After more than 200 years of anticipation, Cleveland is once again in the path of totality for today’s full solar eclipse.

Researchers, astronomers, and meteorologists, event and party planners, and area organizations have spent countless hours planning for this once-in-a-lifetime event occurring today, Monday, April 8.

The eclipse begins at 1:59 p.m. in Cleveland, with the totality occurring at 3:15 p.m., and ending at 4:29 p.m. The duration is two hours and 30 minutes, with totality lasting three minutes and 50 seconds.

For those who haven’t made their viewing plans yet, there’s still time to find a viewing event that appeals to just about every taste and lifestyle.

Here are just a few of the events happening in the CLE today, Monday, April 8.

Total on the Oval

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History (CMNH) is partnering with the entire University Circle, Inc. community to present Total on the Oval  from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Moon Setting into Fog Bank over Cape Cod Bay, Morning of the Total Lunar Eclipse, 2007 by Barbara BosworthWade Oval is the place to be for a full day of family-friendly fun, and all programming on the lawn is completely free.

Enjoy music, hands-on activities, and more as everyone gears up for totality. Lawn chairs and blankets are welcome.

Members of CMNH’s astronomy department will make presentations at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.; and at 2:30 p.m. former NASA astronaut Mike Foreman will make an appearance.

Stop by the Cleveland Museum of Art and celebrate the eclipse with a special photography exhibit by Barbara Bosworth, “Sun Light Moon Shadow,” which runs through June 30.

Food and drink will be available for purchase at on-site food trucks, including Pop Culture CLE, You Enjoy My Donuts, Manna Truck, and Parker & Sons Bar-be-que.  

Parking is available in the CMNH, CMA, and Cleveland Botanical Garden garages for a $30 flat rate. Free bike valet will be provided by Ohio City Bicycle Co-op on Wade Oval, across from CMA.

Road closures on Wade Oval Drive just south of the CMNH garage entrance and just north of Jeptha Drive will begin at 10 a.m. and remain in place until after the event.

Eclipsed! At the Nature Center

Rain, shine, or clouds—join the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes for a free full day of science and learning, fun, and food for the entire family during Eclipsed! from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Eclipse Soundscapes Project, a NASA Citizen Science project at the Nature Center at Shaker LakesThe workshops are sold out, but the ground and parking lot will be open for eclipse viewing and socializing. The free activities include Community Banner Craft painting project, a take-home Oreo Eclipse craft, NASA Citizen Science Eclipse Soundscapes Project and Nature Observation Sheet. Other activities include a group commemorative photo and a donation-based polaroid station.

The Duck Pond Gift Shop will have snacks, water, and locally-made Nooma sports drinks for sale, and Dawg Bowl Food Truck will be on site from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The parking lot will be closed so that guests can safely view the eclipse, but South Park and West Park Boulevards will be open for parking.  

When the big day is over, visitors can recycle their solar eclipse glasses with the Nature Center, which will be collecting glasses through April 30 as part of the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District’s collection of the glasses in partnership with Astronomers Without Borders for reuse in other solar eclipse events worldwide. 

Refresh Collective will be performing at the Great Lakes Science CenterTotal Eclipse Fest 2024

Eclipse festivities have been in full swing since Saturday at the Great Lakes Science Center, which, with partners NASA Glenn Research Center and The Cleveland Orchestra, is hosting Total Eclipse Fest 2024—a free, outdoor, family-friendly science and arts festival with free concerts, performances, speakers, and hands-on science activities.

Today’s activities include three performances with Refresh Collective: DJ Battle at 10 a.m., Hype Set with special guest 10K Movement at 11:15 a.m., and DJ Set from 1p.m. to 5 p.m.; a science experiment, the Elephant’s Toothpaste at 11 a.m.; A talk with NASA’s chief technologist A.C. Charania, NASA+ Total Eclipse broadcast from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Food trucks include Betty’s Bomb Ass Burgers, The Proper Pig Smokehouse, Blasian Fusion Foods, and Barrio Tacos.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame SolarFest

Today is the culmination of the four-day SolarFest at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, running from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and packed with cosmic activities for rock & roll fans and families alike.

Todays events include  Rock Hall Artists in Residence M.O.O.K.Y (2021) at 11 a.m. and Songstress Jo (2022) at 12 p.m. in the Beer Garden; Catch a Wave: How Waves of Light Carry Waves of Sound educational program on the main stage at 11 a.m.; Celestial Face Painting on the Plaza from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.; Trivia & Giveaways in the Beer Garden at 1 p.m.; and, of course, the eclipse views from 1:59 to 4:29, while the Roch Hall’s Eclipse soundtrack plays through Spotify.

Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon will be the album spotlight in the Foster Theater’s stat-of-the-art sound system—playing every two hours from 12 p.m. until 8 p.m. “Space is the Place”  will be the spotlight of the Rock Hall’s official Eclipse playlist, in the Foster Theater every two hours from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.

Celestial-themed artifacts and the newest exhibits— Revolutionary Women in Music, Hip Hop 50, 2023 Inductees will also be open.

Admission is free for Rock Hall members. Advanced registration is required and $35 ticket purchase is required for nonmembers.