Where are you going to be on 21 August, 2017? What is happening on 21 August, 2017? The first total solar eclipse to touch North America since 1979!
According to GreatAmericanEclipse.com, Nebraska is one of the top choices for experienced eclipse chasers and the reason is clear: great weather prospects, longer duration than points west, better visibility than points east, and wide-open and uncrowded highways.
We are inviting national and international eclipse chasers to consider a visit to the Nebraska Sandhills to experience the total solar eclipse! The Central Nebraska Sandhill communities of Tryon, Stapleton and Arnold, as well as the Platte River Valley community of North Platte are teaming up to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience for eclipse chasers!
The festival viewing sites in the Nebraska Sandhills provide two minutes and 34 seconds of totality, and that long duration takes place in some of the biggest, darkest and clearest skies in all America, creating a 74% probability of favorable viewing conditions on eclipse day.
The community of North Platte, while experiencing only one minute and 52 seconds of totality will be host to several “edger” viewing opportunities, at many diverse sites. In the days leading up to 21 August, 2017, we will be hosting a number of educational and cultural enrichment activities, geared for all ages. Programs under consideration are historical presentations of Native American and early settlers’ reaction to past eclipses; Make and take art workshops; Astronomy education for all ages; Area historical and cultural presentations; And some good old-fashioned entertainment!
The ranching communities in the Nebraska Sandhills will be top destinations to immerse visitors in life on what is still largely a frontier! Ranchers are being encouraged to open their homes to offer unique lodging opportunities; Cattle drives, brandings and trail rides are in the works; Ranch rodeo demonstrations; Pit barbecues; Dances; Cowboy Poetry; Birdwatching and Nature Viewing; Geography and Archeology presentations; Driving tours; Aerial tours; Photography tours. . . . The possibilities are endless.
Nightly star parties in the dark Sandhills hosted by local astronomers should also be considered.
All of this leads up to the main event – the 21 August, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse! The communities of Tryon and Stapleton will be hosting festival viewing sites, complete with plenty of parking; Dedicated viewing space; Educational presentations; The comfort of tents, food, beverages, entertainment, souvenir vendors, and, of course, porta-potties. The sites will range in size from accommodating a few hundred to several hundred. Mass transit from North Platte’s hotels will be available. We are hoping to add the community of Arnold as well.
This truly international event will take intensive planning and marketing. On August 21, 2015, exactly two years out from the 2017 event, a planning meeting will be held at the North Platte / Lincoln County Visitors Bureau, 101 Halligan Drive. Anyone interested in joining in on the celebration is encouraged to attend. For more information contact Muriel Clark at 308-532-4729 or [email protected].