Central Indiana will experience a once-in-a-lifetime event on April 8. Darkness will fall over the Hoosier state during the Total Solar Eclipse for the first time in 150 years.
Do you know where you will be? We suggest planning ahead and choosing from one of the many celebrations and viewing opportunities available across the state. Check out our full list of solar eclipse-themed events below:
Jump to a specific event:
- Total Eclipse Tailgate at Ruoff Music Center
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- Indianapolis Zoo
- Solar Eclipse Festival Grand Park in Westfield
- Butler's Holcomb Observatory Eclipse Festival
- Hoosier Cosmic Celebration at Memorial Stadium
- Eclipse Weekend at Ball State
- Watch the eclipse at an Indiana State Park
Ruoff Music Center
On April 8, the amphitheater will host the Total Eclipse Tailgate.
Activities include live entertainment, Inflatables, NASA Expert Speech, a beer garden and food trucks.
According to the venue, there will be solar eclipse glasses available to all visitors and RV parking is available.
Tickets are available by carload for $99.
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 Indianapolis Zoo
The Indianapolis Zoo is extending its hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on eclipse day.
They will have eclipse-themed food options including Moon Pies, Eclipse Burgers and Astro POP-corn. Zoo educators will be on hand to talk about solar eclipses, safe viewing and animal behavior. Guests can pick up free eclipse glasses while supplies last.
Admission on April 8 is $32.75 for adults; $28.75 for ages 2-12; and $30.75 for seniors. Children under 2 are free.
Zoo parking that day is $30 for most vehicles; $50 for larger vehicles.
Admission and parking are free for zoo members, but it's $10 for members who park at the zoo and go somewhere else on eclipse day.
Zoo officials expect the parking lot to fill up fast and advise guests to arrive before 10 a.m.
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.
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.
Hoosier Cosmic Celebration
Ten-time Grammy Award nominee Janelle Monae will headline the show at Memorial Stadium on the day of the eclipse. She is scheduled to hit the stage immediately following the eclipse at 3:04 p.m.
Also scheduled to appear are actor William Shatner, an Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner best known for his role as Captain Kirk in “Star Trek,” and Dr. Mae Jemison.
READ | "Ponder the mystery of existence": 6 questions with actor, space traveler William Shatner
Shatner will deliver a spoken-word performance before the total eclipse of the sun.
Before Shatner’s performance, former NASA astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison, the first woman of color to travel to space, will also appear on stage to deliver remarks.
Ball State University events
Ball State University in Muncie has big plans for the Total Solar Eclipse — including plans for educate in the days leading up to the event.
Some of those events include:
Friday, April 5:
5:30 p.m.: “Earth, Moon, & Sun” Planetarium Show[bsu.edu]—Learn the basics of fusion and solar energy and why the Sun rises and sets.
6:30 p.m.: “Eclipse: The Sun Revealed” Planetarium Show [bsu.edu]—Learn how solar and lunar eclipses happen, and about scientific discoveries that have been supported by total solar eclipses.
Saturday, April 6, and Sunday, April 7:
Hourly shows from 2:30-7 p.m.: Special Saturday and Sunday Eclipse Activities—Learn about solar eclipses during special workshops, lectures, planetarium programs, and more. More information, including show titles, can be found here [bsu.edu].
For a list of what the City of Muncie and the Muncie Visitors Bureau are doing for the eclipse —including resources, viewing sites, lodging, activities, and more — click here.
Eclipse Extravaganza at the Indianapolis Children's Museum
The museum has a weekend of events planned ahead of the eclipse and an Eclipse Extravaganza on April 8th. Three days will be full of NASA experts, special activities, and programming.
Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park
Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park is the site of many unforgettable moments in drag racing. The raceway hopes to create another special memory during the total eclipse.
IRP is hosting Race to the Eclipse, a free party at the raceway, which includes a drag race the moment the sky turns dark.
Indiana State Parks
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources will host events at many of the Indiana State Parks along the path of totality.
Above is a list of larger scale events happening around the area, but does not include every event. To gain a bigger view of the events happening closer to you, we recommend checking out Visit Indiana's comprehensive map.
WATCH: Preparing for the total solar eclipse
