The City of Oswego held a block party for the eclipse on April 7, featuring food, live music and games.

The city held the event on West 1st Street, which spanned from West Bridge Street to West Oneida Street. At the northern end of the party, Syracuse-based singer Jess Novak performed on a stage decorated with an eclipse design. She sang covers of songs such as “Zombie” by The Cranberries and “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson.

Most of the crowd congregated near West Bridge Street, gathered around tables and chairs. It was filled with people dancing and children playing over the street.

A little bit down the road was another heavily populated area — the Visitor’s Center. It housed three main attractions; one the front of the visitor’s center were various reptiles, snakes housed in terrariums to one side and another with a touch pen. It featured an iguana and a turtle that guests could pet and the area was crowded with children.

In the visitor’s center was a table staffed by Eva Corradino, who passed out eclipse glasses, pamphlets and souvenirs. Corradino said that the party turnout was beyond what they could have hoped for.

“It’s been a great event today,” Corradino said. “The weather cooperated. People were out together. It’s going amazingly.”

Corradino said that she had met several people traveling to Oswego specifically for the eclipse. Some were from other parts of New York, and she had met some people from other states, like Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

The most crowded part of the Visitor’s Center was the stationed vendor. Valti Graphics was making and selling eclipse-themed hoodies and T-shirts on-site. The line stretched across the entire back wall.

Further down the street, the crowd started to thin out. The biggest cluster of people was around a Star Wars-themed bounce house and another area with more animals, including a porcupine.

Some vendors were set up at this end of the block. Kim Manoni, owner of Jam’s Book Boutique, said that she had been extremely busy during the block party but that it had been well organized. 

Manoni said that she had met some people traveling from afar, with the farthest she had heard being Miami.

As the sun began to set and the temperature started to drop, the crowds dissipated while vendors wrapped up their tables.

Photo by: Nate Sprenger