Montpelier's Total Eclipse 2024 
supported by VSECU and National Life Group

 

Taking place on April 8th - this year's celestial spectacle is a must-see event, at least according to the New York Times. It ranked "the path of totality" as its No. 1 travel destination for 2024. Viewing a total eclipse in Vermont is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, as the last time the Green Mountain State was in the path of totality was 1932; it won't happen again until 2106.

While the total eclipse doesn't last that long, enjoying the weekend in Vermont's Capital City will last much longer! Check out everything happening in our walkable downtown, starting on Friday with Art Walk and running through dinner and/or drinks after the eclipse to avoid the traffic jams expected afterwards! If you're coming from out of town. 

Visitors to the area: The Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce will be open over eclipse weekend with expanded hours from 9am - 3pm for visitors having questions about things to do during their time here, plus read below for everything happening in downtown Montpelier. 

Check out our Eclipse weekend calendar below & check back for updates!

 

A little bit about the eclipse in Montpelier: The path of total darkness — aka the "path of totality" — runs from Mexico to Eastern Canada and passes directly over parts of Vermont, including Montpelier. Downtown Montpelier is on the Eastern path of totality. On Monday, April 8th - the partial and total eclipse will start at 2:15 pm and go through 4:38 pm, with about 1 minute and 35 seconds of totality from 3:27:39 to 3:29:15 (maximum eclipse at 3:28:27) where the sun will be completely blotted out by the moon. 

Eclipse Information 
  • Obsevation Safety 
  • Where to find eclipse glasses: glasses are available at Montpelier City Hall (City Clerk's Office) and you can buy them at: Althea's Attic, Capitol Stationers, Guys Farm and Yard, Morse Farm, Rebel Heart, Splash, Woodbury Mountain Toys, World Cow, and Zutano Outlet Store
  • Viewing the eclipse in Montpelier?  Click here to learn what you need to know about parking in our city.
  • Designated downtown viewing and parking areas (Our designated sites include trash cans and toilets) 
    • Vermont College of Fine Arts Green - 36 College Street
    • Statehouse Lawn - 115 State Street
      • Note: no camping or campers on state parking lots or parks (such as the Hubbarb park or recreation fields). The ground is soft and muddy early April, and will be damaged with parking and camping.
  • Where to shop and eat in Montpelier,
  • State of Vermont Eclipse Page, includes a wealth of information on lodging, weather forecast, travel information and more,
  • Vermont Short Term Rental Alliance - Webinar on renting your home for the solar eclipse
  • Transportation Services: Please note there is no GMT service in Montpelier from 12pm-4pm on Eclipse day! You can find out more about GMT services on their webpage: Green Mountain Transit – Getting you where you need to go! (ridegmt.com)

 

Spend the weekend enjoying everything Montpelier has to offer!

 

Events on Friday, April 5th
  • Montpelier Art Walk, Friday, April 5th - Downtown's Art Walk is a fun and casual way to experience art, meet local artists, and explore downtown shops, restaurants, and galleries. Brass Balagan roams our fair city to light the night with Art Walk tunes.
  • Center for Arts and Learning, Decorate eclipse glasses during Art Walk. Come by 4 - 8 PM and create a one-of-a-kind set of viewing glasses to get ready for the big event!  Donations appreciated. 
  • I Am My Own Wife, Lost Nation Theater, April 5th 7:30 pm. Meet Charlotte von Mahlsdorf: a real-life trans woman who managed to survive Nazi Germany and the East German Communist regime.
  • Morse Farm, Just outside of town at 1168 County Road, Morse Farm sugar house will feature a delicious Sugar on Snow Friday through Monday.

  • April is National Poetry Month and the Kellogg-Hubbard Library celebrates by turning Montpelier into PoemCity. You can read hundreds of poems by Vermonters in the windows of downtown shops, catch the art and poetry display in the Center for Arts and Learning, and attend one of the many poetry programs offered during the month - three of them during the eclipse weekend! Visit kellogghubbard.org/poemcity 

    Events on Saturday, April 6th

  • Youth Poetry Open Mic,  2:00 - 4:00 pm at Rabble-Rouser Chocolate & Craft  - Rabble-Rouser and the U-32 Poetry Collective are proud to create an opportunity to amplify the voices of youth poets and spoken word performers. Contact Meg, [email protected].

  • Live music at Rabble Rouser from 11:30am - 1:30pm. Chloe and Evan play luminous and luscious jazz piano and vocals.

  • I Am My Own Wife, Lost Nation Theater, April 5th 7:30 pm (see description from April 5th)

  • Redfield House Open House, located at 149 State Street, Saturday April 6th, 4 til 8pm. Food by “Outdoggin It” & musical entertainment featuring local artist Sara Grace along with Bluegrass Beats, performed by Danny C & Company. 

  • Woodbelly Pizza and Heart Energy Arts Lab host a pre-eclipse dance, starting at 8pm. It features the musical stylings of DJ Red Wolf and DJ King Crouch to celebrate spring and continued resilience efforts for flood recovery. Tickets on sale now via Eventbrite or  for purchase at the door, space is limited.

  • Blossom Wellness Center is featuring two events in honor of the Eclipse weekend: 

  • Tunes at the designated viewing site

    • Statehouse Lawn , 12 - 2pm.  DJ XAVWAX from WGDR and Buch Spieler spins for a sunny, pre-eclipse vibe.

    • VCFA Green from 12:30 - 2pm. DJ Msd3k curates for your pre-eclipse mood. 

      Barr Hill Eclipse Party - 12 -4pm (Barr Hill is open until 8)  Cocktails, North African and Mediterranean food and ice cream from local vendors, secret tarot will also be on site giving tarot card readings during this astrological phenomenon, and the Nobby Reed Project will be playing the blues from 1-4pm.  After 4pm will be open until 8pm with more apres eclipse fun! Complimentary viewing glasses for the first 500 guests, and a limited amount of commemorative glassware is available for an upcharge with the purchase of your first cocktail.  RSVP Please
  • Bent Nails Bistro - Eclipse after party, starts at 7pm

  • Hugo's Bar and Grill:  hosts a mardi gras style Eclipse party with live New Orleans style jazz and swing starting at 6pm. 

  • Morse Farm - Enjoy a special Eclipse Sugar-on-Snow and the store will be giving out eclipse stickers to the first 200 people.

  • Quirky Pet - Joshie's Amazing Colossal Eclipse Party For Dogs And Their People, 12 - 4pm.  Free dog biscuits to canine guests and animal crackers to their accompanying people - woof woof! 

  • Solar Eclipse Community Wellness Gathering  1:30-5:30pm at Christ Church - This free community event is all about coming together as a community to focus on our well-being. Food, games, chair massages, and music. Viewing glasses provided. Reserve your spot here! 

  • Three Penny Taproom - DJ Nice Try spinning vinyl starting right about 3:30 and going till the sun don't shine... Three Penny Taproom will also have a limited number of viewing glasses to hand out for free, and a special *additional* menu of ready made sandwiches and such to grab and go.
  • Vermont History Museum will be open from 12 pm-4 pm, with eclipse educational activities
  • The Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (VABVI) brings a LightSound device to the statehouse lawn during the eclipse, making the eclipse accessible for people who are blind and visually impaired. The device works by converting light intensity/data into sound. The sound changes as the overhead light (eclipse) changes into three different sounds [Bassoon, Clarient and the low click/rumble]. Each sound associates with a level of light. As the light of sun changes, the sound heard will change-and ultimately reach the low click/rumble that is assigned to low/no light. 

Can't get to the eclipse? ORCA media is live streaming the event, catch it here on the VCFA Green!

Thank you to our Eclipse Sponsors, we couldn't do it without you!