OXFORD, Ohio — Small towns in the path of totality are preparing for massive crowds and a massive boost to their local economies.

What You Need To Know

  • The April 8 total eclipse has small town businesses gearing up for a massive crowd and more business 

  • In Oxford, a college town that will be in totality, city leaders say they are expecting a crowd of more than 70,000 on April 8

  • Downtown Oxford businesses are offering eclipse-themed specials and deals to try to attract more business 

On April 8, the city of Oxford, a small college town, will be in solar eclipse totality and have more than eight times as many people. Seventy-thousand people are expected to come along with it and area business owners are already banking on it. Samantha Casey is one of them.

“We’re hoping to have staff outside for a table to kind of bring people in to explain what we are,” said Casey. 

She recently opened a healthy smoothie shop, Red Brick Lounge in downtown Oxford. It is right next door from a park where crowds can see the eclipse, so she is planning to make eclipse health drinks.

“It’s gonna be like a pineapple, orange, cherry, and grape flavor. It’s going to have like the colors of what we’re supposed to see,” Casey said. 

If you cross the street, Ashley Faul, a cosmetologist with Attitudes Uptown beauty salon, is making eclipse souvenir T-shirts and stickers for the rare event.

“Back in October, me and my business partner Kristi opened Vibe Boutique within in the salon, so just wanted to have things people would be excited to see. We’ve got eclipse stickers, we’ve got shirts,” said Faul. 

If you really want to get decked out in eclipse gear, you can get an eclipse tattoo down the road, eat eclipse cookies, or enjoy eclipse chips in nearby towns.

The eclipse is expected to bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars to the local economy and Oxford city leaders say they have been preparing for almost one year for crowd control.

Their best advice is to get to Oxford early, but area businesses say they plan to adjust their hours and have all hands on deck to make sure visitors can get their eclipse fix.

“We’re excited to see what it brings,” said Casey.

The city of Oxford also has several watch parties, a festival, and a 5k race on the weekend before the eclipse. For more information on all the events there, click here.