In anticipation of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse, the City of Perryville located 80 miles, southeast of St. Louis has officially begun the daunting but extremely exciting task of planning for the April 8, 2024, solar event. The event is just a little over a year out which does give much time to make big plans, but Perry County is not in the total dark about solar eclipses or the planning that comes with being in the shadow’s path. Perry County, Missouri was in the line of totality for the Great American Eclipse on August 21, 2017 and witnessed two minutes and forty seconds of celestial amazement. They prepared an entire four-day event schedule of fun, educational, and exciting things to do for the entire family and they plan to have just as amazing a time in 2024!
With a population of 8,225 and a county population totaling 18,971, Perryville will be ready to greet their astronomy fans and solar eclipse chasers possibly doubling their county’s population in one day.
Perryville’s Regional Airport located near the banks of the Mississippi River is directly aligned with the eclipse’s path of totality giving lookers an astonishing four minutes and five seconds. Boasting a 7,000-foot airstrip, it is sure to attract many astronomers and eclipse enthusiasts from around the nation. In 2017 the airport welcomed 147 aircraft of various sizes to take part in the eclipse celebration.
Currently, an Eclipse Taskforce has been assembled and is strategizing on the best possible viewing locations, parking areas, shuttle routes, camping sites, and various weekend/evening entertainment options leading up to the main event. This task force just like in 2017 is made up of City and County officials, Economic Development Authorities, the 911 Director, local police, and sheriff’ department, school district, and county health department personnel. These are the people, and experts in their fields that will help us locate the best viewing sites, map the safest travel routes, bring community awareness and education to our residents, and create an overall extraordinary experience for all our solar eclipse hunters.
So as our task force works diligently in the following months to develop the perfect Perry County eclipse experience and viewing destinations, just know if you are looking for a rural Mississippi River valley country setting away from lights, buildings and pavement…Perry County is your place to sit, stand or lay under the sky and witness the most amazing, unique, extraordinary solar eclipse event to grace the Missouri sky…since 2017 and it won’t happen again until after the 21st century is long gone.
For more information, contact Trish Erzfeld, Perry County Heritage Tourism at trish@perryvillemo.com or call 573-517-2069.