HOULTON, Maine – On the eve of the Houlton Eclipse Festival Weekend, downtown Houlton was mostly quiet on Friday afternoon with preparations for a predicted 40,000 visitors just getting started.
By mid afternoon traffic was light and there were plenty of parking spaces, although locals were buzzing about the possibility of an influx of visitors to their small Aroostook County town for the Monday, April 8 total solar eclipse.
“A couple from New Jersey came into the headquarters,” said Houlton Gateway Ambassador Hollie McAfee, who was volunteering at the Main Street Eclipse Headquarters. “They arrived last night and they are staying in their van.”
Houlton is in the path of totality that runs from Texas to Maine and in an unusual twist, the weather forecast predicts full sun and near 60 degree Fahrenheit temperatures on Monday. A dramatic departure from a mid-week snow storm.
“This morning Al Roker was pointing to the path of totality and clouds for much of the path,” said Cecilia Rhoda, head of the Houlton Gateway Ambassadors initiative. “Then he got to Houlton, full sun. People are changing their plans and heading this way.”
Town officials have been planning for the eclipse for nearly three years and the much talked about event is finally here.
“I am very, very excited,” Rhoda said.
NASA scientists had arrived by Friday and were setting up their equipment in the Temple Theater in Market Square.
The town’s three grocery stores were well stocked on Friday and several cashiers said the number of shoppers were steady, but it was mostly local people stocking up before the predicted crowds arrive.
Andy Marino, owner of Andy’s IGA is stocked and ready.
They have been planning for the past month, he said. And they supplied extras of things like bread, water, firewood, and ingredients for sandwiches, he said.
The predicted crowds will most likely be less than the famed Limestone Phish Concerts that drew 60,000 through Houlton and Marino said they made it through two of those just fine.
The IGA has a delivery truck coming on Saturday and Marino said he also has vendors who arrive every day.
“Just take it all one step at a time and we will all get through it,” he said.
Several of the town’s designated star parks were still covered with snow but workers were installing the 100 foot by 40 feet heated metaphysical tent behind the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce on Friday afternoon.
It is mud season in Maine and the ground under the tent was wet and muddy. Town officials said to just throw on a pair of muck boots and enjoy the festival.
The porta potties were slated to arrive on Friday, but by early afternoon there were none visible.
The town office was slow and the town clerk Khylee Wampler said they did not have any visitors from away to the office, although they did have a few phone calls.
The town office will be closed to the public on Monday, she said.
Downtown’s Market Square was blocked off to traffic in one direction, but there were still plenty of parking spots available.
Area motels have not had eclipse weekend visitors arrive yet, although Ivey’s Motor Lodge and the Shiretown Inn and Suites said they are expecting arrivals on Friday evening.
As of Friday afternoon, there had been no room cancellations in the area.
