State, Local Tourism Officials Prepare for Eclipse

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A large swath of Ohio will be in the path of the April 8 solar eclipse, and local and state tourism agencies are preparing for the event.

TourismOhio on Thursday launched a planning map with links to events in each county, along the path of the eclipse.

Almost all of Trumbull County will be in the area of totality, and the Trumbull County Tourism Bureau is selling NASA-approved solar eclipse glasses at its office at 321 Mahoning Ave. NW, Warren. The price is $5 for a pack of six.

Trumbull events will also be listed on the bureau’s events calendar, and Mahoning County events will be listed on youngstownlive.com.

The eclipse will move across the state in the afternoon, from southwest to northeast. Areas within its path will be plunged into darkness for up to five minutes as the moon passes between the sun and Earth.

Several cities, including Warren, Cleveland, Ashtabula and Akron, are in the path of totality. Youngstown is just outside the zone.

State and local officials are preparing for an influx of tourists, Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development, said in a news release.

“With all there is to experience in Ohio, you can create an unforgettable weekend filled with memories your family will be talking about for years to come,” she said.
The new interactive Total Solar Eclipse Map on Ohio.org helps visitors plan their trip to the Buckeye State with places to watch the eclipse and an interactive list of viewing parties, festivals and other events happening across the state.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.