Party in the Dark

Join family and friends for a celebration of the 2024 Great American Eclipse!

On April 8, 2024, the moon will pass between the Sun and the Earth, casting a 124-mile wide shadow across thirteen states and three countries. At its peak, for close to four minutes the sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk, birds will stop singing, nocturnal animals will begin to stir, and day turns to night. In the minutes leading up to and away from the eclipse, shadows will take on the crescent shape of the partially-covered sun.

The City of Monroe, Ohio, sits very close to the path of totality for the 2024 Great American Eclipse. The path of the eclipse begins in North American in Mexico and will run northeast through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine before extending into Canada.

Monroe is at the easternmost edge of the path of totality and will experience a partial eclipse for over two hours that Monday afternoon! The eclipse begins at 2:00p.m. and will end at 4:30p.m. From 3:09 to 3:11 p.m., we should be able to experience a total eclipse and day will turn to night! The horizon will glow but the sky will be dark, and it may even be possible to see some brighter stars and planets like Mercury, Venus, and possibly Jupiter.

The path of totality in Ohio begins at 3:08 p.m. EDT and will be visible in the cities of Toledo, Bowling Green, Lima, Mansfield, Akron, Cleveland, Springfield and Dayton. Monroe is situated at the very eastern edge of the path of totality and provides residents of southwestern Ohio with one of the best opportunities to view the eclipse without traveling far from home.  Click here  to view an interactive map of the path of totality.

To commemorate this once-in-a-lifetime event, the City of Monroe, Ohio, is hosting Party in the Dark: A Solarbration for residents, students, and visitors at Monroe Community Park from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, April 8, 2024.

Where:  Monroe Community Park, 500 S Main St, Monroe, OH 45050 

When: 12:00p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday, April 8, 2024

Food trucks will abound at this celestial celebration! From funnel cakes to lobster rolls, we've got your appetite covered!

•  Adena's Beefstroll - Italian 
•  Funnel Vision Sweet Tooth Confections 
•  Brett's Smokin' Butts & Grill 
•  McNasty's Food Truck 
•  AJ's Cheesesteaks 
•  The Cone Ice Cream and Slushies 
•  Big Dogs Pizza 
•  Tikiz Shaved Ice 
•  Off the Hook Fish & Chips 
•  Little Trolley Donuts 
•  Tacos Colima Food Truck 
•  Boom Box Sliders 
•  Cousin's Maine Lobster 

 Cassette Junkies  is a cover/show band playing "cassette era" arena classick rock and fun, danceable hit covers of the late 70s and 80s.

12:00 - 4:00 DJ by Cassette Junkies

4:00 - 8:00 Cassette Junkies

In addition to food and music, Party in the Dark will also feature play areas and carnival rides for kids. Monroe Community Park is dog-friendly, so your well-behaved furry friends are welcome!

The park also offers a recently-renovated play area, clean restrooms, natural forested trails, a 24-hole disc golf course, picnic shelters (non-reservable), and wide-open spaces ready for your picnic blankets and chairs. MonRover Dog Park is up the hill from the park on Old Street and the Monroe Historical Society is just a short walk away.

The City of Monroe will provide eclipse-safe viewing glasses for up to 4,000 attendees but supplies are first-come, first-served. If you want to bring your own, be sure to order well in advance of the eclipse, as these special glasses sell out quickly!

To commemorate this celestial event, the City of Monroe is working with  The Spiritwear Store  to make commemorative t-shirts, long-sleeve t-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies available for purchase.

The Site is now Live! Be sure to get your orders placed before April 1!

 https://www.storessimple.com/spiritwear/solarbration 

There are three great colors to choose from: Kelly Green, Heather Gray, and Black.

Please note: Blue Solarbration apparel is limited to City of Monroe staff to help quickly identify staff in the crowd for safety purposes and is not available for purchase.

April in Ohio can be unpredictable, and ambient temperatures can drop as many as 20 degrees Fahrenheit (!) during a total eclipse, so consider a long-sleeved tee or even a hoodie to remember this amazing day.

Visit the Spiritwear Store by clicking on the link above or expanding the embedded website below in a new browser tab. Order before April 1 to pick up your shirt at the Party In The Dark celebration! Orders placed after April 1 must be picked up at the Spiritwear Store or shipped.

email thespiritwearstore@gmail.com or call 513-402-7137 for more information!

The City of Monroe is located between Cincinnati and Dayton and at the intersection of Interstate 75 and SR 63. The city is bordered to the west by SR 4/Hamilton-Middletown Rd, and abuts Turtle Creek Township to the east. Middletown is immediately north of Monroe, and Liberty Township is immediately south. It can be easily accessed via the interstate, SR 4, SR 63, Cincinnati-Dayton Rd, Butler-Warren Rd, and LeSourdsville-West Chester Rd.

Monroe Community Park is in the center of the City of Monroe, at 500 S Main St.

From I-75: Take exit 29 westbound toward Hamilton-Lebanon Rd/SR 63. Travel west to the SR 63 and Main St/Cincinnati-Dayton Rd intersection. Turn left (south) on to Main St. At 500 S Main St, turn left and proceed to the Monroe Community Park parking area.

From Hamilton: Take SR 4/Hamilton-Middletown Rd north to the SR 4 and SR 63/Hamilton-Lebanon Rd interchange. Proceed eastbound on Hamilton-Lebanon Rd to the SR 63 and Main St/Cincinnati Dayton Rd intersection. Turn right (south) on to Main St. At 500 S Main St, turn left and proceed to the Monroe Community Park parking area.

From Middletown: From SR 73/Oxford State Rd, take SR 4 southbound into Monroe. Stay to the right at the SR 4/ SR 63 interchange to proceed eastbound on Hamilton-Lebanon Rd to the SR 63 and Main St/Cincinnati Dayton Rd intersection. Turn right (south) on to S Main St. At 500 S Main St, turn left and proceed to the Monroe Community Park parking area. Alternatively, from Middletown, proceed southbound on Cincinnati-Dayton Rd into Monroe and continue on to the park.

From Liberty Township: Take Cincinnati-Dayton Rd northbound into Monroe. At 500 S Main St, turn right and proceed to the Monroe Community Park parking area.

Parking for Party In The Dark is available at the following locations:

• Our Lady of Sorrows Church; 330 Lebanon St, Monroe, OH 45050
• Monroe First Church of God; 100 Easton Manor Dr, Monroe, OH 45050
• Life Church Monroe; 457 S Main St, Monroe, OH 45050
• Community Park Front (Grass) Field (weather-permitting); 500 S Main St, Monroe, OH 45050
• Monroe Police Department; 601 S Main St, Monroe, OH 45050
• ADA/Accessible Parking is available inside Community Park.

The Monroe Police Department and Monroe Fire Department will be onsite to help foster a safe and fun environment for all. The park has adequate water fountains and will provide additional restroom facilities in anticipation of the larger-than-normal crowds.

City of Monroe staff will be easy to find: look for Blue Party In The Dark apparel! City staff are committed to making this a memorable and safe experience for everyone attending the celebration.

Eclipse glasses or visual protection rated for sun-viewing are essential to safely view a solar eclipse. Sunglasses are not sufficient! Looking at an eclipse without these precautions can lead to injury or blindness! Learn more about appropriate eclipse viewing safety in the resources section below or go to the American Astronomical Society webpage for approved filters:  https://eclipse.aas.org/resources/solar-filters .

One More Time: The ONLY time it is safe to look at the eclipse without approved visual protection is during Totality. Appropriate visual protection MUST BE WORN too look at the sun during the entirety of the partial eclipse leading up to and following totality.

See below for resources and information, including interactive maps and videos of the upcoming eclipse and its path across the United States.

In addition to maps,  GreatAmericanEclipse.com  also features a video flyover of the United States showing the path of the eclipse, tips for viewing, and a countdown to the eclipse itself.

To learn more about the eclipse, information about staying in Ohio State Parks, Travel Tips, and keys to camping in cold weather, visit the  Ohio Department of Natural Resources Solar Eclipse 2024 web page .

The  Ohio Emergency Management Agency  has several resources of residents and visitors, including the path of the eclipse, how to view it safely, preparedness activities for communities within and near the path of totality, and educational resources.

April in Monroe can be temperamental, either cloudy and cold or hot and sunny. Keep abreast of current weather conditions and prepare for a wide range of weather patterns. The  National Weather Service website for Monroe, Ohio  has the latest forecasts to help you plan. Visit the  Total Solar Eclipse page for Wilmington, Ohio , to see historical cloud cover information for this part of Ohio.

Butler County will experience a total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8th 2024 between 1:53pm and 4:25pm. We will be completely in the path of totality for approximately 2 minutes and 30 seconds to 3 minutes with maximum totality at 3:08pm. Butler County expects a significant increase in visitors to the area between Friday, April 5th and Tuesday, April 9th, 2024. This is a great opportunity for local businesses; however, preparedness will be crucial for this event. Grocery stores, gas stations, hotels, restaurants, transportation services, retail stores, and other establishments will experience heavier than normal business.

 Butler County Emergency Management Agency Eclipse Planning Guide for Local Businesses 

 Butler County EMA Eclipse Preparation Tips for Local Residents