Small towns within the path of a celestial event are gearing up for a massive influx of visitors and dollars.
For many in the Midwest, April 8 鈥� the date of the total eclipse 鈥� has been circled on their calendars for years.
鈥淭he beautiful thing about an eclipse is that you don鈥檛 have to do anything; it鈥檚 going to happen,鈥� said Brenda Newbern, executive director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
The city of 39,540 in southeastern Missouri is like most smaller communities in the path of totality; it鈥檚 got a handful of . Newbern estimates the eclipse may bring an additional 17,000-20,000 people to the city.
鈥淭his is an opportunity for you to share with people that are going to come,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 even have to invite them, the sun has done that for us.鈥�
Her office has been talking with local businesses to make sure they鈥檙e open and ready for guests, especially because the eclipse takes place on a Monday.
鈥淢ondays in a small town, things are closed, attractions are closed, downtown restaurants are closed,鈥� Newbern said.
About 50 miles to the northeast, officials in Carbondale, Illinois, are especially prepared, according to Steven Mitchell, the city鈥檚 economic development director. This is the second time the community has been within the path of a total eclipse within just a few years.
鈥淐arbondale has won the celestial lottery. We鈥檝e had two lifetime events occurring within seven years of each other,鈥� Mitchell said.
A number of people have told him they traveled to Carbondale in 2017 and intend to come back for this year鈥檚 eclipse. Mitchell expects the influx will happen the day before.
鈥淭he lesson we learned from 2017 was that our visitors didn鈥檛 really start arriving in any large numbers until Saturday night,鈥� Mitchell said. 鈥淢any of them arrived on Sunday, and many more arrived on Monday morning.鈥�
Carbondale has several events scheduled, , for the tens of thousands of people Mitchell expects will come to the community.
Small town economic impact
It鈥檚 a critical day for smaller towns and communities looking to capitalize on the potential influx of dollars.
Sarah Wolfe is the eclipse director for Vincennes and Knox County, Indiana. She estimates the eclipse travel to southeast Indiana could translate to $14 million in economic impact.
鈥淲e are not in a position economically to let an opportunity like this pass by, and we鈥檙e gonna grab it if we can,鈥� Wolfe said. 鈥淥ver the course of the last year, I have not spoken to a single organization that has either had enough money or enough volunteers. It鈥檚 heartbreaking.鈥�
But she said an eclipse can provide that vital economic boost. Wolfe points to the numbers of people other saw in 2017.
鈥淲hen we share those numbers it鈥檚 like, 鈥楬ey, this is truly an opportunity for you to make enough money to hire more people,鈥欌�� she said.
Carbondale experienced an $8 million economic impact back in 2017, and Mitchell expects to match that with this eclipse. He鈥檚 heard from several restaurant owners who have said they saw unprecedented numbers the last time around.
鈥淓ach and everyone of them said, 鈥業 had the single biggest day of my entire restaurant career over decades,鈥欌�� he said.
In Poplar Bluff, Missouri, officials are estimating a $6 million impact.
The town of 16,225 in the southeastern part of the state has in the lead up to the eclipse, said Steven Halter, president and CEO of the Poplar Bluff Chamber of Commerce.
He expects his community could see some 20,000 additional visitors.
鈥淲e wanted to not just have people in for the eclipse, but we wanted to have them in for a four-day celebration,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e know this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for anyone that鈥檚 planning on attending and viewing the eclipse.鈥�
Looking to the future
Communities are hoping to make a big impression and find ways to bring visitors back even after the eclipse is over.
The chamber in Poplar Bluff has launched three events in hopes to encourage repeat visitors. Following 2017, Carbondale resurrected for the community to have a signature annual event. And Vincennes has an over Memorial Day that鈥檚 tied its theme to the eclipse.
鈥淩eenactors come from all over the country to do battles, there鈥檚 blacksmiths and historically accurate food,鈥� Wolfe said.
These follow-up events can build on the attention smaller communities are receiving from many publications in the lead up to the eclipse.
鈥淔or us to get national publicity, it鈥檚 priceless,鈥� Halter said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no marketing dollars that we could spend that鈥檚 going to have the impact that those types of publications can have and really put us on the map.鈥�
Newbern in Cape Girardeau agrees. She adds the eclipse gives them an opportunity to show off the community to many newcomers.
鈥淭he key is, how we treat them, how their experiences is,鈥� she said. 鈥淗ospitality at its best, that's going to be the best thing that we can do. If we do that and do it well then we will have return visitors.鈥�
This story was produced in partnership with a collaboration of public media newsrooms in the Midwest. It reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues.
