Dallas is the place to be on April 8, 2024, when a total solar eclipse will have folks staring skyward as day turns to dusk in the middle of the afternoon. The celestial event will start with a partial eclipse at 12:23 p.m., leading up to the main attraction — Totality — beginning at 1:40 p.m. and lasting until 1:44 p.m., peaking at 1:42 p.m. The light show will wrap up with the partial eclipse ending at 3:02 p.m., according to the City of Dallas.
To celebrate this astronomical occasion, the City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department is throwing Totality Dallas – A Solar Eclipse Festival at Samuell Farm in Mesquite. Samuell Farm, located at 100 U.S. Highway 80, Mesquite, TX 75149, will offer a longer glimpse of the total eclipse due to its proximity to the eclipse's centerline. According to info snagged from the City of Dallas website, the festival is set to unfurl over three fun-filled days from April 6 to 8, with a variety of activities for the space aficionado or the casual star-gazer.
A highlight reel of the fest includes science talks headlined by Alysha Shugart from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, and for the music lovers, there's a performance by the local K3 Sisters Band. Plus, visitors from as far as Washington, Florida, Colorado, California, and New York are marking their territory on the festival's "heat map" of ticket sales data — a sure sign this solar spectacle isn't just a Lone Star state affair.
Camping enthusiasts can get back to nature with overnight options at Samuell Farm, offering up spots for primitive camping, car, and trailer hookups for those looking to bed down under the starry, soon-to-be-eclipsed sky.
