County agrees to buy 25K commemorative glasses for eclipse on April 8, 2024

Courtesy of Orleans County Tourism: Lynne Menz of the Orleans County Tourism Department designed these glasses for the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. The county is using funds from the tourism department to purchase 25,000 of these glasses.

Orleans County Tourism and also the Chamber of Commerce urge local businesses and organizations to plan promotions and events for the total solar eclipse.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature wants to see the county benefit from the hoopla and influx of visitors from the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.

Orleans is in the direct path of totality between 3:19 and 3:23 p.m. A total eclipse occurs about once every 18 months somewhere on Earth, but only happens in the same place about every 360 to 410 years.

The County Legislature on Tuesday approved spending $9,045 from its contingency fund to buy 25,000 eclipse glasses with the Orleans County tourism logo. The glasses will provide some eye protection and also be a keepsake from a memorable day.

The county is working with the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce on acquiring the glasses. The $9,045 was approved to go to the Chamber which will then buy the glasses. They are expected to be made available and distributed by the county, and local towns and villages.

Orleans County will be in the direct path of the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024 between 3:19 & 3:23 PM.

Orleans County businesses, organizations and schools: send us your plans to commemorate this once in a lifetime event and we will promote it on our Events Calendar. Complete and submit this form to be considered. (Must be available to the public.)

“This will be a big tourism draw,” said Dawn Borchet, the county’s tourism director.

People are already booking hotel rooms and other lodging in the county that day. She knows plans are in the works to open public land, including at Lakeside Beach State Park, for viewing opportunities of the eclipse.

“It’s fun,” she said today. “It only happens once in a lifetime.”

The county tourism has a page on its website devoted to the eclipse. The tourism department urges businesses, schools and other organizations to share their plans on the tourism site for commemorating and participating in the historic day. (Click here for more information.)

Darlene Hartway, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, also sees the eclipse as a big opportunity for businesses and the county.

“People are already booking hotels,” she said. “It’s going to be beneficial for our area. It’s gearing up to be a momentous thing.”

She commended the Legislature for approving the expenditure for the glasses.

Businesses would be wise to have promotions for the eclipse, to help make the day even more memorable for local residents and visitors, Hartway said.

I Love New York created this graphic showing the path of the solar eclipse. Orleans County is in direct path of the phenomenon.