April 8 from 2 – 4:30 p.m at Alfred State College
On Monday, April 8, at around 3:21 p.m. our area will experience a rare solar eclipse. Alfred State is along the very edge of the path of totality where the moon will briefly blot out 99.7% of the sun.
To celebrate this rare and memorable event together, we are hosting the Big Blue’s Solar Sizzle: a Totality Awesome Party from 2 – 4:30 p.m. on the SLC green space!
At our Solar Sizzle, music, lawn games will crank up the festivities while themed food treats will add to our celebration. All day, the Alfred State belltower will be playing eclipse-worthy tunes like Dancing in the Dark, Total Eclipse of the Heart, Here Comes the Sun, Sunshine on my Shoulders, Enter Sandman, Black Hole Sun, and many more! Submit your song requests and we’ll check if the belltower jukebox has them!
We have 1,000 pairs of protective viewing glasses – but note: when they’re gone, they’re gone! Protecting your eyes is critical and you should not view the eclipse without them (no – not even two pairs of sunglasses at the same time are adequate!). Additional protective glasses are available in advance along with more eclipse information on the dedicated Allegany County website here: https://wnywilds.com/2024-eclipse/.
This type of eclipse will not occur this close to Alfred again for over 300 years! While classes and other college activities will operate on a regular schedule, this rare event is a tremendous educational opportunity. Office managers and directors are encouraged to use their discretion to allow staff to attend and faculty are welcome to adjust their class plans for the day and bring their students to the celebration. All faculty, staff, and students are welcome to participate!
