Terre Haute celebrates a remarkable Monday

Apr. 8—Thousands of visitors who flocked to Terre Haute from afar mingled with Hoosiers with seemingly nothing but good vibes Monday, and neither clouds nor traffic jams — both previously feared — presented much in the way of problems.

"Downtown was packed with folks from across the nation and world," said Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun. "The city and county parks had several well-attended events, as well.

"We proved that as a city, we can manage hosting multiple large events in a safe manner," he added. "Hats off to the city employees and event organizers who dedicated much time and effort in planning and executing a Total Eclipse of the Haute!"

Karen Dyer of the Vigo County Convention and Visitors Bureau said she initially "had no idea what to expect" and is still collecting data, but she offered preliminary numbers: All hotels in town were full, a total of 2,000 rooms. An estimated 5,000 watched the eclipse from the downtown festival on Wabash Avenue.

Tracking found that visitors from at least 15 states watched the eclipse in Terre Haute, as well as people from Canada, Mexico, Ireland, Denmark and Japan.

Dyer noted that Monday tends to be a slow day for local restaurants but it was not the case on this day.

She said Adam Grossman, Vigo County's Parks Department's superintendent, reported all campgrounds were sold out on Sunday. Fowler Park had at least 1,500 people and perhaps as many as 2,500 on Monday.

Griffin Bike Park, Prairie Creek, Hawthorne, Dewey Point and Lee Fields parks also had parking lots at capacity. City parks each had about 1,000 visitors, according to estimates.

"As far as traffic and people, I would say it was smooth sailing," said Vigo County Commissioner Chris Switzer. "There were no major traffic issues, and it was awesome to see a good crowd in downtown Terre Haute."

He added, "I haven't heard any negative feedback. Our local public safety agencies did a phenomenal job."

Sgt. Justin Sears, Terre Haute Police Department public information officer, reported, "All is well. The watch parties all went off without a hitch. We are monitoring traffic as everyone leaves."

Eventually, one issue arose: U.S. 41 northbound between Wabash Avenue and Fort Harrison Road experienced a traffic backup.

Indiana State Police Public Information Officer Sgt. Matt Ames reported, "We're not having any issues on I-70, but Indiana 63 north in Vermillion County has heavy traffic."

Downtown Terre Haute and the Chamber of Commerce hosted the eclipse festival. "We were just amazed with the turnout," said Kristin Craig, chamber executive director.

She praised THPD for its efforts to keep the community safe during the event. "They did an amazing job," Craig said. "They have people everywhere."

Craig said Chamber employees conversed with people from all over the country and Canada.

"They came here just to experience this in our community," she said. "It's been a rewarding day to see all these people have a positive experience here."

All those auspicious responses must have made those at the Convention and Visitors Bureau smile.

Dyer said, "We want them to come, but we also want them to come back."

Sue Loughlin of the Tribune-Star also contributed to this report.

David Kronke can be reached at 812-231-4232 or at david.kronke@tribstar.com.