DRIPPING SPRINGS  — With the total solar eclipse coming in just a little more than three weeks, the city of Dripping Springs and the Community Eclipse Task Force are preparing for the eclipse, and the anticipated influx of visitors, to ensure that all areas of the city are as prepared as possible.

To help with traffic flow and to create a safe place for residents and visitors to experience the eclipse, the city will be closing parts of Mercer Street and will be holding a viewing event: the Dripping Springs sunBLOCK Party. The party will have food vendors, business booths, craft vendors and more.

When the city experienced the annular eclipse last October, there was a large gathering at Veterans Memorial Park.

The sunBLOCK Party will be held on Mercer Street from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, April 8. Due to this, Main Street will be closed from the intersection of Bluff Street to San Marcos Street beginning at 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 7 and will reopen at 10 p.m. on Monday. Portions of College Street and Old Fitzhugh Road will be closed to through-traffic, too.

Along with shopping, food and the eclipse experience, there will be local entertainment on the eclipse stage, organized by Tommy Mojica and The Dripping Strings. The Dripping Strings are Mojica’s young, and young at heart, music students. His students, the Dripping Springs High School Jazz Band and more will be performing throughout the day.

Also scheduled to appear are local musicians such as Al Monti, Rob Roy Parnell and Soul Fire, Frank Iarossi and more.

“We love that we have so many students who will be performing and local musicians. We wanted the sunBLOCK gathering to really feel like a Dripping Springs community event. We weren’t looking to hold a festival, just a fun community gathering for all of us to experience the eclipse together,” said Dripping Springs People and Communications Director Lisa Sullivan.

Also to prepare, Dripping Springs Emergency Management has been partnering with Hays County Emergency Management to ensure that all areas of the city are as prepared as possible. Adding to that preparation is that the Texas State Guard (TXSG) will be using the eclipse event for their annual training. The Soldiers of the Texas State Guard, 3rd Battalion 6th Brigade, are gearing up for their 2024 Annual Training with a unique twist — dedicating their efforts to a community service event, which is the eclipse in Dripping Springs. They are partnering with the Hays County Emergency Management team and Dripping Springs Emergency Management to provide support in traffic control and communications during the eclipse.

“The TXSG stands ready to serve and support our community, becoming an integral part of this Texas historical event,” stated Brigadier General Sheridan, Commanding, 6th Brigade, Texas State Guard.

With many expected to visit and travel through Dripping Springs to witness the celestial spectacle, the Texas State Guard will be of help, as it aligns its resources to contribute to the success of this big event.

“Hays County Emergency Management has been a great partner through the planning of the eclipse. Now, having the Texas State Guard use the event for their training makes the entire event even more exciting. It is a remarkable display of community commitment from all involved,” said Dripping Springs Mayor Bill Foulds.

The TXSG home base will be at Dripping Springs Ranch Park.

Dripping Springs will experience the total solar eclipse beginning at approximately 12:16 p.m. on Monday, April 8. The full eclipse, or totality, begins at 1:34 p.m. and Dripping Springs will be in the totality for three minutes when the moon’s disk completely blocks the sun, the news release stated.

For more than two years, a community eclipse task force committee has been meeting to prepare for the eclipse. The task force consists of city department heads including Emergency Management, Parks and Community Services, Communications and more. It also includes representatives from the Dripping Springs Visitors Bureau, Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce, Dripping Springs Independent School District, North Hays County Fire & Rescue Department, North Hays EMS and more.

For more information on the eclipse, send an email to eclipse@cityofdrippingsprings.com or call the city of Dripping Springs at 512-858-4725.