Looking for a Great North American Eclipse party to eclipse all the rest? Look no further than Irving, Texas.
The city sits squarely on the path of totality, enjoys a viewing-friendly climate, and is planning a party on the ground like no other – Total Eclipse in the Park.
Located just outside of Dallas and right next door to DFW International Airport, Irving is one of the few cities in Texas and the nation that will experience nearly four minutes of “totality,” or complete darkening of the sky as the moon passes over the sun on April 8. Spring weather in Irving is typically warm, mild and conducive to excellent eclipse watching. With Total Eclipse in the Park, the city is throwing a pre-, during-, and after party worthy of a once-in-a-lifetime celestial phenomenon.
Total Eclipse in the Park will take place from 12 – 3 p.m. in two locations –Levy Plaza on the shores of Irving’s Lake Carolyn in the Las Colinas Urban Center, and Heritage Park. At Levy Plaza in Las Colinas, party-goers can don a pair of complimentary eclipse glasses (required for viewing) and enjoy a slice of the world’s largest edible moon pie made from scratch by Eduardo Alvarez, Executive Chef at the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas.
They can also rock out to live music by Vegas Stars, make sunflower crowns, take selfies at special stations, get “moon” sketches, visit the Celestial Sparkle Bar, and even gaze up at the skies from the unique vantage of a stand-up paddle board or paddle boat on Lake Carolyn. It’s all free, but attendees must pre-register here. Additional perks for purchase include out-of-this-world food truck fare, cosmic cocktails, and the chance to take in the eclipse from the water on an authentic Venetian gondola cruise, one of Irving’s signature attractions. The Heritage Park event, which is also free but requires no pre-registration, will have a DJ, selfie stations, food trucks, free eclipse glasses while supplies last, and family-friendly activities.
The partial eclipse will begin at 12:23 p.m. on April 8, with totality occurring between 1:40 and 1:44 p.m. The partial eclipse will end at 3:02 p.m.
Visitors are encouraged to make a long weekend of it all, and to that end, several Irving hotels are offering special eclipse deals. Among them are the Omni Las Colinas’ “Solarbration Package.” and the Westin Irving’s “Eclipse Retreat” which include eclipse glasses and special eclipse themed amenities. To complement the eclipse experience, Irving offers a wide variety of world class dining and entertainment. On Saturday, April 6, The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory will present the Black Crowes “Happiness Bastards” tour. The studio album of the same name, set to drop March 15, features two serendipitously-named songs, “Dirty Cold Sun,” and “Follow the Moon.”
