The month of April called for a remarkable celestial event, one that attracted thousands of individuals to Bloomington. A total solar eclipse, a phenomenon that occurs at a specific location every 375 years, was able to be seen in totality in Bloomington. During a total solar eclipse, the moon passes in between the Earth and the sun, creating a few minutes of darkness during a normally sunny day. Only places that experience totality will see the few minutes of darkness.
The city started gearing up for the influx of tourists to Bloomington months prior to the eclipse. Indiana University’s Bloomington campus planned dozens of events for students and individuals from across the country in order to celebrate the eclipse. Dunn Meadow hosted an outdoor viewing event with live music, games, and booths for individuals to learn more about the eclipse and IU. While people watched in Dunn Meadow, Memorial Hall Stadium across campus was filled with people watching talent like Janelle Monae and William Shatner kick off the eclipse with performances.
Although there were many unique eclipse-related events happening on IU’s campus, many other local businesses were also hosting events to promote not only the rare event, but their companies. One of the busiest places in Bloomington for the weekend of the total solar eclipse were hotels.
The Graduate, a popular hotel just a few blocks away from IU’s Sample Gates, was one of the busiest hotels on eclipse weekend. Their general manager, Matt Hazen, expressed in an interview that the hotel was fully booked for eclipse weekend, and even encouraged visitors to stay an extra night due to the anticipated traffic the eclipse would bring to Bloomington. In addition to the rooms the hotel had available for guests on eclipse weekend, The Graduate also hosted a viewing party to help spread the word about their business.
Matt Hazen, the general manager of the Graduate Hotel, explains the influx of visitors to Bloomington. He further articulates the ways in which the hotel prepared for eclipse weekend.
Another popular Bloomington hotel experienced an influx in guests during eclipse weekend. The well-known Biddle Hotel, a place for visitors to stay on IU’s campus, was far from desolate during the eclipse.
Michael Campbell, the IMU Director of Hospitality, expressed that due to the increase in visitors for eclipse weekend, rates for the Biddle Hotel, as well as hotels around Bloomington, increased. He also acknowledged that the increase in these rates was primarily due to the anticipation and assumption that Bloomington was going to see some of its greatest crowds in city history.
Campbell further touched on the anticipation of eclipse weekend by saying that he expected a larger turnout. He compared the business of the hotel to a normal graduation weekend or a popular home football game weekend.
Michael Campbell, the IMU Director of Hospitality describes the preparation he made to ensure a successful eclipse weekend. He further explains how his staff were involved in the eclipse-viewing event IU hosted in Dunn Meadow.
While some local businesses and locations across Bloomington were busy for the eclipse weekend and others were not, the event did manage to bring in thousands of interested individuals to a relatively small city. For most, the stress of planning and preparing for the eclipse was worth it in the end, as the event fostered a greater sense of connection between Bloomington and the world around it.
