Waterbury preps for once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse
January 6, 2024 | By Sandy Yusen | Correspondent If the stars align, Waterbury might be one of the most popular destinations on the planet on Monday, April 8. That’s when the Great North American Solar Eclipse takes place as the moon moves between the sun and earth, completely blocking out the sun and casting the region in darkness.
Illustration by Maya Whitehair
Waterbury lies within a narrow band called the “line of totality” – an arc spanning North America from Mexico to Canada where areas will experience a full solar eclipse. In Waterbury, the eclipse will occur from 2:14 p.m. to 4:17 p.m. on April 8. The eclipse reaches totality at 3:27 p.m., with the moon fully obscuring the sun for nearly two and a half minutes. The last total eclipse in Vermont happened in 1932, and the next one will not until occur until 2106 making the April eclipse a once-in-a-lifetime cosmic event for most Vermonters.
What will this mean for our state and community?
The annual onslaught of leaf-peepers may pale in comparison to the expected rush of eclipse chasers to town. The Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing anticipates between 50,000 and 200,000 people will visit Vermont for the eclipse. And Waterbury is a likely destination for visitors as one of the southernmost Vermont towns experiencing totality, with easy access to the interstate for travelers from urban centers.
Revitalizing Waterbury Executive Director Karen Nevin offers a projection: “Some people have said, ‘Think about the busiest fall foliage weekend we could possibly have, and then double it.’ Our low number projection is 10,000 people. And I’ve been told that’s a low number.”
The biggest wildcard? The weather. The last eclipse in 2017, visible from the northwestern to southeastern U.S., happened in August. “This is April,” Nevin noted. “So we just don’t have a clue what’s going to happen.” Vermont in April, however, is rather predictable. Historical weather data indicate there is something to the “April showers” adage given just a 30% chance of mostly clear to clear skies on April 8.
Jan. 12: Community eclipse planning meeting
Weather uncertainties aside, there are just about 90 days left for the town to get ready. Since last spring, Nevin has been proselytizing for Waterbury to prepare for April, based on learning from similarly sized communities that experienced the 2017 eclipse. The goal, according to Nevin, is “all about public safety and making sure everyone coming to town is having a good experience.”
Nevin has teamed up with Waterbury Recreation Director Katarina Lisaius to lead the local eclipse-planning efforts, hopefully with the support of volunteers. To get started, they are co-hosting a virtual planning meeting for businesses and community members this Friday, Jan. 12, from 1 to 2 p.m.
Nevin and Lisaius will share information about the expected impact in Waterbury to kick off the planning process and identify people willing to spearhead key projects. “I’m no longer going to be the chicken saying the sky is falling in, I’m done with that,” Nevin said. “At this point it’s action. We have three months.”
The meeting will cover six key topics: safety, parking, education of businesses, education of the community, website and other communications, and events and promotion.
They emphasize that the town and Revitalizing Waterbury won’t be hosting any eclipse events, but they want to engage people who want to plan their own events or support others’ plans. “We’re looking for people that are just eager to help. This is one of those short volunteer opportunities,” Nevin said.
A key message Nevin plans to emphasize is that the opportunity for Waterbury is during the weekend prior to the Monday eclipse. People will come to town, she says, “But what do you do in April in Vermont? We’ve got restaurants, we’ve got shopping, hopefully there will be events and activities. On Monday morning, these people will open up their weather app and look for the sunshine. If it’s not here they will drive away. So Monday is just going to happen however it happens. The opportunity is the weekend, and that’s what we want to work on.”
As for the day of the eclipse, she will recommend that dining and retail establishments not typically open on Mondays plan to be open to take advantage of the potential business. And she urges other businesses that aren’t retail- or dining-focused to encourage employees to work from home on Monday to avoid post-eclipse traffic.
She refers to a presentation she attended last year by economic development representatives from Sweetwater, Tennessee, a town of 6,000 people that attracted 50,000 visitors for the 2017 eclipse. “Everyone came in over a couple of days, but they all left at exactly the same time and it took 10-12 hours to leave,” Nevin said.
Lodging still available, but going fast
While Nevin has been thinking about the eclipse for months, the levels of awareness and preparation vary widely among Waterbury businesses and residents. “I think there are people who are excited. There are people who don’t have it on their radar. And there are people who have just started thinking about it,” Nevin explained.
Lodging establishments were some of the first to be clued-in to the eclipse, as many received bookings years in advance. A current online search of hotel rooms and short-term rentals shows few rooms available, with high prices for the limited openings that remain.
Christa Bowdish assumed ownership of the Old Stagecoach Inn in October 2022, and received the first eclipse booking shortly afterwards. “I knew something was up when in November 2022 I saw people booking for April 2024 and realized it was the eclipse,” she said.
Bowdish moved to Vermont from Nashville, where she viewed the 2017 eclipse. She recalled hotel rooms selling out at Motel 6 for $600 a night and visitors sleeping in their cars in driveways of residents. “I remembered the experience, and knew I had to get ahead of it if I wanted to make the most out of the occasion,” she said.
The Old Stagecoach is fully booked for Sunday, April 7, with one room remaining for April 8. Guests hail from Boston and elsewhere in New England, but some are traveling from as far down the eastern seaboard as North Carolina, and some from California. Bowdish is planning a viewing event and picnic for guests on the inn’s back lawn.
At the Fairfield Inn & Suites, rooms are still available at $635 for a three-night stay. Randy Stern, who commandeers the front desk, expects to be sold out by eclipse weekend. “We are treating it much like we would treat a holiday week,” he said. Stern wasn’t aware of any special events for the hotel, but he did share that his buddies were coming to Vermont for the eclipse and staying on his floor.
Melissa Moore, general manager at the Best Western Plus Waterbury-Stowe, reports that the hotel is currently 50% booked. Although the earliest reservation was booked over a year ago, she believes the hotel will see more last minute bookings because people will wait to see what the weather will bring. Currently, the hotel is requiring a two-night minimum stay with rates equivalent to foliage season (starting at $472, according to the website). All guests will receive free eclipse glasses, which are needed to protect the eyes from damage from the sun while viewing the eclipse.
Waterbury businesses get ready
Bridgeside Books owner Katya d’Angelo displays a commemorative eclipse poster created by Maryland-based artist Jenniffer Workoff and printed at Pack & Send in Waterbury. More than half of the first 100 have been sold ($14.99 each), but more will be printed. Photo by Sandy Yusen
A few Waterbury establishments have already put their eclipse preparations into orbit. Bridgeside Books owner Katya d’Angelo had an early exposure to planning efforts as a Revitalizing Waterbury board member. She said she believes word is getting out, but she senses skepticism. “I don’t think many people believe that there will actually be as many people as we are anticipating,” she said.
Bridgeside manager Jenna Danyew commissioned graphic designer Jenniffer Workoff to create a commemorative eclipse poster for the store. So far, local customers have snapped up more than half of the first 100 printed, paying $14.99 each. Another printing will happen before the eclipse, d’Angelo promises. Other preparations include adding eclipse-themed books to the store’s shelves.
Logistics are also on d’Angelo’s mind for the eclipse weekend. “I’m going to staff up, because visitors often mean theft,” she said. She worries about how the potential numbers of people might strain the store, and has already reluctantly decided to close off the store’s restroom to the public. She echoes the uncertainties around weather. “It would be really great if the eclipse could just move to June,” she joked.
Jamie McVeigh co-runs Green Mountain Dry Goods and its companion wholesale printing business Euro Decals on Route 100 across from the Ben & Jerry’s factory. Eclipse planning has led to her businesses partnering with others including Bridgeside Books to produce a large order of Waterbury-branded solar eclipse glasses. All in the group have agreed to sell them at $2.50 per pair. McVeigh also plans to offer eclipse-themed t-shirts, stickers or refrigerator magnets.
Waterbury-branded eclipse glasses to protect eyes from the sun during the eclipse are $2.50 at local retailers like Bridgeside Books and Stowe Street Emporium. Jamie McVeigh of Euro Decals at Green Mountain Dry Goods designed them. Photo by Sandy Yusen
At Stowe Street Emporium, owner Kathy Murphy has the Waterbury eclipse glasses for sale and said many shoppers purchased them for stocking stuffers. Murphy said she will be thinking more about eclipse planning now that the busy holiday season and annual inventory are done.
Blackback Pub is exploring the potential for a pop-up food tent outdoors on Stowe Street in conjunction with other local businesses. Co-owner Ehren Hill sees the eclipse as a unique opportunity and plans to have some fun with it. “It's going to be an adventure for sure,” he said. “We don’t know what to expect. We’re going to do our best, throw on some extra staff and see where that leads us. It’s hard to know how to plan other than just more…of everything.”
Zenbarn managers don’t need to brainstorm for April 8 because they have a wedding booked for the day of the eclipse – exemplifying a common trend of couples tying weddings, engagements, and other life milestones to the eclipse. Co-owner Noah Fishman also reports that the dispensary at Zenbarn Farms will be offering a variety of special package deals “for those who want to elevate their eclipse experience.”
Hill uses an analogy when discussing the anticipated crowds of eclipse-seekers, referring to that as the “X factor” and comparing it to “the Taylor Swift effect” on local economies as the popular concert tour traveled the country last year with concerts temporarily overwhelming businesses.
Overall, McVeigh said she appreciates the positive buzz the impending eclipse is creating for the community. “Maybe it’s something that can get us through the winter,” she said. “It’s something to look forward to and put us on the map in mud season.”
Town government adds eclipse-planning mode
A common question among those already thinking about the details is how town government will help to accommodate the crowds. “Hopefully the town is thinking about how to figure out waste management for 20,000 people…traffic, parking, bathrooms, trash, those are what I’m a little concerned about,” Bridgeside’s d’Angelo said.
Municipal Manager Tom Leitz said the town is preparing on many fronts. A public safety plan – required for any event taking place in town – will be developed for the long weekend, he said. The town will rely on its two state troopers for assistance and thought is already going into leveraging the two fire station locations and making sure that fire trucks and ambulances can get through traffic in an emergency.
And bathrooms? Lisaius already has 20 port-o-potties on order.
Leitz ticked off potential parking and viewing locations such as the State Office Complex, Anderson Field, Dascomb Rowe Park and Pilgrim Park. Farr’s Field also offers a wide open space, but owner John Farr points out that his field – and others in town – is usually snowed in for the winter.
“The challenge we have is that on that date, we in theory could allow parking on our fields, but they could be rock solid or they could be a mud pit,” Leitz said. “You can’t control the weather, as we’ve seen twice with the floods.”
Of course heavy traffic may be unavoidable on April 8 if the number of visitors plays out as anticipated. Lietz said he heard numerous complaints during the fall foliage season from locals stymied from easily getting around town. “I think we want to make sure that locals understand that that same situation is going to be in place that day. So don’t go to the grocery store,” he said. “Certainly not at 3:30 p.m.,” Lisaius quipped.
The school district is thinking ahead about traffic. April 8 will be a school day for Harwood Unified Union School District schools, but Superintendent Michael Leichliter reports that they will dismiss early so students are home before the eclipse starts and buses hopefully won’t get delayed by crowds. Nevin supports this, noting that it also will avoid students getting out of school as the eclipse hits and looking up at the sky without eye protection.
Image from the state’s VermontVacation.com website. Screenshot
Sources of eclipse information
While school children no doubt will have lessons to learn about eclipses, curious community members can visit the Waterbury Public Library, which will offer eclipse-related programming over the next few months, according to Judi Byron, adult program librarian. For example, on March 25, the Vermont Astronomical Society will give a presentation on how to view the eclipse safely along with general information on the night sky. An eclipse workshop geared to kids and families is also in the works.
Expect to see more public information as the eclipse approaches from both state and local sources. Revitalizing Waterbury plans to ramp up efforts to share information for visitors, residents and businesses alike. An online hub at discoverwaterbury.org will feature details on viewing locations, parking availability, directions, and eclipse-related events and activities locally.
Meanwhile, the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing has launched a website for visitors with a calendar of statewide eclipse-related events. The state has also placed a large bulk order of glasses for towns and municipalities, with the understanding that they will be distributed free. Nevin said she believes Waterbury should get 5,000 pairs.
Illustration by Maya Whitehair
Even with all of the preparations ahead, Leitz and Lisaius are optimistic about what this rare event will mean for Waterbury. “I think it will be fun in the end, just hectic and challenging to plan,” Leitz said. “If it’s double leaf-peeper numbers, that’s great for business, and great for the town in the long-term. Hopefully it’s a lot of visitors that come back – just not all at once.”
To get involved in eclipse planning, join the virtual meeting hosted by Revitalizing Waterbury and Waterbury Recreation, 1-2 p.m. on Friday, Jan.12, or contact Karen Nevin at Revitalizing Waterbury, 802-793-6029 or karen@revitalizingwaterbury.org.
Sandy Yusen is a freelance writer and Waterbury resident.