On April 8, 2024, a series of cities, from Texas to Ohio to Maine, will be in the direct path of a total solar eclipse. But instead of having just one day to take in the historic minutes as the sky darkens, one festival lasts several days in Central Texas.
What organizers call a ‘heavenly creation’, the Texas Eclipse Festival at Reveille Peak Ranch in Burnet will be quite an experience where you will not only see the total solar eclipse on the path of totality, but also have access to a series of events with live music, impressive speakers and exhibitions that you have never seen before .
“It’s been compared to Burning Man and Coachella, as well as elements of SXSW and a TED conference, as well as the amazing collaborators we work with from around the world who have produced similar events, as well as the Oregon Eclipse Festival. said Ari Eisenstat, space program director for the Texas Eclipse Fest. “What is truly unique about this festival is the combination of music, art, technology and space together.”
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Let’s dig a little deeper into what else makes this unique, because what’s surprising is that there will be a little bit of everything for all ages to cater to the experience in so many different ways. For starters, this festival was a team effort, including employees of 12 different festivals worldwide.
There will be seven different music stages, as well as seven speaker stages, a children’s area, lots of dancing, yoga classes, an outdoor spa, educational workshops, new age technology and art exhibitions and a whole list of events that are part of the space programme. In fact, you can enjoy being launched into the air by the ‘Sounds of Space’ Test shot starfish and also learn what it’s like to be in the space from those who have been there.
“I’ve been working on music as a way to casually inspire people to become interested in science and technology. Perhaps discovering that a musician has gone to space will open a thread of inquiry that leads to new discoveries,” Chris Boshuizen, Blue Commercial astronaut by birth, also known as the musical artist “Dr. Chrispy”, said. “We have a great lineup of speakers and I’m excited to share news about science and space exploration with a large audience.”
Do you remember the books we read as children where you could choose where the story would go? This will be similar if you put together your own festival program. Although with this one there are many more choices and twists that you can experience during the journey.
“Definitely a choice for your own adventure experience,” Eisenstat said. “So you really have to be aware of where you want to be and what you want to see. Unfortunately it will be impossible to see everything, but there really is something to see for everyone.”
The base
As much choice as there is as to what you want to do, you can also choose how much of the festival you want to participate in and whether you want to camp, ‘glamp’ or stay in a hotel for the event. The great thing is that the festival coordinators have put together a place online to arrange everything you need to plan this event ahead.
Start with admission, to participate you have to buy festival tickets for at least two days. As with any festival, there is a general admission ticket, but you can also opt for VIP access, which offers additional benefits such as private toilets, food and beverage options and special viewing areas near the stages.
While there are shuttles to/from multiple locations or parking passes if you’re local, there are additional options to make it more of a one-stop shop. camping or glamp-in or go for one hotel package this also includes your tickets. But let’s talk about camping for a moment, even for those who despise the thought of staying in a tent – there are so many various options that are available, including staying in a tent, camper, car or, for people like me, various ways to glamp.
The setup
Back to mentioning how you can “choose your own adventure,” you can literally make your own list of what is important for you to participate in or experience. Organizers created a page with the line-up which includes numerous featured sessions, displays and activities, as well as biographies for hundreds of hosts, speakers and artists, divided into 17 categories: AI, Art, Consciousness, Environmental, Experiential, Health, Immersive, Mindfulness, Movement, Music, Performance, Science, space travel, tech web3, wellness and yoga.
“I’m excited to discuss how our vast cosmos has been a profound source of inspiration for humanity throughout history,” said Roberto Carlino, a NASA engineer, who will participate in the event. “Furthermore, I will discuss the importance of exciting space missions like the ones I am actively participating in at NASA, including Astrobee and ACS3, and their role in reshaping the future of space exploration.”
The festival starts on April 5 with a “Yuri’s Night” event celebrating Yuri Gagarin becoming the first man in space on April 12, 1961 and the very first space shuttle being launched twenty years later in 1981. Astronauts from both government and commercial missions, including NASA, dearMoon, SpaceX and Blue Origin, will attend and share their different perspectives on going to and in space.
“The festival has a special appeal for me, not only because it marks my first-ever eclipse visit, but also because of the exceptional community it attracts,” says Yemi AD, a crew member of the dearMoon space mission, also excited to speak at and attend of the event. “I have a strange feeling that it will be like finding my tribe: people who not only dream about the stars, but actually reach for them.”
And that’s just the first evening; further discussions, presentations, music, art and other special features will take place in the following days. There will be art on display, but also interactive for all ages to enjoy and experience.
“We are also so excited to be working with the Black Rock Observatory and the Earth Light Foundation on their dream projects to bring people day and night observations through really exciting telescopes, as well as different types of virtual reality experiences with rocket launches,” says Requirements stat. said. “One of our partners, Space Perspective, will provide the sunglasses and also some really cool virtual reality experiences by sitting in a capsule and seeing the Earth from space.”
The Eclipse
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The last time the Texas Hill Country was in the path of totality wasn’t in our lifetime, on May 26, 1397, and it won’t happen again until well after our due date on February 25, 2343. So for Texans, that’s If you If you want to experience this rare phenomenon, festival-goers will have just a few minutes of magic to put on their protective goggles and take in a moment that could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many.
“I tell people the difference between 99% and 100% is literally night and day. When it comes to that totality, it’s really incredible,” Eisenstat said as he reflected on his 2017 experience. “There is no other natural experience like being able to see the stars during the day, to see this ring of sunset across the horizon. It really brings home the realization of what these celestial bodies are really doing and how we are connected to them.”