'Total Eclipse of The Rock' Events on Horizon

LITTLE ROCK - With the 2024 "Total Eclipse of The Rock" now just a few days away, the City of Little Rock is encouraging residents to get out into their communities to enjoy this rare celestial event with family, friends and neighbors.

Dozens of events are scheduled throughout the City on Monday, the day of the eclipse. The City and its Parks and Recreation Department are hosting watch parties at Little Rock community centers. Residents who attend these free public watch parties will receive eclipse glasses and eclipse-themed snacks. RSVP to attend a watch party at LittleRock.gov/eclipse.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Little Rock is the ideal location for residents and visitors alike to experience the eclipse and events leading up to Monday. A full range of activations are on tap, like the Barkus on Main dog parade on Sunday and a weekend of concerts at the First Security Bank Amphitheater in the River Market. Cultural and educational institutions like the Museum of Discovery, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center and the Old State House Museum have special programming this weekend and Monday. The Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau has a complete list of what's happening throughout Little Rock at LittleRock.com/eclipse.

With tens of thousands of visitors expected, the City is deploying additional police department personnel and first responders during the special event. Little Rock's Office of Emergency Management is working with event hosts across the City to prioritize public safety and communications. The City has opened its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate response to traffic problems or any emerging safety issues throughout the weekend and on Monday.

Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, Jr., emphasized that Monday will be "an ON day, and not an off day" for City team members in order to ensure continuity of essential city services.

"As we welcome thousands of guests to our City, our goal is for residents and visitors alike to have the best experience possible during this eclipse event," Mayor Scott said. "Our public safety team and parks staff have been planning for months, and we appreciate the work of everyone in the community to make this memorable. There are activities and events throughout Little Rock so that all of us have an opportunity to enjoy the eclipse in Little Rock neighborhoods."

Among the City-sponsored activities:

• Family-friendly watch parties with refreshments, arts and crafts, music and games and activities at the following locations:
  • Stephens Community Center, 3720 W. 18th St., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday
  • West Central Community Center, 8616 Colonel Glenn Road, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday
  • Southwest Community Center, 6401 Baseline Road, noon to 3 p.m. Monday
  • Dunbar Community Center, 1001 W. 16th St., noon to 2:30 p.m. Monday
• Eclipse viewing on Monday on the MacArthur Park crescent lawn in conjunction with the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts. Festivities include a DJ and a performance from Ballet Arkansas. Free for AMFA members and children under 10, $10 admission for others. MacArthur Park is at 503 E. Ninth St.
• Eclipse Yoga at the Jim Dailey Fitness and Aquatic Center, 300 S. Monroe St., on Monday at noon. The yoga class at the center's outdoor pool is open to seasoned yogis or those new to yoga.
• Watch party at the Rebsamen Park Golf Course, 3400 Rebsamen Park Road. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, residents can watch the eclipse unfold set against the backdrop of the course and Arkansas River.
• Eclipse Twilight Golf at First Tee, 1 First Tee Way, on Monday. Golf is $12, with children under 12 playing free. A DJ will be on hand from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. for the community celebration that will also include free hamburgers and hot dogs.
• "Stargazing" events on Friday at Murray Park, 5900 Rebsamen Park Road, and again Sunday at War Memorial Park, 5101 W. Markham St. Each event starts at 6 p.m., with a faux campfire, eclipse education and family fun.
• Eclipse day at the Little Rock Zoo features opportunities for guests to learn about solar eclipses and see how animals react to the phenomenon. General zoo admission Monday is $30.

If residents are unable to make one of the multiple events, the City of Little Rock is offering residents a free "Watch Party in a Box" ahead of the event. These boxes intended for families with children will be handed out first-come, first-served on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Jim Dailey Fitness and Aquatic Center, First Tee, Rebsamen Golf Course, MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, West Central Community Center and Southwest Community Center. They are available Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Dunbar Community Center and Stephens Community Center. Boxes can be picked up at all locations except for the community centers on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. One box per family, please.

The watch parties in a box contain glasses, eclipse-themed snacks and a custom koozie commemorating this major event and reminding residents about the next total solar eclipse, on Aug. 12, 2045.

The City of Little Rock is the only major city where someone can witness both Monday's total solar eclipse and the 2045 total eclipse from the same location. The City is commemorating that distinction by soliciting submissions for a Video Time Capsule to be saved for 21 years and unveiled in 2045. Residents on Monday are encouraged to record short, one-minute-or-less videos sharing their names, neighborhoods and thoughts about the eclipse experience. Those videos may be uploaded here.