Viewing the Eclipse at your County Parks
Charleston County Parks hosting Solar Eclipse programming in August
[CHARLESTON COUNTY] – The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission (CCPRC) will offer a variety of programs in August to view and learn about the total solar eclipse expected to be visible in Charleston on the afternoon of Aug. 21.
CCPRC will host a pre-eclipse program as well as two programs on Aug. 21 at select county park locations. The agency is also partnering with other area organizations to host viewing events and special activities at other CCPRC parks. CCPRC is set to offer the following programs in August:
- Staging the Solar Eclipse at Caw Caw Interpretive Center, on Aug. 12, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. A master naturalist will lead a program designed to inform participants of all they need to know about the first total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous U.S. since 1979. This program has a capacity of 20 people, is open to ages 9 and up and has a fee of $7 per person.
- SunShadow Yoga at the Mount Pleasant Pier, on Aug. 21, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Open to all fitness levels, this program will offer yoga in the sun’s shadow and with views of the harbor as Charleston prepares to go dark during the eclipse. SunShadow Yoga will be instructed by Beth Cosi and feature live music by McKenzie Eddy. Participants who register by Aug. 1 will receive a free pair of eclipse-viewing glasses. This program has a fee of $5 in advance, or $8 at the door (if available).
- Eclipse Extravaganza at Caw Caw Interpretive Center, on Aug. 21, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Very little is known about how wildlife responds to a total eclipse. The public is invited to join a naturalist to tour Caw Caw and explore how wildlife responds to this once-in-a-lifetime celestial event. Viewing glasses will be provided. This program has a fee of $20 and is open to ages 12 and up.
Advance registration is recommended for CCPRC’s eclipse programming and is available at CharlestonCountyParks.com/eclipse or by calling 843-795-4386.
Other CCPRC park sites will host various events and programs on Aug. 21 to celebrate and view the eclipse. The Lowcountry Stargazers will partner with CCPRC to host a viewing event at Palmetto Islands County Park beginning at 1:15 p.m. The Stargazers will have telescopes with proper solar filtering for viewing the eclipse as the moon starts to cover the sun. Isle of Palms County Park will be the host of the “Get Eclipsed on IOP” event. Early arrival to both of these parks is highly recommended.
Other CCPRC parks and facilities are great spaces to safely view the solar eclipse on Aug. 21. However, CCPRC encourages all park-goers to be parked and in place well before total darkness, which is expected to occur at 2:38 p.m. Any unprotected view of the sun, even in an eclipse, can damage eyesight, so CCPRC recommends all park-goers on Aug. 21 wear Solar Filtered Glasses or another certified material for solar viewing.
For more information on CCPRC’s total solar eclipse programming, visit CharlestonCountyParks.com or call 843-795-4386.
