Total Eclipse Viewing Party

Presented in partnership with Simons Foundation + The Long Center + Waterloo Greenway Conservancy

In celebration of the first total solar eclipse in Austin, TX since 1397, the Long Center and the Simons Foundation, as part of its In the Path of Totality initiative, are hosting a FREE eclipse viewing party on the Long Center lawn and H-E-B Terrace. Doors open at 11AM in anticipation of totality, occurring at 1:36PM local time. Hosted by Radiolab’s Molly Webster, the event will feature 4 hours of entertainment, centered around the total eclipse and will provide opportunities for guests to engage with astronomers and celebrate together with the community. The Radiolab team will be recording a special episode from the Long Center, and the day will feature music by composer and Austin legend Graham Reynolds. Acclaimed writers Roxane Gay and Debbie Millman will lead guests through a visual storytelling experience. Custom eclipse-themed beer from local Austin breweries, as well as food and other refreshments, will be available during the event and the first 1000 guests to arrive will receive eclipse tote bags. All guests will receive complimentary viewing glasses.

Additional activities to commemorate the celestial event will kick off at Waterloo Greenway’s Moody Amphitheater on Sunday, April 7 with writer Maria Popova’s show “The Universe in Verse.”  The next morning, April 9, Radiolab’s Molly Webster will lead families through a reading of her book, Little Black Hole, as part of Waterloo’s Morning Glories series. The three-day-long programming is part of the Simons Foundation’s In the Path of Totality initiative. More information can be found at inthepathoftotality.org.