INDIANAPOLIS — Central Indiana is less than six months from being in the path of totality of a solar eclipse.
On April 8, 2024, for 3 minutes, 46 seconds, Indianapolis will experience darkness as the moon passes between the sun and Earth. This event marks the first total solar eclipse in the United States since August of 2017 and the first one in Indy since the year 1205. Another total solar eclipse will not occur again in Indiana until 2099.
On this day, and surrounding it, many Indy area locations will host events as the city anticipates a large influx of travelers hoping to witness the historic event.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Tickets are on sale to witness the solar eclipse at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
General admission ticket to the track are $15 and come with gate admission, infield parking and a limited edition pair of solar eclipse glasses.
Kids 18 and under are free with joined by a paying adult.
"The Total Solar Eclipse is a unique opportunity to explore the connections between motorsports and space, and there's no better place to celebrate both than the Indianapolis Motor Speedway," IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. "As we count down to the Month of May, gathering at IMS to witness this rare moment over the Yard of Bricks will provide another opportunity to create lifelong memories at the Speedway."
On April 8, 2024, NASA will broadcast live from the IMS and be on hand to answer questions and guide viewers through the experience.
IMS is one of only three broadcast locations across the country to partner with NASA for the event, according a NASA announcement.
Grand Park in Westfield
Westfield will host Solar Eclipse festivities at Grand Park Sports Campus from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Attendees can enjoy food and drinks from food trucks, a concert with the 1985 Band, attractions and inflatables, and total darkness from the eclipse.
Grand Universe will have viewing telescopes on-site to educate attendees about the solar eclipse and its history. Special guest Dr. Mark SubbaRao, Director of NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, will also be on-site.
Tickets are only available for pre-purchase and are $100 per standard-size vehicle; eclipse viewing glasses are included in the admission price. Overnight RV and camper parking will be available for $400 from Sunday to Tuesday in a designated parking lot on Grand Park Sports Campus.
DNR Camping Reservations Open Now
The minimum reservation for DNR sites will be two days and bookings open six months in advance.
DNR says Brown County State Park and Monroe Lake will see a total eclipse for the longest amount of time, which is around four minutes.
If you'd like to see the eclipse out in nature and experience this once in a lifetime event, you can book your stay here. You can also book over the phone at 1-866-622-6746. Find a property in the eclipse pathway at on.IN.gov/eclipse.
Butler's Holcomb Observatory
The Holcomb Observatory at Butler University will hold a free Eclipse Festival on April 8 from noon - 4 p.m.
The event is free and the observatory greenspaces and telescopes are open throughout the year for free.
