TEXARKANA -- Planning has begun to ready the Twin Cities for a 2024 total solar eclipse in hopes of drawing visitors who want to experience the rare phenomenon in Arkansas and Texas at once.
Local leaders are taking initial steps to coordinate four days of eclipse-related activities branded "Solarbration," with "Total Eclipse, Two States" as the main slogan, according to Natalie Haywood, Texarkana USA Chamber of Commerce director of events and communication.
Texarkana lies within the eclipse's path of totality, where the moon will block all the sun's light for a few minutes on Monday, April 8, 2024. The path stretches southwest to northeast across the U.S., from Eagle Pass, Texas, to Burlington, Vermont.
That puts Texarkana in a position to attract tourists, and city officials want to get ready.
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Both cities and the Chamber are in the process of forming a coordinating committee, establishing a budget and considering marketing options, Haywood said. The committee's role will not be to plan events but to provide an "umbrella" under which local organizers can dovetail efforts and take advantage of consistent branding.
Organizations involved in the planning will include the Texarkana, Arkansas, Advertising and Promotion Commission, Main Street Texarkana, the Arkansas and Texas departments of transportation, and the Four States Fair and Rodeo, whose 2024 opening weekend will immediately precede the day of the eclipse.
Haywood said she has sought advice from city officials in Casper, Wyoming, who organized a successful celebration of the Aug. 21, 2017, total eclipse.
Sells Agency, a Little Rock marketing firm under contract with the A&P Commission, has already begun promoting Texarkana's Solarbration on its social media channels. The agency's "Our Texarkana" Facebook page recently established an event listing for the eclipse that encourages people to "save the date" and RSVP for updates.
"We'll share more about specific events and activities to celebrate the 2024 Solarbration as the date gets closer," the event page states.
Seasoned eclipse chasers say various factors will affect where they decide to be that day.
Mark Egan, a Frisco, Texas, resident who has seen two total solar eclipses, said his priority is to watch the eclipse as close to the path of totality's centerline as possible. That will maximize the time of total darkness he and his family will experience.
"I'd like at least 4 minutes of totality. It is the last total solar eclipse in the continental U.S. until August 2044, so I'd like to make the most of it," he wrote in response to an inquiry on social media.
Because Texarkana is near the edge of the path of totality, the duration of complete darkness here will be about 2 minutes and 30 seconds. It will be 4 minutes and 20 seconds on the path's centerline.
Egan cautioned that some locals may not experience the eclipse's full effect.
"Some people in the Texarkana region (south and east of the town itself) may miss out on totality altogether. 98-99% partial is NO COMPARISON to totality," he said.
Another important factor is the weather on the day of the eclipse, and Egan is prepared to make a last-minute change of plans.
"No matter what location we choose, escaping from clouds will be a priority for me. Everyone with me will be invited and encouraged to join me if I change locations to get into clearer skies, but if they want to stay behind at the original location then so be it," he said.
Douglas Arion of Twin Mountain, New Hampshire, said he is organizing a group trip to Killeen, Texas, to view the eclipse, and being able to plan ahead was a major factor in the choice of destination.
"Those planning to travel or advertise excursions need their arrangements confirmed early -- and that's the challenge. Many places aren't allowing that 'til next year, and that's too late for planning. We were able to secure our lodging, which was crucial to committing to the trip," he said.
This map shows the path of totality for the April 8, 2024, total eclipse in Northeast Texas and Southwest Arkansas and notes the times of the complete darkness that will occur at various spots in the path. Texarkana is near the edge of the path, so the eclipse's total block of sunlight will be briefer in the Twin Cities than in places closer to the path's centerline. (greatamericaneclipse.com)