One of the Southeast’s most vibrant mid-sized cities, Columbia, S.C., is home to the longest total solar eclipse on the East Coast for a metro area and will host Total Eclipse Weekend Columbia, S.C., a long weekend of more than 120 eclipse-related festivals and events, from Aug. 18 to 21, 2017. Plan your trip at https://totaleclipsecolumbiasc.com.

Dubbed the “Total Eclipse Capital of the East Coast,” where viewers can experience totality for up to 2 minutes and 36 seconds, Columbia, S.C., has been identified as one of the top places in the nation to experience the total solar eclipse by astronomy experts and media such as USA Today, Forbes, the Boston Globe, the Washington Post and more: https://totaleclipsecolumbiasc.com/press.

Composed of walkable lifestyle districts with hotels, restaurants, shopping and public art, Columbia, S.C., is the third largest city on the centerline of the “path of totality” that crosses the country from Oregon to S.C. Darkness will fall in Columbia, S.C., in the middle of the afternoon at 2:41 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 21. NASA has estimated that South Carolina could see up to 1 million visitors. View a Columbia, S.C. eclipse map.

Selected Columbia, S.C. area eclipse events:

• Large-scale Soda City Eclipse Viewing Festival and Eclipse Eve Drive-In Movie at Historic Columbia Speedway in Cayce, S.C.
• Launch of new laser art installation over the Congaree River, “Southern Lights”
• Total Eclipse of the Park – Columbia Fireflies Minor League Baseball game during eclipse, with iMAGINE Stem Festival and games all weekend
• South Carolina State Museum viewing event w/observatory and appearance by astronaut Charles Duke, with events all weekend
• Huge Solar 17 viewing festival at beautiful Lake Murray Dam
• Paddling on Saluda River during eclipse and kids’ activities at Saluda Shoals Park
• Ranger-led eclipse hikes to forest clearings in Congaree National Park
• Eclipse viewing at Sesquicentennial State Park
• Historical tours of 12,000 Year History Park in Cayce, S.C.
• Lecture hosted by the University of South Carolina Physics & Astronomy Department
• VIP eclipse viewing party with luxe food & drink at Motor Supply bistro
• Lowcountry Boil & Paella Party at City Roots urban farm
• Two Gals and a Fork food tours in the Vista
• Taco Monday eclipse viewing at Publico in Five Points
• Solar Fest West with music, food trucks, beer garden at West Columbia riverfront amphitheater
• Eclipse tailgate festival w/4,000 parking spaces at S.C. State Fair
• The Grape Eclipse festival with food, wine and jazz at Mercer Winery
• Family-friendly Historic Eclipse in the Gardens festival at Robert Mills House
• Summer Learning Challenge Wrap-Up Party at Richland Library
• The Jasper Project “Syzygy” theatre and poetry at Tapp’s Arts Center
• “Star Wars Musiclipse” concert by S.C. Philharmonic
• Arts & Draughts party with live music and special eclipse beer at Columbia Museum of Art
• Eclipse Geocaching Cointrail event for families
• EclipseFest 2017 at Music Farm Columbia with rock and roll tribute bands
• Screening of the film 2001: A Space Odyssey at the Nickelodeon Theatre
• Historic Happy Hour Water Balloon Battle at the Robert Mills House
• Historic Walking Tours of Main Street. and the Vista
• Summer Stamp and Postcard Show w/eclipse theme
• Benford Brewing “Carolina Blackout” beer release
• Eclipse camping on Lake Murray at Siesta Cove Marina
• Eclipse viewing (regular admission) at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden
• And more!

Eclipse Glasses and Viewing Safety

Anyone planning to witness the total solar eclipse needs certified protective glasses with a special safety film to view the partial eclipse leading up to and following the total eclipse. However, viewers in the Columbia, S.C., area will want to remove their glasses at 2:41 p.m. for the 2 minutes and 36 seconds of total eclipse in order to witness totality. However, glasses should be worn before and after totality.  Notably, the partial eclipse before and after totality is not visible without glasses, since the sun is still so bright even up to the final moments of the moon covering the sun.

• Free Total Eclipse Weekend Columbia, S.C. eclipse glasses will be distributed to eclipse event guests by many of the event hosts who have listed their events at https://totaleclipsecolumbiasc.com, thanks to a sponsorship by the City of Columbia, S.C.

Plan your summer eclipse vacation and experience the unexpected, urban south in Columbia, S.C: https://totaleclipsecolumbiasc.com/plan-your-trip/

About Total Eclipse Weekend Columbia, S.C.

One of the Southeast’s most vibrant mid-sized cities, Columbia, S.C., is home to the longest total solar eclipse for a metro area on the East Coast and will host Total Eclipse Weekend Columbia, S.C., a long weekend of more than 120 eclipse-related festivals and events, from Aug. 18 to 21, 2017. At 2:41 p.m. on Monday, August 21, 2017, viewers in the greater Columbia, S.C., area will experience up to 2 minutes and 36 seconds of darkness in the middle of the afternoon. NASA estimates that South Carolina could see an influx of up to 1 million visitors to witness the U.S.’ first transcontinental total solar eclipse in 99 years. The Columbia, S.C., region’s long weekend of eclipse events includes a variety of large and small festivals; kid-friendly/family activities; food & drink parties; outdoor river and lake adventures; education, science & history events; art, film & dance happenings and more. Dubbed the “Total Eclipse Capital of the East Coast,” Columbia, S.C., has been named a top U.S. viewing city and has been covered by the New York Times, USA Today, Forbes, Fodor’s Travel, the UK’s Telegraph, the Chicago Tribune, the Boston Globe, the Washington Post and others. Follow @TotalEclipseCAE and plan your Total Eclipse Weekend Columbia, S.C. at https://totaleclipsecolumbiasc.com. 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/totaleclipsecae  | Twitter/Instagram: @TotalEclipseCAE #TotalEclipseCAE | #RealColumbiaSC

Media Contacts:

Tracie Broom, co-founding partner, Flock and Rally, 415.235.5718, tracie@flockandrally.com

Andrea Mensink, director of communications, Experience Columbia SC, 507.993.7178, amensink@experiencecolumbiasc.com