If you’re looking for a hotel room in Cape Girardeau on Aug. 21, sorry you’re out of luck. They’ve been booked to capacity for weeks, thanks to the highly anticipated celestial event of year--the total solar eclipse. For the first time since 1869, Cape Girardeau will be in the eclipse’s path of totality. It’s one of the spots to be when the sky goes dark in the middle of the day. Brenda Newbern, Executive Director at Visit Cape is here to talk about what you can expect.
Lewis-Thompson: The eclipse has been the talk of the town. There are tons of watch parties and also additional events happening at Southeast Missouri State University and throughout the city. One of the main watch parties is at the Cape Sportsplex. What can people expect?
Newbern: Well you can expect to have the middle of the night in the middle of the day. There's going to be temperature changes. The animals and nature around us will start to act differently. Because they will sense that there's something going on in our atmosphere.
Lewis-Thompson: What types of activities will you all have at the Cape Sportsplex?
Newbern: At the Cape Sportsplex, we're going to have sound system that's going to play music that's going to be like eclipse [themed]. You know, the 'Dawning of the Eclipse Aquarius.' So we're going to be themed. We're also going to have a couple of food trucks there. The Continuing Education Center here at Southeast Missouri State [University] has given us solar bead packets. So we're going to have those out there. We will be giving you safety glasses, so that you can watch the eclipse safely. So you'll have eclipse glasses to those first 1,500 people. And we're going to give away t-shirts.
Lewis-Thompson: How big of a deal is this eclipse in the area?
Newbern: This eclipse is beginning to be just huge. The thing about an eclipse is there aren't any reservations. We don't get to ask for an RSVP. We have no idea how many people are going to actually show up. This I can tell you though Marissa[nne] is that our hotels are full. There are no accommodations. If you would try to book a hotel room on Aug. 20, there's nothing available. So we're looking at thousands of people being in our area.
Lewis-Thompson: Thousands?
Newbern: Thousands. I actually have gotten phone calls from a lady in Kennett, Mo. And she has two family members coming from New York, four people coming from California, and two coming from Bowling Green, Ky. to see the eclipse. And she's going to bring them to Cape Girardeau. That's just one family of nine people where she's the only one [that] really lives in Kennett. But people are flying in from those distances.
Lewis-Thompson: And in other surrounding areas there are people renting out farmland, so that people can see it.
Newbern: Yes. Because the thing about the eclipse, if you look at EclipseWise and you look at the different locations on there, it may be out in the middle of a field where you get longer totality. That's what people want to see. They want to see that time where the totality is the longest. So you move it around and those fields, open space[s] and it may show that's the best place. And so, those true astronomers that are coming to view that eclipse they can probably ask a farmer, ‘can I have this plot of land?’ It may for a good price too.
Lewis-Thompson: Timing is everything when it comes to this eclipse. When does the main event happen?
Newbern: At our sportsplex, we're going to open the gates at 10 a.m. so you can start parking. And we've been fortunate enough to have our Cape Girardeau Police Department partner with us, and they're going to help handle that parking, so that we can have ease of access and excess and making sure people move in smoothly. And then at 11:52 a.m. the eclipse begins. And this is a gradual thing that happens, where the sun is going to move over the moon and by 1:20 p.m. the total eclipse totality is at 1:20 p.m. at our location. Then it will begin to uncover and it will last until 2:49 p.m. So as you can see, it starts at 11:52 a.m, but it's not over until 2:49 p.m. But the main event is at 1:20 p.m.
Lewis-Thompson: How does that make you feel?
Newbern: Nervous.
Lewis-Thompson: Is it one of those pressure moments where you hope everything goes right?
Newbern: I hope everything goes right. I hope we have a large crowd, but not a crowd that we can't accommodate. I hope that it's not a cloudy day in Cape Girardeau, Mo. I mean we are in Missouri. And you know that weather can change on a dime. So, I'm hoping that we'll have clear blue skies and everything will go well.
Lewis-Thompson: We've been talking about the amount of people that are coming here. And some of those people are eclipse chasers. Were you surprised that eclipse chasers one existed and that they're coming to this specific area to capture this moment?
Newbern: Yes, I'm very surprised. Last year, when I first heard about it and went out to do research, there was actually a gentleman that's actually an eclipse chaser who was driving the interstate and stopping at locations to see what the sky looked like, where it would be, what the visibility was like in that area at that time, and calculating our weather. Again, I think you're in Missouri, but he was here doing that. And taking the whole drive to see how it would be on along the eclipse line. So, yes. Very shocked. Very surprised. Very I guess engaged and learning. The knowledge is just unbelievable. The things that I've learned about it.
Lewis-Thompson: Well, what is the weather supposed to be like that day?
Newbern: It's supposed to be in the high 80s to 90s, low 90s and it's supposed to have some clouds.
Lewis-Thompson: Which might be a tad problematic.
Newbern: We're not even going to speak to it Marissa[nne]. It's going to be a clear sky. We have to believe that it's going to be a clear sky. If it does have clouds, true eclipse chasers and astronomers will be in their vehicles headed for the blue skies. And talking with those people of that nature that will happen. So, but the people like myself and others we'll still experience the darkness, but we just won't get to see that really good view of a nice eclipse.
Lewis-Thompson: For those who want to watch the eclipse from the comfort of their home, do you have any particular tips for them?
Newbern: I would tell them to go out and make sure they purchase their glasses. And I do understand that they're being sold at Lowes. I think they're being sold at Walmart and Annie Lauries and also one of the eye care specialist is selling them also for a donation. So, I'd say get your glasses and then when the time comes just step out into your yard and look at it. The thing about the glasses is to make sure that you wear them during the progression to totality. During totality you're allowed to look at the sun without your glasses, but then once it starts to descend then you need to put them on again.
Lewis-Thompson: Are there going to be some fun things for the kids to do if they're a little on the antsy side and are having a hard time waiting around for it to actual happen?
Newbern: That's where the eclipse beads come in, because they can make their little bracelets and put things on them and then kind watch to see what's going on with the sun and how they change colors and what effects it has. But that's about all we'll have for them. So, parents bring blankets if you're bringing little ones and some toys for them to play with.
Lewis-Thompson: This is the first eclipse in a long time in Cape Girardeau.
Newbern: Yes, it shows that the best information we have is that the last one was 1869.
Lewis-Thompson: That's a long time.
Newbern: Yes.That's a long time.Now, we're supposed to have another though in seven years. So the way I look at this one, this is our rehearsal for the big party, when we will have totality that will last over I think at the 2 minutes. We'll be more like that four minute. We'll be directly on that line.
Lewis-Thompson: Do you have any sense of what that eclipse was like back then from different records or documentation about what the city was like when that first eclipse happened?
Newbern: I actually don't. I wish I knew. No, I have nothing about that. But I've actually heard tapes from other eclipses when you go, and I would recommend anyone go out on the website. Look up eclipsewise.com and hear the reactions of people that have been in the eclipse. When they've been in a site and actually experienced it. It is from what I can tell a very impactful situation.
Lewis-Thompson: And this is your first time.
Newbern: Yes ma'am.
Lewis-Thompson: For a lot of people in this area it might be their first time as well.
Newbern: Exactly. And I'm a realist. I tell anyone, you know I don't put off what you get done today tomorrow. You know I could say that I'll wait and do it the next time. But what if you have a business trip and you don't happen to get to be here during the next one. You know what if you move, or who knows. Anything can happen. So if you're in the area I suggest step outside, get prepared and watch the eclipse. It is actually a once in lifetime opportunity. And the other thing about eclipse, eclipse happen on a regular basis. They really do. The only thing is that they don't happen over populated land masses all the time. A lot of times it may be out in the Asian sea or you know out in the middle of the ocean or up across the Alaskan mountains. Places where people can't get there easy to visibly see. That's why I think this is a such a big deal for us to be across the whole United States where that eclipse is going to spread. And there are so many opportunities in populated areas for people to actually view a total eclipse. So, it's not something that happens everyday.
