2024 eclipse in Minster to get a Floyd soundtrack

MINSTER - A representative of a Minster religious organization on Tuesday night received village council's blessing to host a Dark Side of the Moon Festival at a village park in conjunction with the April 8 total solar eclipse.

Chris Niekamp with Minster Ministries advised councilors of plans to hold the Dark Side of the Moon on April 7-8, with the total solar eclipse occurring the afternoon of April 8. He said the organization plans to host the event in the northwest section of Four Seasons Park.

Tentative plans for the festival include entertainment by bands and other family-oriented activities. An outline distributed to council members stated the focus is to offer a "community event to enjoy the once in a lifetime solar eclipse."

Niekamp said a large tent would be erected at the park. He said the organization plans to obtain a beer sales license for the festival.

Councilor Craig Oldiges said EMS personnel and other safety organizations around the state spend large amounts of time planning for similar large events.

Niekamp assured councilors that proper security would be provided for the event.

Councilor Curt Albers raised a concern about a large number of people from outside the area coming for the festival, possibly straining lodging resources.

Niekamp said most of the people attending the festival would be from the area.

"A great majority of the people will be from (within) an hour away," he said.

Niekamp said it would be important to get the decision soon on the park request.

"There could be a race for resources," Niekamp said, noting other communities around the state will be planning similar events. He said the group needs to "lock in" the large tent and other resources.

Councilors approved the request to use Four Seasons Park and agreed that Niekamp's group should work with council's park committee and village park employees to discuss plans for the festival.

Village administrator Don Harrod said he would contact Niekamp about setting up a meeting with the park committee.

The Mercer County Fair Board is another local entity planning to build an event around the total solar eclipse.

"What better way to witness a once in a lifetime event with music, art, camping, and vendors! Stay tuned for a full list of entertainment that will occur all weekend long," a post on Mercer County Fairgrounds' Facebook page reads.

Local officials need to plan for the worst but hope for the best when potentially thousands of people flock to the area for prime viewing of the total solar eclipse on April 8.

"My gut feeling is that day is going to go fine," said Mercer County Emergency Management Agency Mike Robbins at a March solar eclipse planning meeting. "Traffic is going to be a problem and using your cellphones is going to be a problem. We're going to have some fender bender wrecks because of that many cars (in the area)."

Mercer County is among 35 Ohio counties expected to be in the full-totality area. That means all of Mercer County will experience a total solar eclipse when the moon appears to totally obscure the sun, causing nighttime darkness for two to four minutes, according to Robbins.

Neighboring Auglaize County is one of nine counties in the state that will intersect with the center line of totality and therby experience the longest period of totality, most spectators and highest demands on local infrastructure, according to Ohio EMA.

"The last one in Ohio was in 1806," said OEMA Southwest Regional Supervisor Phil Clayton, underscoring the rarity of a total solar eclipse. "Only 15 (have been) visible in the United States since 1867, and the next one in Ohio will be Sept. 14, 2099."

OEMA will be present in area counties to provide emergency support "for any of those outside-of-the-bounds or extraordinary requests that may come down the pike," Clayton said at a past meeting.

This literally once-in-a-lifetime event will present an array of logistic challenges as an influx of travelers could double the population of Mercer County, according to Robbins.