Plan to arrive early and spend the day!

The Total Eclipse Fort Ben Festival begins at noon and continues until 6:00 p.m., with plenty of family-friendly fun happening all day. View the whole schedule here.

With thousands of visitors expected in the City of Lawrence on April 8, heavy traffic is likely. Weather permitting, you and your family can avoid the traffic and help the city reduce road congestion by walking or biking to Community Park. No bikes? No problem! Tour Lawrence Bike Share bikes are available.

If you do plan to drive to the Total Eclipse Fort Ben Festival, please leave yourself plenty of time to make your way to Community Park.

Yes! The event stage will feature a live DJ, music from Queen Delphine & The Crown Jewels in the YMCA Cardio Dancers & Kids Zone, and a costume contest with the winner receiving a prize from Lawrence Mayor Deb Whitfield.

Yes! There will be a great selection of tasty treats on offer from local food trucks. Participating food trucks include:

• La Patrona
• Anafres +504
• Ribs Express
• Terri’s Tastee Treats
• E&M Hot Diggity Dogs
• Taco Express
• Mou & Lou Frozen Treats
• Ice Cream Donuts
• Foster's Cafe & Catering
• Indy Popcorn World

A costume!

Celebrate the special day by dressing up as your favorite space-movie hero, your favorite planet, even your favorite astrophysicist (if you have one). City of Lawrence Mayor Deb Whitfield will recognize winners of our Total Eclipse Fort Ben Festival Costume Contest, so get creative! Just remember to keep your costume “family-friendly.”

Beyond your costume, consider wearing or bringing layers to accommodate the ever-changing Indiana weather!

Public parking will be available in six locations throughout Community Park on April 8 (see event map). However, public parking will only be accessible via the Community Park’s Franklin Road entrance. Public parking will NOT be permitted in the lot adjacent to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service building between Herbert Lord Road and Post Road south of 56th Street.

In addition, please note that the City of Lawrence Government Center and the Government Center’s parking lot will be closed for the day on April 8.

No.

A very limited number of ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses will be available for no cost at the City of Lawrence tent next to the festival stage on a first-come, first-served basis.

Certified eclipse sunglasses are thousands of shades darker that ordinary sunglasses. Regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, do not offer enough protection for viewing the eclipse. Please be aware that NASA recommends wearing eclipse glasses that comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard when viewing a solar eclipse. There are many options for those wishing to purchase ISO-certified eclipse sunglasses prior to April 8.

As with any family day at the park, you may want to bring along some basic supplies to ensure a safe, enjoyable experience. These include:

• Folding/camping chairs or picnic blankets
• Sunscreen and bug repellent
• A small trash bag to collect your family’s trash and place in one of the park’s receptacles

Alcoholic beverages and weapons of any kind are not permitted in our City of Lawrence parks. In addition, you are strongly discouraged from bringing:

• Your pets. The sights, sounds, and smells of the festival and the close proximity of thousands of visitors are likely to overstimulate even the best-behaved furry family members. You are strongly encouraged to let your pets relax at home and bring only your human family members to the festival!
• Firecrackers, bullhorns, and noisemakers. For everyone’s safety, firecrackers are not permitted.

Stay tuned to your local media outlets for day-of updates regarding the weather forecast. If predictions of inclement or dangerous weather force cancellation of the festival, local media partners will be notified by 7:00 a.m. on April 8.

We don’t recommend it. In fact, Eugen Burns, Lee Road, and Jenn Memorial Parks will all be closed on April 8 while City of Lawrence staff are focused on providing the best possible experience for festival visitors.