Texas Eclipse Cancels Final Two Days of Festival Due to Severe Weather

Hours before totality, the Texas Eclipse Festival at Revielle Peak Ranch was canceled, leaving a surge of travelers scrambling.

Hours before the anticipated total solar eclipse on Monday, organizers of the Texas Eclipse festival made the decision to cancel. This was due to unforeseen weather conditions. On Monday morning, the Texas Total Eclipse Festival in Burnet, a small city outside Austin, announced the cancellation. This decision resulted from the potential threat of severe weather in the area. They communicated this decision through an announcement on the festival’s website and social media channels.

Prioritizing the safety of attendees, festival organizers opted to conclude the event prematurely on Monday in a “calm and orderly manner.” Additionally, they informed the public of collaboration with local authorities and the National Weather Service.

In a statement, the festival expressed regret over the severe weather forecast, which included risks of high winds, tornadic activity, large hail, and thunderstorms, extending into Tuesday and Wednesday.

Situated within the “path of totality,” the multi-day festival had expected a turnout of at least 30,000 people on Monday. The Burnet sheriff’s office, speaking to local station KXAN, anticipated a surge in traffic within the county later in the morning or early afternoon, advising locals to exercise patience and avoid unnecessary travel.

Although the latest forecast for central Texas indicated a “slight risk” of severe storms during the totality period, the primary band of severe weather was not projected to affect the region until early Tuesday morning.

Lastly, organizers stated that Texas Eclipse ticket-holders would soon receive an email detailing the partial refund policy. Millions of Americans anticipated gathering along the path of totality for a glimpse of the rare astronomical event. This eclipse is the first of its kind in the U.S. since 2017 and the last until 2044. It would traverse North America, commencing in Mexico before crossing into the U.S. and eventually passing over southeastern Canada.