Dripping Springs launches website ahead of 2024 total solar eclipse

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) -- The city of Dripping Springs will experience two eclipses over the next nine months, and it's preparing for an influx of visitors.

An annular solar eclipse will happen on October 14 of this year, and a total solar eclipse will happen on April 8 of next year. The city is preparing through a task force that launched last year and a newly-launched eclipse website.

Hotel rooms are booking up or already sold out ahead of next April’s total solar eclipse, officials with the city of Dripping Springs previously told KXAN.

The city said in a release that because the city will be in the totality of the April 8 eclipse for three minutes, it expects a significant number of visitors.

"While both types of eclipses are exciting, total solar eclipses are rare. Total solar eclipses happen somewhere in the world every 18 months and only happen in the same place approximately every 375 years," the release said.

Because of this, the city said a task force has been meeting monthly to prepare and ensure all areas of the city are as prepared as possible. The city said in the release educating the public is a major focus for the task force and is why the website was launched.

The new website includes the following features:

• Information for residents, businesses, and visitors to help them prepare and plan for the excitement, with information that will continually be updated.
• An event form, so any business can have their eclipse-related event added to the website.
• A way to sign up for a periodic eclipse newsletter.
• Eclipse commemorative items for sale, including T-shirts and stickers, along with approved safe eclipse-viewing sunglasses.
• Information on an Eclipse Ambassador program, that organizations can utilize if they wish an eclipse representative to speak to their group.