‘It was an experience that we can all do as a family’: Thousands pack USI grounds for ‘Solarpalooza’
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - Thousands of people came out for fun at the University of Southern Indiana for their Solarpalooza earlier Monday.
Some people 14 News spoke with made hours-long car trips from Georgia, Kentucky, South Dakota, Missouri, Ohio and Washington D.C. to attend the celebration
One group who traveled from Washington says the picked out USI’s event because of all the fun activities planned and the good weather outlook.
“We were like right to the last minute going, ‘Do we have to drive somewhere else?’ We were like NASA before launch,” said Tom Doyle.
Another family says they drove seven hours from the Atlanta area to get a good picture of the eclipse. Amateur photographer Suresh Krishan came ready with a specially designed filter for his camera to capture the moments leading up to totality.
Others drove from other cities in the Tri-State, even pulling their kids from school to witness the once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon.
“It was an experience that we can all do as a family, so we’re excited to do it,” said Mari Hinton of Tell City.
Hinton says her family members woke up at 4:30 A.M. just to arrive early enough at USI to secure the perfect spot on the lawn.
Eclipse watchers say these early morning hours and long car trips were all worth it for the cloudless view of the Evansville sky on Monday.
At USI, the crowd was silent in the moments leading up to totality, with cheers erupting from thousands right at the moment organizers announced it was safe to remove eye protection.
“Just taking your glasses off and seeing it like with your own eyes was unbelievable,” said spectator Sara Putman.
USI’s event included food trucks, lectures from experts, live music, telescope demonstrations, games and a petting zoo.
Our Jordan Yaney and Liz DeSantis discussed the crowds of people that came out to USI for the solar eclipse:
Watch Monday afternoon as Arden Gregory and Jordan Yaney got a meet a bearded a dragon:
We also spoke again with USI Physics professor Dr. Kent Scheller.
Sunrise Coverage:
‘Solarpalooza’ welcoming people to USI for solar eclipse
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