Mike Wolanin | The Republic Seventh graders Trenton Johnson, left, and Trent Tyree, right, watch the solar eclipse outside Central Middle School in Columbus, Ind., Monday, Aug. 21, 2017.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic Seventh graders Trenton Johnson, left, and Trent Tyree, right, watch the solar eclipse outside Central Middle School in Columbus, Ind., Monday, Aug. 21, 2017.
Two Bartholomew County communities are receiving grants to help support their 2024 solar eclipse celebrations.
Indiana University has announced that 30 rural organizations across Indiana will receive funding for arts and cultural events and programs connected to the April 8 eclipse, including Main Street of Hope and the town of Edinburgh.
With funding support from the Simons Foundation, the Center for Rural Engagement is leading IU’s rural solar eclipse initiative, providing staff support, resources and outreach for community activities that “unite residents around the historic astronomical event,” university officials said.
Over 80 organizations in communities with populations under 50,000 applied for $2,000 micro-grants, facilitated by Regional Opportunity Initiatives, to support the implementation of such activities.
According to a project description from IU, Main Street of Hope will host a three-day solar eclipse festival on the town square featuring science and art projects, live music, games and food.
The town of Edinburgh, on the other hand, “will take the historic eclipse event to the streets with a daylong celebration centered on creative collaboration featuring chalk art, live music, handcrafted items and a collaborative community mural painting.”
Additionally, the Indiana Forest Alliance has also received a microgrant and will hold a two-day eclipse viewing event at Yellowwood State Forest in Brown County. The festivities are expected to include a time capsule dedication, live music, crafts, presentations, hikes and food.
“Rural communities are implementing creative plans to connect residents and visitors as we all gather to witness this historic event,” said Kerry Thomson, executive director of the Center for Rural Engagement. “We look forward to collaborating with communities to bring these plans to fruition and strengthen local strategies that expand arts capacity.”
A large part of the state, including the Columbus area, is within the path of totality for the eclipse, per a map from NASA.
According to the Columbus Area Visitors Center, the partial eclipse will begin at 1:50 p.m. and end at 4:23 p.m. locally, with the total eclipse occurring from “3:05:52 ET to 3:09:54 ET.”
Except for the brief total phase of the eclipse, it is not safe to look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection, NASA officials warn. Observers outside of the path of totality must keep their eye protection on for the entire duration of the eclipse.
Estimates for the expected number of eclipse visitors vary; the Great American Eclipse website estimates that Indiana might see 145,000 to 581,00 visitors, in addition to nearly 4 million Hoosiers who reside within the path of totality. The Indiana Destination Development Corporation, on the other hand, is expecting millions of tourists to flock to the state.
“Communities small and large could more than triple their population numbers during the event,” IU officials said. “To help local leaders and residents prepare, the Center for Rural Engagement published the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Planning Toolkit. It features planning resources and safety information about viewing the eclipse, managing crowds and leveraging the eclipse to bolster community interest and capacity for arts and cultural events into the future.”
Where to learn more
More information about IU’s rural solar eclipse initiative, grant awardees and the eclipse planning toolkit is available at news.iu.edu.
Additional information about the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse, including how to view the phenomenon safely, is available at solarsystem.nasa.gov/eclipses/2024/apr-8-total/overview/.
