Hill Country Eclipse Round Table 6.29.21

The City of Fredericksburg, the Gillespie County Economic Development Corporation, and the Hill Country Alliance invite community leaders to participate in a Hill Country Eclipse Round Table, Tuesday, June 29 from 12:00 pm-1:30 pm on Zoom to discuss ongoing preparations for the total solar eclipse, which may draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to our region in April 2024.

During the last total solar eclipse event in the U.S., back in 2017, many rural communities in its path were overwhelmed by the crowds and the challenges they created for local infrastructure, emergency services, lodging and restaurants, and supermarkets. However, the communities that fared the best were those that started preparing years in advance.

In 2024, the total solar eclipse will pass directly through the middle of the Hill Country, affecting all of our communities. This round table is an opportunity for us to share our plans, learn from one another, and benefit from lessons learned by other U.S. communities during the 2017 eclipse.

We will be joined by Gary Williams and Steven Mitchell, City Manager and Economic Development Director, respectively, for the City of Carbondale, IL, which was on the path of totality during the 2017 eclipse and will be again in 2024. Mr. Williams and Mr. Mitchell led their community's preparations for the influx of visitors; they will share their perspective and lessons learned, helping their Hill Country counterparts understand what to expect and how to plan for it.

After a brief presentation from Mr. Williams and Mr. Mitchell, we will open the round table for discussion, around-the-region check-ins, and planning.

We encourage you to share this invitation with other leaders in your community. The time to form an eclipse task force for your community is now!

If you missed the Fall Hill Country Eclipse Roundtable, in October 2020, featuring Dr. Angela Speck, and would like some general information about what the eclipse is and why we expect it to draw huge crowds to our region, you can watch Dr. Speck's presentation by clicking here. If you missed the last Hill Country Eclipse Roundtable in March, you can watch a recording of the meeting by clicking here.

Please register by clicking the button above, to receive Zoom details for the round table.