NEWSLETTER
Rochester, NY (April 2, 2024) – The RMSC will kick off their 3-day festival, ROC The Eclipse this Saturday, April 6 at 10am through Monday April 8, when Rochester sits directly in the path of a total solar eclipse. At 3:20pm ET, the City of Rochester will experience 3 minutes and 38 seconds of complete totality.
The festival will feature hands-on activities, nationally recognized science speakers, stage entertainment, eclipse merch to purchase, food trucks, telescope viewing, a NASA Astronaut, a free post-celebration country concert, and more.
“It feels wild that we’re finally here after years of planning, outreach, and coordinating efforts across Monroe County,” said Daniel Schneiderman, Eclipse Partnership Coordinator at the RMSC. “We’re grateful to all of our partners and the Greater Rochester community for fully embracing the eclipse.”
Organizations from across the region are participating in the festival as exhibitors and presenters. Supporters such as L3Harris Technologies, SUNY Brockport, City of Rochester, Optimax, LaBella, and Visit Rochester are also involved in the festival.
Eclipse Weekend Activities:
Featured Guests:
- Dr. Phil Plait: American astronomer, skeptic, and popular science blogger, otherwise known as The Bad Astronomer
- Cate Larsen: TikTok influencer and educator (also known as the Groovy Geologist),
- NASA Astronaut, Dr. Lee Morin: Performed two spacewalks during STS-110 totaling 14 hours and 9 minutes. He is currently assigned to the NASA Exploration Branch, where he works on the Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle.
Live Entertainment on the L3Harris Stage on Monday:
- Before totality: Local band, The Isotopes, will be performing their “Total Eclipse of the Topes” show to welcome all RMSC visitors on campus to the main stage of events. After the Isotopes, NASA Astronaut Lee Morin will talk about his life on the International Space Station
- During the Eclipse: Beginning at 2pm, Dan Schneiderman (RMSC Eclipse Partnerships Coordinator), Jim Bader (Director, RMSC Strasenburgh Planetarium), and Hillary Olson, RMSC’s President & CEO, will guide eclipse viewing and lead the countdown to totality. They will be joined on stage with appearances by Congressman Joe Morelle, Mayor Malik Evans, County Executive Adam Bello, NYS Assemblyman Harry Bronson, NYS Senator Samra Brouk, NYS Senator Jeremy Cooney, and NASA Astronaut Dr. Lee Morin. RMSC officials will let everyone know when to take their glasses off, pause for a moment of silence to take in the full experience of totality, and then join in putting our glasses back on.
- The Eclipse will start happening at 2:07pm ET, Totality (Total Eclipse) will occur from 3:20-3:23pm, and the eclipse will end at 4:33pm.
- After totality: Rising country singing sensation and Columbia Nashville Recording artist Dylan Marlowe, will take center stage on the RMSC campus. Dylan Marlowe is known for his hit singles “Boys Back Home,” “Record High,” and “I Will (When You Do)”.
Events:
- After Dark–Galactic Getdown (Saturday, April 6 | 6:30–10:30pm): This 21+ event will give visitors a chance to celebrate the Total Solar Eclipse with friends and will feature a Silent Disco at the RMSC Strasenburgh Planetarium. NYC Astronomy on Tap will be hosting space bar trivia and featuring two local astronomy researchers. Eclipse-themed drinks will be available for purchase. Entry to this event is not included in festival admission
- Eclipse 2024!: The RMSC Strasenburgh Planetarium will present a captivating new show, Eclipse 2024! designed to enlighten audiences about the awe-inspiring phenomena surrounding a total solar eclipse. Shows throughout the festival weekend will be on a first-come, first-served basis and are included with festival admission.
Programs:
- Electricity Theater shows
- Science on a Sphere 3D projection shows
- Hands-on activities
- Science experiments
- Solar telescope viewing
- Survival of the Slowest live animal encounters
Food trucks on the RMSC campus for the duration of the festival:
The RMSC has partnered with First Student to transport attendees between the campus, parking garages, and other sites throughout downtown Rochester during eclipse weekend.
Historically, the last time the Rochester region experienced a total solar eclipse was in 1925. After April 8, 2024, the next time our region will experience totality will be in 2144. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the people of Western New York.
Tickets and eclipse merchandise for the ROC The Eclipse Festival are now on sale. Visitors will have the choice to purchase 1-day passes or 3-day passes. Tickets include admission to the RMSC Museum & Science Center + the Strasenburgh Planetarium. Weekend tickets are available, but a limited number remain. It is strongly encouraged to reserve your tickets early if you plan on attending the festival.
Visitors can use their admission to the Festival towards the purchase of a full-year membership to the RMSC. RMSC Members will have free access to everything happening during the festival weekend, including the Planetarium shows. Space is limited on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information about the 2024 eclipse, and other activities happening on the RMSC Campus or at the RMSC Cumming Nature Center, and to learn how to get involved, go to rmsc.org or rochestereclipse2024.org, or follow the RMSC all social media platforms (@rocrmsc).