Prime in the Path of Totality, Burlington Is Going All Out for the Total Solar Eclipse

Although it’s gorgeous all year-round, this spring is an especially good time to escape Boston and embark on a conifer-dappled road trip to Burlington, Vermont. Nestled along Lake Champlain’s shores with the Adirondacks to the south, the college town long-known for its eco-forward mindset and artistic cache has a galactic 2024 destiny that only four other East Coast locations can brag about: It stands squarely in the path of totality for the April 8 total solar eclipse—and is set to experience three minutes and sixteen seconds of celestial awe that afternoon when the moon entirely blocks the sun.

Burlington expects nearly 35,000 visitors for its unobstructed view of the 2024 eclipse. Kick things off on April 5 with a cultural exploration of eclipses at Totality Talks: Omens from Above: A Curious History of Eclipses as Signs, and end the night with cocktails, a makers’ market, food trucks, and live music at the Illuminate Vermont street festival.

On eclipse eve, April 7, Obscura BTV and VTIFF Present Moonflix Matinee: 100 Years of Short Films About the Moon, a curated collection of five works, including the 1926 short Moonland—about a boy and dog on an interstellar sojourn, complete with mammoth mushrooms, castles, and a curmudgeonly moon man.

As the sun rises for its big day on April 8, Burlington’s prime public viewing spots like the Waterfront and Battery Parks will welcome guests, and larger spaces feature ticketed celebrations, like the airport’s event, Transcend: Experience The Solar Eclipse (think: live bands and deep-fried cookies).

Similarly, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain has partnered with the Vermont Astronomical Society on an educational bash with telescopes, sun-oculars, and a nationwide eclipse live-stream. Otherwise, pack your favorite Martian costume and join the shenanigans at Venetian Soda Lounge, where they’ll have cosmic-themed craft cocktails, a costume contest, and live bands.

Consider bringing your bike or taking the city’s eclipse shuttle regardless of which events you attend. Roads leading to major viewing areas will be closed, and parking will be limited, given the once-in-a-lifetime vibe of the event.