Posted: Wednesday March 20, 2024
On April 8, 2024 Brockville will experience a total solar eclipse, meaning that the Sun, Moon, and the Earth will be perfectly aligned. Brockville will be located directly along this path, so for a brief period of time, the Sun will be blocked entirely by the Moon. Save the date for this event which hasn’t occurred over Brockville for hundreds of years.
Date and Time of the Solar Eclipse:
- Date: Monday April 8, 2024
- Begins: 2:10 pm
- Maximum (eclipse totality for Brockville will last 2 minutes and 47 seconds): starts at 3:24 pm
- Ends: 4:35 pm
- Total duration: 2 hours, 24 minutes
Solar Eclipse Viewing Event in Brockville:
A community total eclipse viewing event will be held on Blockhouse Island in Brockville on Monday, April 8 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. The eclipse itself takes place between 2:10 pm and 4:35 pm, with eclipse totality occurring in Brockville from 3:24 pm to just before 3:27 pm. This will be a fun way to get out and experience this once in a lifetime event with friends, family, and our local community. Please be aware that we anticipate extra traffic in Brockville that day, so we recommend walking to Blockhouse Island if you are within walking distance. Vendors will be set up by the Brockville Railway Tunnel plaza starting at 11:00 am, and Fat Les Waterfront Grill and food truck will be open at 11:00 am. The Royal Canadian Air Force is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year, and will have a presence on site, along with performances by the Royal Canadian Air Force Pipes and Drums.
Event Schedule:
- 10:00 am to 2:45 pm, and again from 3:45 pm to 6:00 pm: Free shuttle buses from the Brockville Memorial Centre and Brockville Shopping Centre begin (free parking at both sites too). Please note that buses will not be on the road during totality; the last pick up to get down to Blockhouse Island will pick up at around 2:45pm, traffic dependent.
- 11:00 am: event grounds open.
- Vendors will be set up by the Brockville Railway Tunnel plaza
- Fat Les Waterfront Grill and food truck
- Aquatarium education station and face painting
- Royal Canadian Air Force staff and displays
- Watch the chalk artists create their pieces for the contest and vote for your favourite
- 12:15 pm: Opening ceremonies in the Railway Tunnel Plaza
- 12:30 to12:50 pm: The Royal Canadian Air Force Pipes and Drums will follow the opening ceremonies
- 1:00 pm: Photos with “Astra” at the Royal Canadian Air Force booth
- 2:00 pm to 2:30 pm: The Royal Canadian Air Force Pipes and Drums, marching from the Railway Tunnel to the waterfront
- 2:10 pm: Eclipse begins
- 3:24 pm: Eclipse totality in Brockville (lasts only 2 minutes and 47 seconds)
- 3:45 pm to 6:00 pm: Free shuttle buses from Blockhouse Island to the Brockville Memorial Centre and Brockville Shopping Centre begin
- 4:00 pm to 4:30 pm: The Royal Canadian Air Force Pipes and Drums in the Railway Tunnel Plaza
- 4:35 pm: Eclipse ends
- 5:00 pm: event ends
- Downtown will be busy after the eclipse when everyone tries to leave at the same time. Avoid traffic jams by spending some time in Downtown Brockville shopping or going out for a bite to eat. Lots of shops are available on King Street, go check them out!
- 6:00 pm: Shuttle bus service ends
The Aquatarium will have educational activities on the grassy area in the centre of the parkway. For astronomy enthusiasts, a telescope set up area will be established on the south west corner of the parkway.
Event site details:
- Blockhouse Island Parkway will be the official eclipse viewing area in Brockville
- The site will be closed that day to vehicle traffic to make room for pedestrians to move about safely
- Bring your own lawn chairs or picnic blankets, and dress appropriately in layers as April at the waterfront can be quite cool
- Pick up your free pair of solar filter glasses from the Aquatarium in advance of April 8th, sponsored by the Aquatarium, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and Brockville Tourism.
- Cameras should use a specific solar filter (including phone cameras too) in order to protect their equipment. If you plan to take photos during the eclipse, spend some time doing a bit of research ahead of time on camera settings and filters
- Access our custom Google Map here which shows nearby points of interest, parking lots, public washrooms, and more
- If you are interested in being a vendor, click here for information on how to apply to be a vendor at the eclipse viewing event.
For more information about the Eclipse and how Brockville is getting ready, please read our full information here as we will add to that page as the event develops. If you are a business owner in Brockville, please read our post on how to prepare for the eclipse.
Eclipse event partners:
- The Aquatarium
- Royal Canadian Air Force
- Brockville Tourism
- City of Brockville
For more information about the eclipse, visit our Total Solar Eclipse page If you are a local business owner or run an organization in Brockville and want to know how to prepare your business and staff for the eclipse, please read our post about preparing your business for the eclipse