The Benton Partnership and Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge are teaming up to host a solar eclipse celebration.
The event is set to begin at 9 a.m. Aug. 21, and will host activities in both H.H. Lovett Park and the Clarks River Environmental Education and Recreation area on Robin Wood Drive in Benton. Organizers will run a shuttle between locations to allow attendees to participate in various activities in both locations. It’s an event Benton Partnership Chairwoman Elena Blevins said was still in the planning stages but hoped would provide families with plenty to enjoy.
“We’re going to start with a cornhole tournament that morning that people can register for and we’ll have some sort of prize to give away or something,” Blevins said. “… And then about 10 a.m., we’ll have the eclipse games for kids. We’ll have different sort of levels for different age groups. … We’re hoping to utilize Moon Pies, you know, do games with all the Moon Pies, do things kind of like that ‘Minute to Win It’ that used to be out. We’ll since we’re going to get the eclipse totality for about two minutes, then we’ll probably do some games that are like two minutes to win it. Relays and that sort of thing for kids to do, and of course we’ll have prizes.”
Blevins said organizers planned to host a 5K event through the park starting about noon that day, for which the route would be mapped out later this week. In addition, event planners hope to open the Benton City Pool that day, from which proceeds would go toward funding for the new pool house. No activities have been scheduled from about 1-2 p.m., she said, to allow for safe viewing of the eclipse, which should reach totality in Benton about 1:24 p.m. and last for about two minutes.
“Afterwards we’ll probably have some live entertainment out there,” she said. “We’re hoping to maybe show a movie at the Joe Creason building. … The Joe Creason building will be sort of be set up like an educational hub, so we’ll be partnering with the library, and they’ll have activities in there. We have Internet access in there, so the NASA live webcast we’ll be able to show those.”
Food vendors will also be on hand at the park, Blevins said.
Visitors can continue the fun out at the Clarks River Refuge. Education Specialist Stacey Hayden said the refuge is planning a number of fun and educational activities throughout the day in conjunction with the events in the park.
“FLW (Outdoors) is going to come out and help with fishing,” Hayden said. “Our Friends group is going to rent a bouncy castle, we’re going to have chalk art for the kids to do on the sidewalk. We’re hoping to have booths from various businesses and nonprofit groups to come out and set up and talk about, you know, solar energy and things. … And Moon Pies. We are going to have some refreshments for sale, but we also did get Moon Pie to say that they would sponsor us.”
Hayden said Clarks River staff did not know as of Friday how many Moon Pies would be available, but the gooey treats would be given to a number of participants, as supplies were available. The refuge also plans to partner with the Marshall County Health Department to provide sunscreen for attendees. Hayden said parking was limited at the area, so attendees would need to park at H.H. Lovett Park and ride the shuttle to the refuge.
The goal, she said, was to raise awareness of the refuge and provide residents the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.
“We still have people that don’t know about the refuge,” Hayden said. “ … Just getting them out on the refuge to know that we are here and we are visitor friendly, and just to be outside to enjoy the awe of nature, even if it takes a major event like this eclipse just to get people out there to start looking around and paying attention to all the wonderful goings on of outdoors.”
Both the Partnership and the Refuge are searching for various sponsors for the day’s activities. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, call Blevins at 270-527-3128 or Hayden at 270-527-5770 ext. 202.
The Benton celebration is just one of several taking place within the county. Calvert City will host activities throughout the weekend leading up to the eclipse; Aurora plans to host a “Total Eclipse of the Park” vendor fair; and neighboring Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area will host public viewing and events at Fenton just outside Aurora. Watch for full details of other eclipse events in Marshall County at marshallcountydaily.com.