Hot Springs officials set pre-eclipse event

HOT SPRINGS — With thousands of people expected to flock to the Spa City for the April 8 eclipse, Visit Hot Springs has given those who are coming early a free event to attend on April 4.

A special Bridge Street LIVE is set for the Thursday before the celestial event featuring blues artist Nikki Hill with opener the Gravel Yard Bluegrass Band.

“As an immediate reminder for those who have somehow missed out on this: Hot Springs is in the path of totality on April 8, 2024, which is this year,” said Bill Solleder, Visit Hot Springs marketing director.

“It’s happening in three months. It’s a major celestial event that according to the research in 2017, people believe that millions of people will travel to get into the path of totality to see a total eclipse, and it is special. And it will be, I think, maybe my lifetime the only chance I have to see it, at least in Hot Springs,” he said.

VHS is working with local hotels to help bring visitors to the city early, Solleder said.

“There’s an effort with our hotel partners to get people to come early,” he said. “And it has a lot to do with traffic congestion. Let’s get them here early and let’s show them a good time, so to speak. So if we can get them — we know that they’re here Monday for the eclipse, and there’s so much happening on that Monday.”

Many events are scheduled for the weekend, Solleder said.

“There’s a music festival at Ron Coleman Mining,” he said. “There’s the Atlas Obscura Ecliptic Festival at Cedar Glades that’s happening those (four) days, so there are things happening.

Most of it’s happening on eclipse day, so for those who are coming even earlier, we wanted to give them something to do.

“So we’re producing a Bridge Street event on Thursday, April 4, and it’s just strictly for that. It’s to kick off the weekend, to entice people to come earlier, to plan earlier, or if they’ve already made their plans to be in Hot Springs during that time, to give them something to do.”

Hill, who played at the Hot Springs Blues Festival in 2017, is a “powerhouse,” Solleder said.

“Really powerful, great stage presence, very raw, powerful voice, energetic,” he said. “The band as well, it’s not a laid-back blues band. They’re a powerhouse. … She’s excited to be in Hot Springs during that time.”