The Celestial 7: Must See, Must Do for Solar Eclipse Weekend 

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• © Rogerothornhill / Dreamstime

Planets A-Wine-ing

April 5-8

Oenophiles keep the party going all weekend long at Shelburne Vineyard, with stellar music sets from locals including Danny & the Parts, Kat Wright & Brett Hughes, and Jon McBride's Big Easy. Join the wait list for a spot at Moonshadow: An Eclipse Viewing Experience on April 8, where harpist Marie Hamilton and looping guitarist Tom Pearo improvise a live, psychedelic score to soundtrack the entire spectacle.

Island of lost Sun

April 6-8

Neck-craning solar spectators pack the shores of Lake Champlain for the three-day Alburgh Totality Festival. The weekend kicks off with a space-themed parade; continues with live music, food trucks, kids' games and other fun; and concludes with a massive viewing party and musical fireworks show.

Dark City

April 5-8

Totality peepers in the Queen City have a weekend to remember during Obscura BTV, whether they're hitting up the family-friendly Solar Eclipse Festival at the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, the Totalidad Carnaval at Santiago's Cuban Cuisine, the astrology readings at Flora & Fauna, or viewing parties across downtown Burlington.

Stellar Science

April 5, 7 & 8

Aspiring astronomers of all ages enjoy eclipse weekend at the Vermont Institute for Natural Science in Quechee. A Sun, Moon & Stars show in the StarLab educates on the phases of the moon and the mythology of eclipses, and the center's campus — including its splendid forest canopy walk — makes for a unique viewing location.

Cosmos and Effect

April 6 & 8

After kicking off with a Celestial Ball at the Fairbanks Mansion, eclipse weekend in St. Johnsbury centers on Sun+Moon+YOU at the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium, the Northeast Kingdom's premier hub for astronomical education. Planetarium director Mark Breen and podcaster Jane Lindholm invite an audience to join them for their live broadcast during the eclipse. After they've all seen the dark side of the moon, revelers with stars in their eyes head to an after-party at St. Johnsbury Distillery or a "Total Eclipse of the Heart" karaoke competition at 98 Mill restaurant.

Total Eclipse of the Park

April 8

St. Albans boasts Vermont's longest time in the path of totality, at three minutes and 33 seconds. Crowds jonesing for those few extra moments head to Totality in Taylor Park, where Ryan Sweezey and the Midnight Walkers rock and roll through the eclipse and food trucks keep visitors fed.

Sun Sounds

April 8

After a full weekend of activities at Montpelier's Total Eclipse 2024, onlookers in the Capital City gather on the Statehouse lawn to catch a glimpse — or an earful, because the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired presents a Harvard University-supplied LightSound device, which transforms light intensity into stunning music.