GENESEO, N.Y., May 15, 2023 - In less than a year, on April 8, 2024, Livingston County will be in the path of a total solar eclipse, a rare occurrence when the shadow of the moon will completely block the sun. An estimated 350,000 to 500,000 people are predicted to visit the Finger Lakes region for this celestial event. Community leaders and organizers throughout the region are already preparing to play host to thousands of eclipse enthusiasts visiting the weekend and day of the eclipse.
There are only 13 states in the U.S. that will experience the April 2024 total solar eclipse. The length of totality (three minutes and 33 seconds in Caledonia), the proximity to major traffic routes, and the open spaces of rural land with unobstructed dark skies makes Livingston County a desirable destination to view the eclipse. Livingston County Economic Development and Tourism are hosting presentations to help prepare for the total solar eclipse.
Sweetwater, Tennessee, a small town of 5,700 residents welcomed over 50,000 visitors for the 2017 Eclipse. Hayley Isbill, Tourism Director, and Jessica Morgan, City Recorder, from Sweetwater, will be visiting Livingston County to share how they prepared in 2017 and why local business owners and communities should start planning now for the eclipse. Attendees will also hear from Livingston County Tourism on what events are being planned locally, how to get solar eclipse viewing glasses, and a new grant funding opportunity specifically for eclipse events.
The two presentations will take place on May 23 and May 24 to help prepare business owners, municipal officers, community leaders and local stakeholders for this historic event:
• Tuesday, May 23: Everything You Need to Know About the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse (Presentation 1), 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. at Strange Design Public House (4570 Millennium Drive, Geneseo, N.Y. 14454)
• Wednesday, May 24: Everything You Need to Know About the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
(Presentation 2), 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. at Avon Park Theater (71 Genesee Street, Avon, N.Y. 14414)
These presentations are free and open to the public.
To register for one of the two presentations, please visit http://www.visitlivco.com/events/eclipse-2024/stakeholder-info/. For more information about the 2024 eclipse, please visit www.visitlivco.com/events/eclipse-2024/ and follow Visit Livingston County, N.Y. on lnstagram (@visitlivco) and Facebook.