The sky is looking good for Monday in St. Lawrence County where  thousands of tourists are expected to visit to experience Totality Monday, April 8. 

At the forefront of preparations for the event is the St. Lawrence County Chamber which has been working diligently to make the area a destination for the once in a lifetime event.

“It will certainly be an exciting weekend to show our communities what tourism can mean to St. Lawrence County. We are not projecting a specific number of tourists, however, we do anticipate that number to be in the thousands,” stated Kathryn Puleo, Tourism and Events Manager for the STLC Chamber said.

“Though we’ve been promoting the area for the past year, the current cloud coverage forecast for Monday afternoon is the greatest marketing exposure we could ever ask for. We are extremely fortunate to have one of the few locations from Mexico to Canada that predicts clear skies for Monday. Currently, all eyes are on upstate New York and the northern New England states that fall with Totality’s path.” Due to current cloud coverage predictions, many Totality Seekers are making last-minute plans to reroute to areas forecasted to have clear skies. 

Border tourism

The St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce has been preparing for the eclipse over the last year and promoting the county as a destination for Totality Seekers. 

“We’ve been assisting in engaging tourists with local events and approved viewing locations utilizing several promotional strategies,” Puleo said. “Our target market has been our Canadian neighbors with a focus on Ottawa and the surrounding area, which does not fall within Totality’s path.” 

Some chamber members will attend this weekend’s Travel and Vacation Show in Ottawa with over 200 exhibitors from around the world to promote the county as a year-round destination along with several STLC tourism partners. 

Officials  noted that the eclipse will be a promotional focus over the weekend. 

Special accommodations have also been reportedly made at the Massena and Ogdensburg International bridges to support anticipated traffic. 

“Several Canadians have visited our county within the last month to scout for their preferred viewing location and many lodging entities are reporting guests visiting from countries outside of North America,” Puleo said. 

The STLC Chamber reports that most of the county’s lodging is fully booked, many of which reached capacity within the last few weeks. 

The chamber encourages local communities, tourism partners, and event planners to help provide a positive experience for visitors this weekend and in an effort to encourage return visits. 

“We have a huge opportunity to showcase St. Lawrence County and make a good impression to tourists. Though the economic value from the eclipse this weekend will be significant, there’s also the opportunity for long-term effects,” Puleo said. “Make them want to come back has been our motto.”

The chamber has encouraged restaurants normally closed on Mondays to be open or have extended hours with limited menus to keep up with the potential demand. Businesses were encouraged to provide eclipse-themed promotions to make a memorable experience for guests. 

 Welcoming environment

Several event planners received guidance on planning their events and marketing information that is “tourist friendly.” 

The county’s Total Eclipse Task Force has also been working diligently the last few months to ensure we are prepared for any complications over the weekend.

“Overall, we want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable experience in St. Lawrence County,” Puleo said. “We also encourage those hosting tourists, friends, and family traveling from afar, or returning alumni to check out our tourism website VisitSTLC.com.” 

“We are continuously hard at work creating and updating content that will be valuable for years to come. We have a multitude of informative resources that guests may find useful this weekend.”

The website includes digital guides, blogs, seasonal activities, a public events calendar, access to trail maps, a county business directory, and the county’s featured Total Eclipse subsite STLCtotality.com. “

We researched a ton of information surrounding the eclipse to provide resources for our communities that we can also use as a marketing tool for potential tourists,” Puleo said. “Most notably there is a Total Eclipse Timetable and Viewing Map which outlines how long and when you will experience Totality per township, and highlighted areas of interest. Being the largest county in New York State, there is a lot of area to cover. For those wanting a longer viewing experience, we want to assure everyone is aware of where those hotspots are.” 

Tourists referencing the eclipse page will also have access to a list of the county’s lodging options, and attractions among many other tourism resources.

The County’s Totality website also features public events, approved viewing locations, an eclipse-themed playlist, where to buy local eclipse merch and viewing glasses, viewing tips, safety precautions, and more. 

“Though we are a rural county, our area is attractive for those looking for a quieter destination with minimal traffic and an abundance of open skies. We may have a few of these visitors return during our peak season to enjoy our beautiful waterways, hiking & multi-use trails, and premier fishing locations. Between the Canadian Border, the 1,000 Islands Region, and the Adirondack Foothills, we really are in the middle of everywhere. We just need to continue to think outside the box and work together to put our best county face forward,” she said.

Tips for viewing

Puleo says many folks are unaware that viewing glasses should be removed during the time of Totality itself and we want to assure everyone has the optimal viewing experience.

“ ISO safety-certified glasses are to be worn on the partial phases of the eclipse when the sun's rays are exposed, but during Totality itself, viewers can take off their glasses during that 2.5-3.5 minute timeframe to be able to see the sun's corona, the 360-degree sunset along the horizon, and several planets and stars,” she said.

“Folks are also directed to look southwest and 45 degrees above the horizon before the time of Totality to assure they have a clear view for when the time comes.” Puleo suggests that if you are unsure of where to look, to take note of where the sun is prior to Monday around 3:30pm to see exactly where Totality will occur.