On April 8, a total solar eclipse will sweep across North America. If you don’t know what that means, a total solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes between the earth and the sun, which completely blocks the sunlight, making everything go quite dark, despite this phenomenon happening midday. Because the chance to witness a total solar eclipse is pretty rare, the upcoming event is inspiring many 2024 solar eclipse party ideas!
But first, the basics. If you’re unfamiliar with how a solar eclipse happens, here’s what to expect: The moon will slowly begin to block the sun over the course of an hour, then there will be a few minutes of complete (or mostly complete, if you’re not in the eclipse’s direct path) darkness, as if it were nighttime. It’s cool AF to witness, which is why so many people are marking the occasion with special events.
Believe it or not, solar eclipses technically happen kind of often; they tend to occur between two to five times a year, according to Royal Museums Greenwich. Total solar eclipses are significantly less common; they only happen about every 18 months, per RMG. However, these rates take into account eclipses happening all over the world; the majority of these eclipses occur in places that are very hard to witness if you live in the U.S., such as over the middle of the ocean or over a totally different continent. For context, the last total solar eclipse to be witnessed in the U.S. was in August 2017; after the 2024 one, the next one won’t be until August 2044, according to NASA.
So, with such a major event on the way, why not throw a party? I personally love hosting events that will bring my friends together, and this is a great reason as ever to do just that. There are so many ways you can host a solar eclipse party; here are 10 ideas to help you get some inspo.
1. Make Solar Eclipse Cocktails
A popular trend on TikTok has been themed cocktail parties, in which each person attending brings their own type of cocktail to match with the theme of the event. These parties are a fun way to get creative and enjoy some drinks with your friends (if you’re 21+, that is!), so why not host one for the solar eclipse? With cocktail possibilities like a solar eclipse-themed blue pineapple, an eclipse margarita, or a lunar shadow, there are a lot of creative drinks that can be made for a party like this one. Someone could even just show up with straight moonshine and let people make their own cocktails out of it. The opportunities are endless.
2. Plan Astrology Activities
Astrologically, solar eclipses are said to symbolize new beginnings and opportunities for renewal, so why not honor that with an astrology-themed event to mark the occasion? Whether your friend group knows each other’s sun, moon, and rising signs or you’re all astro newbies, there are a lot of different options to choose from, including having your friends come dressed as their zodiac signs, offering tarot card readings, or engaging with something as simple as online quizzes to determine what the rest of your year will look like.
3. Buy Solar Eclipse Snacks
You may have never considered it, but there are a lot of snacks you can utilize for this special occasion. Snacks like Cosmic Brownies and Moon Pies are great examples of easy, ready-made treats that perfectly fit the theme. You could even pick up some of Krispy Kreme’s special edition solar eclipse donuts, if you have a store location near you. Having on-theme snacks is a fun yet simple way to celebrate, and you could make it even easier by turning your shindig into a potluck, so everyone can pitch in by bringing a snack of their choice.
4. Celebrate The Phases Of The Moon
I know it’s a *solar* eclipse, but the moon plays a big role in this whole thing too! If you’d like to get lunar with your party, you could decorate your space with images of the moon at different phases. You could also represent the phases of the moon with your snacks; a good example is taking Oreo cookies apart and scraping the icing off to varying degrees to represent the different moon phases. You could even set pizza out on different plates to make the different moon phases. This party could also be turned into a fun potluck: Assign each friend a phase and have them bring that phase represented in a food!
5. Have An Eclipse Picnic
The solar eclipse is happening just as picnic season is arriving in most of the U.S. So, gather in a park, a friend’s backyard, or your school’s quad, lay a blanket down, bring your eclipse glasses, and prepare to be wowed when the big event happens. With nice weather and a great view, this could very well be the perfect way to witness this year’s solar eclipse.
6. Decorate Your Eclipse Glasses
If you love arts and crafts, another fun way to bring your friends together is with a glasses decorating party. Eye protection is 100% necessary for viewing the eclipse; you def don’t want to hurt or damage your eyes by looking at it without proper equipment. That said, most eclipse glasses being sold aren’t that cute. That’s where the arts and crafts come in! Whether you want to paint, bedazzle, or sticker them up, decorating your glasses before the eclipse is a creative way to celebrate, and an opportunity for you to capture some cute Instagram or Pinterest content on the day of.
7. Play Astronomy Trivia
If trivia is your vibe, why not design a trivia party to celebrate the eclipse? You can design a list of trivia questions that all are themed around the moon, sun, and eclipses to test your friends’ knowledge (or, if you want to participate, have someone else, like your parents, craft the list). Whether you’re in teams, partnered, or every woman for herself, this is a unique and sneakily educational way to celebrate. Bonus points if you offer eclipse-themed prizes!
8. Eclipse-Hunt In A Party Bus
If you’re willing to spend some money and really want to travel to the ideal location for the eclipse, this could be perfect for your friend group! NASA’s website shows the locations with the highest visibility for witnessing the eclipse, and a lot of people are making plans to travel to these locations to get the best views. If you and your group are serious about seeing this rare event in the most ideal area, book a party bus to whisk you off to your ideal location while you travel in style.
9. Watch Space Movies
My friends and I love movies, and any excuse to watch one is something we take full advantage of. There are a lot of great space movies out there to choose from, like Gravity, Interstellar, and The Martian. Whether you choose to watch one or as many as you can in one sitting, this is an easy event to host, and you can make it even better by combining it with the themed snack or cocktail ideas!
10. Throw A “Cosmic Cowboys” Party
If you want to throw a party, but only want to subtly lean into the space theme, a “cosmic cowboys” party basically guarantees a rootin’ tootin’ good time. Tell everyone to come decked out in their best space-meets-Western gear — which shouldn’t be hard, since Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter has everyone scrambling for some chic cowgirl attire — think boots, fringe-y denim shorts, and cowboy hats. Yeehaw!