Solar eclipse activities planned around Indianapolis and beyond in 2024

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In case you hadn’t heard: April 8 is going to be huge for Indianapolis, and for lots of other cities across the state.

On that day, a sizable portion of Indiana will be in the path of totality for a solar eclipse on a path that will cross the U.S. from Texas to Maine. For several minutes, Indianapolis and its suburbs—and other cities around the state including Bloomington, Evansville, Terre Haute and Muncie—will be plunged into darkness as the 100-mile-wide path of totality crosses the state.

It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime event. The last time Indianapolis was in the path of totality was 819 years ago. After 2024, it won’t happen again until 2153.

No one knows exactly how many outside visitors the eclipse will draw to Indiana. Great American Eclipse, an organization that disseminates information about eclipses, has predicted that between 131,000 and 522,000 people will visit Indiana for the eclipse. Indiana tourism officials are predicting up to 1 million visitors.

To capitalize on the excitement, municipalities and organizations in Indianapolis and beyond are planning all manner of eclipse watch parties and events for the big day. Here’s a sampling, and you can find a fuller list of statewide events at the Indiana Destination Development Corp.’s eclipse website, www.visitindiana.com/eclipse2024/.

Central Indiana

Eclipse Festival 2024

April 6-8

Franklin Amphitheater, 237 W. Monroe St., Franklin.

Live music, food trucks, laser show, hot-air balloon, more.

festivalcountryindiana.com/eclipse-at-the-franklin-amphitheater

Conner Prairie Total Solar Eclipse 2024 Festival

10 a.m. to 5 p.m., April 8

Conner Prairie, 13400 Allisonville Road, Fishers

Children’s activities, live music, performances, more. VIP packages available.

$40 for members, $55 for non-members, $150 for VIP packages.

Connerprairie.org/solarclipse2024

Eclipse festivities at Grand Park Sports Campus

10 a.m. to 6 p.m., April 8

Grand Park, 19000 Grand Park Blvd., Westfield

Food trucks, live music, attractions and inflatables

$100 per vehicle. $400 for overnight camping for RVs and campers. Must purchase all tickets in advance.

westfieldwelcome.com/solar-eclipse

Lunacy! Solar Eclipse Festival

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 8

White River State Park, 801 W. Washington St.

Food competition and more than 20 food trucks, music, yoga and tabata classes.

visitindy.com/event/lunacy!-solar-eclipse-festival/141353/

Total Solar Eclipse Celebration

10 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 8. VIP Solarbration event from noon to 5 p.m.

Indiana State Museum, 650 W. Washington St.

Hands-on activities, live demonstrations, more. VIP event includes access to specialty cocktails and food, reserved parking, more.

$20, includes museum admission. VIP admission is $250. Must purchase tickets by April 5.

indianamuseum.org/eclipse/

Total Solar Eclipse at IMS

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 8

Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 4790 W. 16th St.

Presented in partnership with Purdue University. This will be among a handful of sites around the country from which NASA will be broadcasting that day.

$20. Children 18 and under get in free with a paying adult.

indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/eclipse

Total Eclipse of the Art

Begins at 11 a.m. April 8

Newfields, 4000 Michigan Road

Music, light and fire shows, yoga, food, more.

$34 and up. Parking is an additional $30.

discovernewfields.org/calendar/eclipse

Elsewhere around the state

Eclipse & More 2024

April 5-8

Wayne County Fairgrounds, 861 Salisbury Road, Richmond

Music, food and craft vendors, activities, more

Fairgrounds admission is $5 per person. Separate fees for some concerts and other events.

richmondsolareclipse.com/events/eclipse-more-2024/

Dark Side Bash

April 6-8

Downtown Vincennes

Food trucks, vendors, music, children’s activities, more

eclipseindiana.org/events/dark-side-bash

Solarpalooza

April 7-8

University of Southern Indiana, 8600 University Blvd., Evansville

April 7: talk by retired NASA astronaut Joan Higginbotham. April 8: Music, food trucks, presentations, hands-on activities.

usi.edu/solarpalooza

Celestial Spectacle Solar Eclipse Viewing Event

10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., April 8

Switchyard Park, 1601 S. Rogers St., Bloomington

Food trucks, beer garden, live music

Free

visitbloomington.com/event/celestial-spectacle-solar-eclipse-viewing-event/51364/

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