(Oct. 28, 2022) – We are about a year away from the first of two eclipses that
Kerrville will experience in the next 18 months and community leaders are preparing. An
annular solar eclipse will occur on Oct. 14, 2023, with a total solar eclipse taking place on April
8, 2024.
The 2023 annular eclipse will be a partial eclipse that will create a “ring of fire” around the
sun. The fourth annual Kerrville River Festival will be held in conjunction with the annular
eclipse. It will include programming to celebrate the celestial occasion, educate attendees on
proper solar eclipse viewing practices, and prepare the community and its visitors for what’s to
come in 2024. Six months later, the City of Kerrville and surrounding Hill Country will anticipate
the most significant number of guests our community has ever encountered.
There are just 13 states in the U.S. where the total solar eclipse will be visible. Texas will
experience the most prolonged eclipse duration of those states. The Kerrville area is only a few
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miles from the centerline in Ingram. The centerline marks the middle of the path of totality.
Those along this line experience the greatest length of totality, or period of darkness where the
moon’s disk completely blocks the sun. The length of totality (4 minutes and 25 seconds in
Kerrville), the pleasant weather, and the proximity to I-10 will make Kerrville one of the most
desirable areas to view the eclipse in the country.
In February of this year, the Kerrville City Council established an ad hoc committee to help
prepare our community for the 2024 solar eclipse. The committee chairs consist of city
department heads from the Parks and Recreation Department, Police Department, Fire
Department, and the president/CEO of the Kerrville Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Committee representatives consist of Schreiner University, the Kerrville Independent School
District, the Chamber of Commerce, and other community stakeholders and organizers.
The City of Kerrville and its partners are committed to ensuring Kerrville is prepared for the
2023 annular solar eclipse and the 2024 total solar eclipse. The committee is seeking the
community’s help to better plan for safety management and the allocation of resources. If your
business or organization is planning an eclipse-related eventfor April 2024, please register your
event at
www.kerrvilleeclipse.com. The short form will allow us to account for all activities
happening in Kerr County. Please note that events will only be publicized if requested.
“This will be a historic event for our community, and the economic impact will be
extraordinary,” City of Kerrville Tourism and Event Coordinator Rain Thoresen said. “Expecting
such a large number of visitors can be a little overwhelming, but we are working to ensure our
community is ready and excited! Being in the line of totality for a solar eclipse is a once-in-a-
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lifetime opportunity for our area. Many have described a total solar eclipse as an emotional and
even life-changing occurrence. We want to do all we can to make sure our residents and guests
have a positive experience.”
Kerrville Solar Eclipse Committee member and retired NASA employee Jeff Stone says, “A
total solar eclipse is like nothing you've ever experienced. Suddenly, in the middle of the day, a
shadow races toward you at 1,500 miles an hour, and the day is gone. Planets, stars, and the
corona are visible as the temperature drops and everyone around is awestruck. You'll never
forget it!”
Want an opportunity to speak with eclipse committee members and gain some knowledge?
A solar eclipse booth will be set up this Friday and Saturday at the Bizarre Bazaar at Kerr Arts
and Cultural Center in downtown Kerrville.
For more information and eclipse-related updates, please visit
www.kerrvilleeclipse.com
and follow @kerrvilletxeclipse on Instagram and the Kerrville Eclipse Facebook page.