Paris prepares to welcome visitors for solar eclipse

PARIS, Ark (KNWA/KFTA) — With more than one million people estimated to flock to Arkansas for the upcoming solar eclipse, Paris stands ready to welcome visitors.

As one of the cities in the path of totality, Paris will experience three-plus minutes of darkness.

According to Tonya Fletcher with the Paris Chamber of Commerce, the city has been working hard to prepare for the influx of tourists.

On April 8th, Paris will have live music, local vendors offering unique crafts and more. Fletcher emphasized the community’s commitment to providing entertainment and hospitality to all who venture to witness the rare opportunity.

Here are some of the events:

Paris officials announced their decision to switch off all streetlights during the eclipse. This measure aims to provide the best conditions for spectators to look at the eclipse with no distractions.

Which Arkansas state parks still have availability for total solar eclipse

Mayor Daniel Rogers expressed his excitement about the upcoming eclipse and its potential economic benefits for Paris.

“Sales tax obviously helps the city of Paris, but we want those businesses to do good regardless. This could be a historically good weekend for their business as well as it is for the people they say could potentially come into the area,” Rogers said.

As the countdown to April 8 begins, Mayor Rogers says that the anticipation builds for what should be a historic night in Natural State.

For a full list of the events happening in Paris, visit ParisArkansas.com.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.