ROC the Eclipse festival: What to know about Rochester's three-day celebration
A three-day eclipse-themed festival at the Rochester Museum & Science Center will be among the largest local events surrounding the Great North American Solar Eclipse next month.
“ROC the Eclipse is part of a culmination of celebrations that we’ve been working towards for years,” said Dan Schneiderman, the eclipse partnerships coordinator for the Rochester Museum & Science Center. “From community partnerships that we’ve been building up to immersive hands-on experiences that you won’t find anywhere else, ROC the Eclipse will have something for everyone under the sun”
Rochester will be among the best places for viewing the Great North American Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024 as it will be in the path of totality − a narrow slice of geography with an optimal view of the moon perfectly in line with the Sun.
When, where is the ROC the Eclipse festival?
The three-day festival will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7 and from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, April 8.
The festival will be held at the museum, 657 East Ave. in Rochester. It will be inside the museum and planetarium as well across museum grounds.
The festival will use "every square inch possible" at the museum's East Avenue campus, Schneiderman said.
How much are tickets for ROC the Eclipse?
Tickets cost between $18 and $20 per day. A three-day festival pass costs $50 per person.
Tickets are free for museum members, but attendees must preregister by calling (585) 271-4320, in-person at the museum or by emailing info@rmsc.org.
RMSC spokeswoman Lyndsay Compitello said that while tickets are still available, they are selling quickly on a first-come, first-served basis. She stressed that people interested in attending the festival should not to wait to secure tickets.
What will the festival include?
Displays, exhibits, hands-on activities, planetarium shows, food trucks, speakers and more will be inside the museum and planetarium as well as outside. Several special shows will debut in the weeks leading up to the event - including eclipse-themed shows in the museum's Electricity Theater, which features Tesla coils, and the Science on a Sphere show.
Special speakers will also be featured each day of the festival - including astronomer Dr. Phil Plait on April 6 and geologist Cate Larsen on April 7. Details on additional speakers have not yet been announced.
Telescopes will be set up outside each day and solar viewing safety instruction will be available. Numerous community groups and organizations will be on site with hands-on activities as well.
Country musician Dylan Marlowe will perform at an outdoor stage near the planetarium on museum grounds Monday afternoon following totality at 3:30 p.m.
Food trucks at ROC the Eclipse festival
The following food trucks will be on RMSC campus for the duration of the festival:
An adults-only event at RMSC
An "after dark" celebration is also planned for adults 21 and older for the night of Saturday, April 6 - from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Admission to the after-hours event is not included with museum membership or general festival tickets. The after-hours event will include access to the silent disco in the planetarium, hands-on activities, a cash bar and food.
Tickets cost $40 to $45 per person.
Parking and shuttles for the ROC the Eclipse festival
With the museum expecting thousands of attendees each day, parking could become dicey.
The Rochester Museum & Science Center partnered with First Student to transport attendees between the museum, parking garages and other sites throughout downtown Rochester throughout the three-day festival.
A limited amount of handicapped-accessible parking will be available on museum grounds. A handicapped-accessible shuttle will also be available for those in need who park off-site.
Among the secured parking garages are the South Avenue parking garage, 39 Stone St. and the East End parking garage, 475 E. Main St. for all three festival days. Parking at the Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union St., will be available only on Monday, April 8.
Free shuttles will run on a continuous loop between the museum, the parking garages, the George Eastman Museum, the Strong National Museum of Play and the Memorial Art Gallery on Saturday and Sunday with an additional stop at the Rochester Public Market on Monday.
Parking within the garages is not free.
Shuttles will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7 and from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 8.
Expect heavy traffic throughout the festival, especially on Monday. Allow extra travel time.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester NY to celebrate solar eclipse 2024 with three-day festival
