Total Solar Eclipse 2024
Date:
April 8, 2024
Time:
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Ticket Prices:
VIP: $150 - SOLD OUT
Nonmember: $55
Member: $40
Festival tickets are also be available to participants enrolled in the Access Pass program. Limited Access Pass tickets are available for this event.
Children under two are free.
Thank you for joining us for the Conner Prairie Total Solar Eclipse Festival!
On April 8, 2024, our festival grounds transformed into a haven of wonder and delight. We induced our senses in live performances from musical acts, dance companies and enlightened talks from renowned experts who will shed light on the science behind this mesmerizing event.
The festival experiences built up to the breathtaking convergence of nature’s most awe-inspiring spectacle – the total eclipse! Our expansive grounds guaranteed each guest would have an uninhibited view of this special moment in time. An event like no other, this festival offered experiences for everyone in the family as we experienced history in the making together!
Main Stage Guests
Learn about what life was like living and working in space from our Hoosier astronaut Mark Brown. Brown has enjoyed a career as an Air Force fighter pilot, engineer, NASA astronaut, NASA manager, and corporate manager. After his 20+ years in the Air Force he flew in two space shuttle missions in 1984 and 1989. He also served on the Challenger Accident Investigation team, and was the senior astronaut on the International Space Station program until he retired in 1993.
Rick Crosslin is District Scientist in Residence at MSD Wayne Township and multi-award-winning classroom teacher that includes the 2016 Creative Teaching Award from Eli Lilly Foundation, a 2011 Academy of Model Aeronautics Education Outreach Appreciation Award, a 2009 Emmy for Indiana Expeditions Children’s science program and many more.
In recent years, he has been at the forefront of science education through local programming with WFYI that includes, “Wings Over Indiana,” “Forests at Work: An Indiana Expeditions Special” and “Indiana Expeditions with Rick Crosslin.” Crosslin has authored science programs for institutions like the Indianapolis Children’s Museum and has collaborated with National Geographic to author teacher guides. Crosslin has also worked with the Indiana State Museum, the Academy of Model Aeronautics, the MSD Wayne Township Classroom Teachers Association and is a current Board Member with Science Education Foundation, Inc. (SEFI).
His YouTube channel has captivated thousands of viewers to learn from and engage in the wonders of science.
South Bend’s UZIMA! Drum and Dance is a celebration of wholeness, health and life. Performing traditional West African dance, Afro-contemporary song and spoken word, UZIMA! always looks to leave their audience in a better place, filled with joy, peace and a greater sense of the light that exists in all of us. UZIMA! eclipse performance will be focused on the theme of light and shadow.
Stella Luna & the Satellites create a buzz with their high-energy live shows performing today’s current hits, crowd favorites and timeless classics from many different genres of music. Since 2013, Stella Luna & the Satellites have been entertaining audiences all over Indiana.
Join The Curious Life for a sun-themed experience during Conner Prairie’s Total Eclipse 2024 festival. Drop in and share your creativity and joy throughout the day in one of their many free-flowing art projects and join one of two playful meditations they're calling "So(u)lar Circles." By participating, you may also win a golden ticket for a limited seat in the So(u)lar Eclipse Hut!
Main Stage Guests
Learn about what life was like living and working in space from our Hoosier astronaut Mark Brown. Brown has enjoyed a career as an Air Force fighter pilot, engineer, NASA astronaut, NASA manager, and corporate manager. After his 20+ years in the Air Force he flew in two space shuttle missions in 1984 and 1989. He also served on the Challenger Accident Investigation team, and was the senior astronaut on the International Space Station program until he retired in 1993.
Rick Crosslin is District Scientist in Residence at MSD Wayne Township and multi-award-winning classroom teacher that includes the 2016 Creative Teaching Award from Eli Lilly Foundation, a 2011 Academy of Model Aeronautics Education Outreach Appreciation Award, a 2009 Emmy for Indiana Expeditions Children’s science program and many more.
In recent years, he has been at the forefront of science education through local programming with WFYI that includes, “Wings Over Indiana,” “Forests at Work: An Indiana Expeditions Special” and “Indiana Expeditions with Rick Crosslin.” Crosslin has authored science programs for institutions like the Indianapolis Children’s Museum and has collaborated with National Geographic to author teacher guides. Crosslin has also worked with the Indiana State Museum, the Academy of Model Aeronautics, the MSD Wayne Township Classroom Teachers Association and is a current Board Member with Science Education Foundation, Inc. (SEFI).
His YouTube channel has captivated thousands of viewers to learn from and engage in the wonders of science.
South Bend’s UZIMA! Drum and Dance is a celebration of wholeness, health and life. Performing traditional West African dance, Afro-contemporary song and spoken word, UZIMA! always looks to leave their audience in a better place, filled with joy, peace and a greater sense of the light that exists in all of us. UZIMA! eclipse performance will be focused on the theme of light and shadow.
Stella Luna & the Satellites create a buzz with their high-energy live shows performing today’s current hits, crowd favorites and timeless classics from many different genres of music. Since 2013, Stella Luna & the Satellites have been entertaining audiences all over Indiana.
Join The Curious Life for a sun-themed experience during Conner Prairie’s Total Eclipse 2024 festival. Drop in and share your creativity and joy throughout the day in one of their many free-flowing art projects and join one of two playful meditations they're calling "So(u)lar Circles." By participating, you may also win a golden ticket for a limited seat in the So(u)lar Eclipse Hut!
Activities throughout the grounds
- Discover what a Camera Obscura is and how to use it!
- In Lenape Indian Camp, learn about Native American Cultures present in Hamilton County before statehood and the impact of the fur trade.
- Learn about our most recent episode of This is Problematic! on the 1806 Eclipse and the Rise of Chief Anderson on the White River. Come by Lenape Indian Camp with questions and comments for the host!
- Timed presentations on Witch Trials in Lenape Indian Camp: 12:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
- So(u)lar Eclipse: art, play, connection with The Curious Life.
- Sun-themed "So(u)lar Circle" meditations from The Curious Life.
- Guests of all ages are invited to explore light and shadow invitations, connecting to the eclipse through joy, awe, wonder, and play.
- NeST (NorthEast Side Taildraggers) remote control aircraft club: Demonstrations and flight simulators.
Activities throughout the grounds
- Discover what a Camera Obscura is and how to use it!
- In Lenape Indian Camp, learn about Native American Cultures present in Hamilton County before statehood and the impact of the fur trade.
- Learn about our most recent episode of This is Problematic! on the 1806 Eclipse and the Rise of Chief Anderson on the White River. Come by Lenape Indian Camp with questions and comments for the host!
- Timed presentations on Witch Trials in Lenape Indian Camp: 12:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
- So(u)lar Eclipse: art, play, connection with The Curious Life.
- Sun-themed "So(u)lar Circle" meditations from The Curious Life.
- Guests of all ages are invited to explore light and shadow invitations, connecting to the eclipse through joy, awe, wonder, and play.
- NeST (NorthEast Side Taildraggers) remote control aircraft club: Demonstrations and flight simulators.
Many Food Options to Choose From
From burgers to pretzels, bbq and so much more, the festival will have a variety of food options throughout the grounds.
Enjoy the taste of Sun King’s special beer In the Path of Totality. This beer is a golden ale infused by coffee roasted by Sun Bean Roastery in Indianapolis. Make sure you grab a glass at Conner Prairie’s Total Solar Eclipse festival!
VIP Total Solar Eclipse Soiree — Sold Out
The VIP Solar Eclipse Soiree begins at 9:30 a.m., 30 minutes prior to our festival opening. The party will continue until 5:30 p.m.! Tickets to our VIP Solar Eclipse Soiree include:
- Festival admission (All of the above).
- Premium Reserved Parking at the Prairie House with expedited exit exclusive to VIP guests at President's House drive.
- Shuttle to festival grounds.
- Eclipse viewing glasses.
- Exclusive unobstructed viewing area on the South Lawn of the Prairie House with adirondack chairs.
- Private coffee and spirits bar with themed signature cocktails and mocktails.
- Lunch Buffet catered by City BBQ.
- After party with happy hour apps from Chef Susan's Catering with music and activities.
Important resources
Looking to learn more about the upcoming solar eclipse? View the NASA resources below:
Thank you to our official Total Eclipse partners!
Media Partner
Friends of the Festival
