Southwestern Ontario businesses are seizing on total solar eclipse and the crowds they'll bring
Portions of Essex County will be in the path of totality on April 8
Portions of Essex County, Ont. will be the first in Canada to experience the totality of a solar eclipse on Monday — and it's not an opportunity local businesses are letting go to waste.
"Being a Monday is kind of a weird day for people but with the school closures I think we're expecting a lot of people are going to be able to visit and experience the eclipse away from work," said Jennifer Flynn, owner of the Grove hotel and motel in Kingsville and Colchester.
The Grove is marketing eclipse stayovers, as the region prepares to welcome out-of-towners hoping to see the eclipse, and see it first. Their stays include eclipse glasses and commemorative postcards among other goodies, and they'll be running a shuttle to ensure their guests get a good view of the eclipse with live music and happy hour.
And, Flynn says, they're nearing sold out.
The total solar eclipse will occur in southwestern Ontario from about 1:58 p.m. to 4:28 p.m., and totality should take place between 3:12 and 3:15.
The city of Windsor won't be in the path of totality, but will experience about 99.5 per cent of the eclipse.
In Leamington, Cured Craft Brewing Company will be opening on Monday specifically for the eclipse crowd.
"We're hoping that it means a boom on Mondays because we're not usually open on Mondays," said owner Lisa Bradt. "We are opening our doors, trying something different and I'm hoping that it brings people to the area."
Cured Craft Brewing will be welcoming people to their heated patio for an eclipse viewing party, complete with craft beer, wine and eclipse glasses.
WATCH: How to safely watch the total solar eclipse in Windsor-Essex
"I think everyone is excited," Bradt said. "We're a pretty small part of Essex county that is going to view the total eclipse and we're hoping that people come and see all that Leamington has to offer."
The Town of Kingsville will also be holding an eclipse party, complete with music, kids crafts, refreshment and an eclipse countdown.
Their outdoor event can accommodate as many as 1,000 people — so Karen Loney, the town's manager of recreation, advises people to take active transportation or to get there early, park and walk in if possible.
"It does take a lot of planning, especially when you don't know how many people are coming," Loney said of the process behind the event.
"We bought our [solar eclipse] glasses almost over a year ago. Just make sure we had the proper ones because you do need to have the ones that are approved for this type of thing."
Emergency services preparing for extra people, traffic
Officials in Niagara Falls, which is also in the path of totality, have issued a state of emergency ahead of the eclipse on Monday, saying they're expecting as many as a million people.
Dan Metcalfe is the emergency management coordinator for the County of Essex.
"It'll be a brief period, probably about a half hour long, but a lot of safety things come up," Metcalfe said, noting the need for proper eye protection and traffic management during the eclipse.
Metcalfe says there will be additional police, firefighters and emergency personnel on hand that day in preparation for the crowds — but hopefully, nothing goes awry and it'll be "a great afternoon for a once in a lifetime viewing of the celestial moment," he said.
Students will be let out of school at 1 p.m. that day, Metcalfe noted, meaning buses will be off the road but more people will be out and about picking up kids.
He says how many people will flock to the region depends on the weather: If it's a sunny day, Essex County could see tens of thousands of people.
He has some advice for people hoping to see this once-in-a-lifetime celestial event.
"Make sure to get there early. Leave a little late. Don't pull over to view the eclipse on the side of the road because with that traffic congestion, you won't have a spot to pull over if we have an emergency vehicle coming through lights and sirens," he said. "Get to a viewing spot safely, wear your [solar eclipse] glasses that day to observe the sun.
"Just be prepared and safe... and enjoy the event."
With files from Dale Molnar