MANSFIELD – Thousands of visitors are expected to descend on one of the Midwest’s most welcoming and charming small towns this April 8 as the ultra-rare total eclipse of the sun puts Mansfield and its visitors smack in the middle of the path of totality. As a result, the north central Ohio city and its surrounding villages will be plunged into darkness at 3:12 p.m. for 3 minutes, 16 seconds when the moon passes between the sun and Earth during the first total solar eclipse to cover Ohio in 208 years.
Mansfield and its neighboring Richland County villages have created special events for locals and visitors alike, the largest of which takes place at Richland County Fairgrounds. Travelers are encouraged to book accommodations quickly at destinationmansfield.com/ohio-total-solar-eclipse and to arrive early for viewing and activities, as traffic is expected to be heavy. Similarly, visitors are advised to relax and hang out for awhile to enjoy the local attractions and festival immediately after viewing the eclipse, in order to ease and avoid traffic congestion.
Richland County Fairgrounds will be transformed into a massive OHclipse Mansfield viewing party with seating for 2,500 people, 200 campsites and three days packed with events and activities. A massive marketplace of local vendors and artists, indoor kids play area, souvenir eclipse glasses, food trucks, half a dozen live bands and some of the best viewing in the U.S. will take place on 100 acres with dozens of buildings and shelters, in case of inclement weather.
Travelers can purchase passes, parking and camping reservations at eventbrite.com/e/ohclipse-mansfield-tickets.
A Total Eclipse of the Park Viewing Party is slated for 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Central Park on The Square in downtown Mansfield at no charge. Viewing glasses will be available and R&B greats Jimi Vincent and Friends will be performing live. Popular Mansfield restaurant Dan Lew Exchang/DLX will feature appetizer, dining and drink specials during this festive party.
Another stellar viewing location is Malabar Farm State Park, just 10 miles from downtown Mansfield. Malabar’s 900 acres of gorgeous rolling Ohio farmland and wide-open pastures will offer unobscured visibility. Food trucks will be on hand and visitors are encouraged to bring eclipse glasses and blankets to enjoy the view, and to carpool to ease parking and anticipated traffic.
Richland County offers a number of other great spots for a clear view of the total eclipse, including: Bicentennial Park, Lex-Ontario Road, Lexington OH; Patriot Park, Plymouth Street, Lexington, OH; Stowell Park, Ontario; and others. Travelers are encouraged to check the destinationmansfield.com/ohio-total-solar-eclipse website closer to April 8, to see updates as they’re added.
Submitted by Destination Mansfield – Richland County.
