s football stadium will feature a range of cultural and scientific activities hosted by Michelle Nichols of Chicago’s Adler Planetarium.
Viewers will witness totality as it crosses North America through live telescope streams from scientific observations. The Southern Illinois Crossroads Eclipse Festival April 5-8 will include an arts and crafts fair, educational programs, Saluki Eclipse Con, an expo and a range of cultural events.
Makanda: The Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center will have professional and amateur astronomers on hand during the eclipse, with livestreaming should the weather be inclement. An extended weekend stay includes lodging, activities, prime eclipse viewing space, educational sessions and meals on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Alto Pass: The spiritual monument Bald Knob Cross of Peace, which stands at 111 feet on a mountaintop in the Shawnee National Forest, offers admission tickets on April 8 for casual and serious eclipse viewers. Tickets include a commemorative T-shirt and eclipse glasses.
Indiana
Richmond: Eclipse & More 2024, held April 4-8 at the Wayne County Fairgrounds, will include an educational talk with a retired NASA scientist, the Wind Wolves Traveling Kite Show, an alien egg drop, dancing LED robots, a nighttime drone show and fireworks. Visitors will see grill masters at work during the Midwest Grill ‘n’ Show. Concert headliners include the Led Zeppelin Experience and other tribute bands.
Indianapolis: Indy Eclipse Weekend April 5-8 will feature games, films and performances celebrating astronomy. NASA will broadcast live from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which has infield parking, camping and RV sites. NASA experts will be on hand to answer questions.
Eclipse activities are planned at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and the Indiana State Museum. Newfields, a 152-acre campus of art galleries, gardens and a historic home, will have a Total Eclipse of the Art event with Champagne toasts, food and a music festival. White River State Park has green space for eclipse viewing and will park 40 food trucks on the Washington Street Bridge.
Evansville: Events on April 7 and 8 include Solarpalooza at the University of Southern Indiana with a talk by a retired NASA astronaut, experiential learning programs, music and food trucks. An astrophysicist will give a presentation during UEclipse at the University of Evansville, and a lecture at the Native American site Angel Mounds will demonstrate how mounds were engineered to align with the sun and moon. Watch parties are planned at the Evansville Wartime Museum and the Children’s Museum of Evansville.
Vincennes: The Dark Side of the Wabash party, April 6-8, will feature WeddingPalooza, group nuptials on eclipse day. The weekend also includes music, food trucks, kids activities, a beer garden and wine tasting. Vendors will offer crystals and tarot card readings. A Pink Floyd tribute band will perform and “Laughter Before Darkness” will take place at the Red Skelton Museum. www.eclipseindiana.org/events/dark-side-bash
Bloomington: The Shadowfest 2024 Solar Eclipse Camping and Music Festival will take over the Monroe County Fairgrounds April 6-8 with kids activities, hot air balloon rides, science programming, performances by about a dozen bands and an interactive outdoor drum circle on eclipse day. Couples are invited to book a wedding package or bring their own officiant and get married atop their RV. The fairgrounds has RV and tent camping as well as an unobstructed 360-degree view of the sky for viewing a full-circle sunset during totality.
Elsewhere in the Bloomington area, Switchyard Park’s calendar of eclipse activities April 5-8 includes a trivia night, karaoke, crafts, games, a performance by the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, movie night, live music, food trucks and a beer garden. WonderLab Museum will have eclipse toys, scientific tools and an opportunity to buy eclipse glasses and make a pinhole viewer on April 6. It will host an all-ages street party outside April 8.
Eclipse weekend events are planned at Monroe Lake and Lake Lemon. Fowler Pumpkin Patch farm will have music, food and a beer garden on eclipse day. The Waldron Arts Center will screen “2001: A Space Odyssey” on April 8. Indiana University plans to hold an eclipse watch party in Memorial Stadium.
Ohio
Cleveland: Total Eclipse Fest 2024 will be an outdoor family event April 6-8 at North Coast Harbor in downtown Cleveland. The Great Lakes Science Center, home to NASA’s Glenn Research Center, will participate along with the Cleveland Orchestra. NASA experts will be on site and NASA-TV will broadcast live during the eclipse.
On April 7, the orchestra’s “Out of this World” concert will include music from “Star Wars” and “Also sprach Zarathustra,” from the film “2001: A Space Odyssey,” paired with images from the Hubble Telescope, International Space Station and NASA’s photo archives. Vantage points for eclipse viewing include Cleveland Metroparks, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and parks and beaches along Lake Erie.
Sandusky: Eclipse activities in the Shores and Islands region include April 8 watch parties at Vermillion Valley Vineyards; Lakeside Chautauqua, a historic recreational community; and Parkside Drive-In, a historic drive-in movie theater in Oregon, Ohio, a few minutes from Maumee Bay and Lake Erie.
Jet Express ferry is planning to take several vessels onto Lake Erie to give passengers a view of totality from the water. Jackson Street Pier will have vendors and musical entertainment for the Total Eclipse of Sundusky Festival April 5-8. The Hayes Presidential Library & Museum, where the exhibit “Chasing Totality: The History and Science of Eclipses” has been entertaining astronomy buffs since last fall, plans eclipse activities for kids on April 6, including a scavenger hunt, a reading station and crafts. The Sidney Frohman Planetarium’s show Great American Solar Eclipse will be held April 7 and will occur outside on April 8.
Missouri
West Plains: This town nestled in the Missouri Ozarks is planning Eclipse West Plains: Party in the Path April 5-8 with murals, history and art tours, a 5K run and a concert. The Sunshine Festival will have vendors, food trucks and a beer garden and the Heart of the Ozarks Fairgrounds will host a hot air balloon event, live music and fireworks. The fairgrounds are an official viewing site for the eclipse, along with the West Plains Civic Center and the Ted Landers Soccer Complex.
Cape Girardeau: This Mississippi River town plans to have music, food trucks and kids activities at the Sportsplex for eclipse viewers on April 8. Fort D Historic Site will celebrate totality with a cannon firing. A carnival and music at Benton Speedway will be part of the Eclipse Festival April 6-8.
Katherine Rodeghier is a freelance writer.
