On the horizon

After months of planning, the total solar eclipse is nearly here.

Local communities have been gearing up for the April 8 phenomenon when the moon will block out the sun as it passes between the sun and the earth.

Those in the path of totality — weather permitting — will be able to see the sun’s corona, its outer atmosphere that is usually obscured.

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the eclipse’s path of totality will travel from Mexico through the United States, passing through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, with small parts of Tennessee and Michigan also experiencing the spectacle as well as Southern Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton and Newfoundland in Canada.

Totality — the amount of time the sun will be obscured by the moon — in Blackford, Jay and Randolph counties ranges between three and four minutes depending on the location, with Randolph County meeting the longest span of time. (To check out a specific community’s statistics for the eclipse, visit the Astronomical Applications Department’s website at bit.ly/43p6ayS or weather.gov/ind/2024eclipsetimingtables.)

Campgrounds and hotels have been steadily filling up for the weekend of April 5 through April 8.

“We’re expecting thousands of people to be passing through the area for the event,” noted Tim Norris Jr., a member of the Blackford Blackout planning committee.

Jay Emergency Management Agency director Samantha Rhodehamel said emergency personnel are preparing to have two to four times the community’s population.

“It’s impossible to say, we could have a couple hundred extra cars, we could have a couple thousand extra cars,” said Blackford Emergency Management Agency director Bill Smith.

On a typical day, if a large event were to occur, departments could call other counties for mutual aid, explained Rhodehamel. With the potential influx of people coming into the state, though, that may not be possible. Emergency personnel have been working for months on plans if an event should occur. 

“We’re looking at what could happen — could we have a multi-vehicle accident? Could we have a fire? Could we have extreme cold?” said Rhodehamel, noting tornadoes also aren’t out of the realm of possibility.

Emergency eclipse plans are in place, with Smith noting if traffic is backed up from the event, some roads will be designated solely as emergency routes.

Residents should also take precautions leading up to the eclipse. Smith advised folks to prepare early by stocking up prior to the eclipse on medications, groceries and gasoline. Cell towers may also have issues on April 8 with the expected overload of visitors.

“They need to prepare like a blizzard is coming,” said Marla Threewits, who is heading up the Randolph County 2024 Eclipse committee.

Folks watching the eclipse should also make sure they have viewing glasses that are designed for safe direct solar viewing. Even with the glasses, Smith advised viewers to look away from the sun during the eclipse periodically.

With the eclipse less than three weeks away, excitement is in the air. The last total solar eclipse in Indiana occurred in 1806. After April 8, the next total solar eclipse won’t be until 2099.

“I think it’s a big deal because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event,” said Rhodehamel.

“Just be prepared,” she added. “We are going to have visitors.”

More information about solar eclipse safety may be found at Indiana Department of Homeland Security’s website or on area Emergency Management Agency Facebook pages.

Activities are slated throughout the weekend leading up to the eclipse in Jay, Blackford and Randolph counties.

Jay County

The fairgrounds is coordinating a few activities over the weekend. Dunkirk will host an event at its park the day of the eclipse.

Jay County Fairgrounds has camping available — folks can buy tickets at jaycountyfair.com — and will host Jay County Cancer Society’s Dueling Pianos event on April 6 and a Smash House on April 7.

Elasha Lennartz, a board member on the cancer society, explained the performance is given by Dueling Pianos International, an interactive music show. Now in its third year in Jay County, it will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Marion and Irene Bubp Exhibition Hall building. General admission tickets are $25 — all proceeds go directly toward cancer patient care — and are available at Strohl’s Appliance & Electronics in Portland.

Dunkirk Glass Days committee is hosting a gathering at Webster Depot Park on April 8. Local clubs, organizations and businesses will have booths set up around the park from noon to 5 p.m. Lost in Reality, a rock and roll band, will be performing from 1 to 5 p.m. at the park. Winners of the coloring contest distributed to Redkey Elementary and West Jay Elementary will also be announced during the festivities.

Committee members and others will have commemorative shirts, eclipse glasses and other merchandise as well as food and refreshments for sale. Dunkirk resident Dru Hall noted proceeds from the event will go toward the Glass Days festival.

Some businesses and organizations are also hosting events leading up to the eclipse. 

More information about activities as they pop up may be found on Facebook pages for Jay County Chamber of Commerce or Jay County Visitor & Tourism Bureau.

Blackford County

Blackford County’s eclipse committee, Blackford Blackout, is compiling a list of activities and other information for visitors and residents. Plans have been to capitalize on events happening every week in the county, such as local venues offering entertainment, eateries opened extended hours, and other opportunities between April 6 and April 8.

Blackford County 4-H Fairgrounds and Montpelier Motor Speedway are both offering camping sites. (American Veterans Post 23 is also providing free campgrounds to American veterans members from across the nation.) Blackford County Indiana Extension Homemakers Association will be serving meals from April 6 to April 8 at the fairgrounds. American Veterans Post 23 will also be open to the public April 4 through April 8, serving meals and drinks during normal business hours.

To learn more about events happening in Blackford County as they are announced, visit blackfordblackout.com.

Randolph County

Events have been coordinated throughout Randolph County all weekend long. They range from Parker City’s “Darker in Parker Total Eclipse Solarbration” to Union City’s 175th anniversary celebration and include the following free activities:

April 5

•Art show, Smilerocks Hunt — 50 hand-painted rocks commemorating Union City’s 175th birthday celebration will be hidden all over town for folks to discover starting April 5 — and saxophone music, along with cupcakes and refreshments from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Arts Depot, 115 N. Howard St., Union City, Indiana

April 6

•Meet and greet with “The Solar Eclipse is Coming” children’s book author Laurie Lunsford at 11 a.m. at Parker City Memorial Library. Attendees will also decorate their own solar eclipse viewing glasses.

•Performance from classic rock band Justified from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Artisan Park, 329 W Pearl St, Union City, Indiana

•Cornhole tournament starting at noon in downtown Parker City

•Lawn games from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Union City Public Library, 408 N. Columbia St., Union City, Indiana

•Union City parade at 3 p.m. — lineup begins at 2 p.m. at Union City Community Junior-Senior High School — with a community photo to follow at Artisan Park 329 W. Pearl St., Union City, Indiana

•Acoustic performance by Chris Hawkey from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Artisan Park, 329 W. Pearl St., Union City, Indiana.

•Freewill donation meals from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and a family friendly movie at 8 p.m. at Farmland Friends Church, 8311 Indiana 32, Farmland

•Parker City parade at 8 p.m., with an alien costume contest to follow and an outdoor movie at 9 p.m. in downtown Parker City

April 7

•Bounce house from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and a magic show from 2 to 4 p.m. in downtown Parker City

•Golf cart scavenger hunt at 11 a.m. marketplace from noon to 5 p.m. and Remedy Band playing from 6 to 8 p.m. at Parker City park

•Crafts for designing eclipse t-shirts — bring a dark-colored shirt — from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Art Association of Randolph County, 115 N. Howard St., Union City, Indiana

•Sci-fi movie trivia at 4 p.m. at Parker City Christ Fellowship

•Freewill donation meals from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and family game night at Farmland Friends Church, 8311 Indiana 32, Farmland

April 8

•Food vendors, (moon)cake walk, moon rock painting, balloon twister and temporary tattoos available from noon to 2 p.m. in downtown Parker City

•Eclipse activities, including food and vendors, at Monroe Central High School, 1878 N. 1000 W., Parker City

Threewits noted that despite the tornado that recently struck Winchester, as of press time all Randolph County eclipse activities scheduled will continue as planned. 

For updates, visit randolphcounty2024eclipse.com or call the eclipse committee’s toll-free number at (844) 978-6688.