Solar eclipse crowds smaller than expected on Monday in Kingston
Concerns of overwhelming crowds filling Kingston for Monday’s total solar eclipse proved unfounded.
Last week, city officials said as many as 500,000 people could come to Kingston to see the event.
But the day after, the real numbers were far more modest.
Local hotels welcomed about 10,000 guests, and about 20,000 people gathered to watch the eclipse from designated viewing areas across the city.
About 1,500 people gathered at Grass Creek Park, where the city had arranged for live music and entertainment.
About 50,000 people also logged on to city webcams at Breakwater Park, Confederation Park, Richardson Beach and Springer Market Square.
Roads throughout the city Monday, instead of being jammed with traffic, were relatively quiet as many local residents heeded the city’s warnings and watched the eclipse from home.
Cloud cover in Kingston may also have compelled many visitors to go elsewhere in search of clearer skies.
Kingston agencies handed out more than 170,000 pairs of eclipse glasses and viewers, and anyone looking to recycle them can remove the lenses and put them in the garbage and put the frames into their recycling box.
The glasses could also be donated to organizations such as Astronomers Without Borders, which will provide them to residents of areas expecting future eclipses. Glasses can be dropped off at Tourism Kingston and Utilities Kingston offices.
While the next total solar eclipse in Kingston won’t occur until 2399, partial eclipses will be visible in the city in 2025, 2026 and 2029.