A once-in-a-lifetime event — a total solar eclipse — happens on Monday, April 8, and SUNY Fredonia is excited to deliver a truly memorable experience for students, faculty and staff and visitors.
Classes are canceled for the day, so the campus has planned a full day of activities to celebrate this celestial rarity. Here is the schedule of events and locations:
• 11:00 a.m. Student clubs are hosting a Club/Maker Faire in the Williams Center Multi-purpose room. Mingle with over 20 clubs for a make and take opportunity. Some activities include: making bead bracelets, decorating sunglasses, leaf and rock art, seed bomb making, friendship bracelets, homemade rain sticks, decorating commemorative keychains, film booth, sun reactive paint showcase and live interviews with The Leader!
• 11:00 a.m. Food trucks will be up and running in parking lot 9D (across from the University Townhouses). Trucks scheduled to participate include Cheesy Chick, The Best of Buffalo by Byron, LuGia’s, and Over the Rainbow.
• 12:00 p.m. Pep Rally in the Williams Center. Clubs performing include: Blue Ice, Fredonia Dance Team, Enfusion, Rince Fredonia Irish Dance, Percussion Guild, Fredonia Bass Society, Dynamic Intonation and The Riveters!
• 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Fredonia Radio Systems and Sound Services are organizing a Spring Fling with bands. The stage will be set up in front of University Townhouses. The band schedule is:
1:00-1:15 p.m. - Two Peas in a Pod, a folk duo
1:25-1:55 p.m. - HitGRL, a grunge/rock band
2:15-2:45 p.m. - Plymouth Knob, an americana/rock band
3:30-4:00 p.m. - No Resolution, an alt rock band
• 2:03:50 p.m. Eclipse begins
• 3:17:28 p.m. Totality begins
• 3:21:15 p.m. Totality ends
• 4:31:35 p.m. Eclipse ends
• 6:00 p.m. Total Eclipse Recital: Sean Duggan, harpsichord/piano, performing the two sets of keyboard variations that eclipse all others: Bach's “Goldberg Variations” and Beethoven's “Diabelli Variations,” at Juliet J. Rosch Recital Hall. Admission is free.
• 7:30 p.m. concert “The Greatest Generation” United States Army Jazz Ambassadors; King Concert Hall (admission is free, but tickets are required).
Send inquiries via email to co-chairs Michael Dunham or Charles Holder. Information about the eclipse and campus-related events can be found here.
The admissions team is also offering campus tours to visitors who want to enjoy the eclipse with the campus community.
Events are open to the public. The campus and local community is in the path of totality, so surrounding municipalities are anticipating a large number of visitors for the event. Fredonia's University Police Department (UPD) has been planning as well.
Please be aware of the following information regarding parking on campus:
• Lots 9C and 9D (near the University Townhouses), Lot 10 (between Dods Hall and the Williams Center) and Lot 27 (near the turf field behind Steele Hall) will be closed.
• Aside from the closed lots listed above, students and employees are free to park in open parking spaces on campus.
• Ring Road will be closed between University Village Drive and Lake Way Drive starting early in the morning of April 8.
• All entrances on campus will be open as normal. UPD may need to close certain entrances if traffic flow through campus becomes an issue.
• Campers and/or trailers are not allowed to park on campus.
