On April 8, 2024, Hillsboro stood directly in the path of a total solar eclipse. For nearly five minutes, the Moon completely covered the Sun, briefly turning afternoon into darkness. It was the first total solar eclipse visible from Hillsboro since 1878.

The City began preparing for this rare event in September 2022. What became known as Eclipseboro was both a community celebration and a coordinated effort to provide a safe, welcoming, and memorable experience for Hillsboro residents and visitors.

Explore Eclipseboro

• View the Eclipseboro Post-Event Report
• Read the Official Eclipseboro Guidebook
• Visit the archived Eclipseboro website
• Visit the Eclipseboro Facebook page

Why We Did It

Hillsboro’s location within the path of totality was expected to attract thousands of visitors from across the country and around the world. The City’s goals were to:

• Promote a safe and enjoyable experience for residents and visitors.
• Prepare local infrastructure and emergency services for increased demand.
• Showcase the people, places, and hospitality that make Hillsboro special.
• Create opportunities for residents, businesses, nonprofits, and civic groups to participate.

How We Prepared

Planning began approximately 18 months before the eclipse. The City formed an Eclipseboro Planning Team with four primary committees:

• Health, Safety and Logistics: Planned for traffic, emergency response, medical needs, sanitation, utilities, cellular service, and other operational demands.
• Public Sites and Events: Coordinated viewing sites, camping areas, educational programs, entertainment, and vendors.
• Communications and Public Relations: Managed public information, community engagement, media relations, marketing, volunteer recruitment, the Eclipseboro website, and social media.
• Private Businesses: Helped hotels, restaurants, retailers, automotive businesses, and entertainment venues prepare for increased demand.

The committees were supported by focused working groups for Main Street Eclipseboro, Eclipseboro Park, Eclipseboro Landing, the Star Party in the Park, Operation Welcome Mat, and light-pollution reduction. The City also consulted leaders from communities that hosted the 2017 total solar eclipse to learn from their experiences.

The Work Behind Eclipseboro

Preparation extended well beyond planning events. The City and its partners:

• Held four public town halls and a community meetup for residents, businesses, nonprofits, and property owners.
• Coordinated emergency services, traffic, sanitation, utilities, communications, and visitor safety.
• Established four primary locations for camping, activities, and eclipse viewing: Eclipseboro Airport, Eclipseboro Park, Main Street Eclipseboro, and Eclipseboro Landing.
• Created the Eclipseboro website, guidebook, maps, newsletters, social media channels, and visitor information.
• Organized science programs, viewing experiences, downtown activities, entertainment, and community events.
• Promoted dozens of independently organized events hosted by local businesses, museums, churches, and civic groups.
• Completed beautification projects and created a downtown welcome center through Operation Welcome Mat.
• Coordinated nearly 250 volunteers who contributed approximately 1,867 hours of service.

Eclipseboro’s Impact

Hillsboro welcomed approximately 16,900 adult visitors on eclipse day and recorded more than 71,000 adult visits during the five-day impact period. Confirmed visitors came from all 50 states, 37 countries, and five continents.

Eclipseboro.com recorded more than 41,000 sessions, while social media content reached approximately 151,000 people. The effort also generated 63 articles, videos, and other features from 14 media outlets.

Eclipseboro left a legacy beyond April 8. The effort strengthened partnerships among local organizations, brought national attention to Hillsboro, supported community beautification, and created new relationships among volunteers. Operation Welcome Mat, which formed during Eclipseboro, continues working to improve Hillsboro’s appearance and hospitality year-round.

Totality in Downtown Hillsboro

On April 8, 2024, residents and visitors gathered around the Hill County Courthouse to experience more than four minutes of totality.

Partners in Planning

Eclipseboro was made possible through cooperation among local organizations, businesses, volunteers, public agencies, first responders, and regional partners:

Ahh For Real Podcast; Air Evac; Boys & Girls Club of Hillsboro; City of Hillsboro Administration; Divine Home Care; Douglas Carr Cunningham Photography; Go Hillsboro; Heart of Texas Council of Governments; Hill College; Hill County Emergency Management; Hill County Cell Block Museum; Hill County Sheriff’s Department; Hill Regional Hospital; Hillsboro Arts League; Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce; Hillsboro City Council; Hillsboro City Library; Hillsboro Department of Public Safety; Hillsboro Economic Development Corporation; Hillsboro Fire & Rescue; Hillsboro Independent School District; Hillsboro Municipal Airport; Hillsboro Reporter; KHBR AM 1560; Lake Whitney Chamber of Commerce; Lake Whitney State Park; Leadership Greater Hillsboro; Main Street Hillsboro; North Texas Airstream Community; Sheri Hemrick Photography; Texas Department of Transportation; Texas Heritage Museum; Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; Texas Through Time Museum; Whitney Lakelander; and Whitney Police Department.

Eclipseboro in the News