On a Monday when great numbers of people were afraid a spectacular “moonday’’ would be ruined by gathering clouds in the morning, Mother Nature came to the rescue for the a large contingent at The Cannery in downtown Lindale.
It was a pleasant Eclipse in the Park day (or night, depending on how you looked at it) for those who tilted their heads to the sky and wearing protective glasses enjoyed one of the rarest events Earthlings can experience.
The forecast had called for heavy cloud cover well into the window of time for the solar eclipse, but just after 12:30 p.m., the moon’s shadow began nibbling away at the sun, eliciting oohs and ahhs from The Cannery crowd.
The period of totality lasted from 1:43 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. In Lindale, city tourism officials were busy planning for the rare cosmic event for the past several months and showcased the city in a three-day festival which began on Saturday, April 6 in The Cannery and continued throughout the weekend.
Visitors enjoyed perfect spring weather during the weekend — temperatures in the mid-70s – but on Monday ominous clouds began to gather early in the morning which eventually blocked the view of the moon blocking the sun.
Events of the weekend included a concert, movie in the park, live art and science exhibits, vendors and food trucks, kids activities, space-themed recreations for all ages, a costume contest and disc golf.