Crowds waiting for the solar eclipse in a park in Greenwood on Monday became something like a tailgate party that included people from as far away as Los Angeles.
People in Northwest Arkansas sat farther from the path of the total eclipse, but still had a fun and safe time watching a near-complete event, they said in interviews.
People played soccer, threw Frisbees or played catch with baseballs while kids ran around or played on the playground in Greenwood, all moving through air filled with smells of sunscreen and grilled picnic food. Some families brought their dogs and one -- the Ressel family from Oklahoma -- brought baby goats, for the goats still needed frequent bottle feeding and could not be left at home.
People sat on tailgates and car roofs as the eclipse approached. Others set up cameras on tripods. As the totality arrived, they cheered and clapped. At the peak, they faced the sun in silence. Cheers and clapping broke out again when the edge of the sun reappeared about four minutes later.
"We had booked everything in Dallas, and we had been watching the weather for three days, and we saw that it is actually clearer skies here, so we drove here instead," said Barbara D. of Denver, who was not comfortable giving her last name.
"I have been preaching to people -- those who will listen -- that it is so worth it to experience it live because you cannot just look at images, to experience it is very different," she said, having seen a total eclipse in 2017. "I describe it as standing on a different planet and looking up at the sky when the sun does not exist and instead you get a diamond ring."
"To me it is worth the drive. It is worth the 26-hour round trip drive, probably more with traffic, for that two minutes."
Mark Sender traveled to Greenwood from Los Angeles to see the eclipse. He chose the city because he has friends in Bella Vista, and they dr0ve down together.
"I have a twin brother who's seen three, so it's a competition," he said.
Amanda Underwood from Nebraska also brought her family to visit nearby friends.
"It was pretty exciting," she said. "This is the second one we've seen in totality. We have family that live in Tulsa, and we figured it was close enough to be an experience, but not too far with the kids."
Area residents enjoyed the spectacle also. "It was great -- God's handiwork, hunny, and we were here to see it," said Lisa Kilgore of Barling.
"It was spectacular; it was more than I expected. I mean you hear about it and hear about it, but to actually see it and experience it is a whole different ballgame."
She described the descent of darkness "like it was fixin' to storm, but there's no storm clouds."
Kendall Beam, director of emergency management for Sebastian County, said everything in the county went smoothly Monday. The county was prepared with increased emergency medical, fire and police protection.
Fort Smith Police reported heavy but accident-free traffic after the eclipse, particularly westbound traffic headed for Oklahoma. There was a three-vehicle wreck Monday morning near the Interstate 40-Interstate 49 interchange in Alma four hours before the eclipse peak, but it was cleared long before the eclipse began, police said.
In Bentonville, hundreds of people gathered in and around the City Square to watch the solar eclipse unfold over the city in a chill, laid-back setting.
Residents of all ages brought towels and lawn chairs -- as well as their canine companions of choice -- to stake out prime viewing spots on the square with refreshments in hand and gentle live music emanating from a stage by Northwest Second Street.
More people poured into the area as the day grew darker and cooler after the eclipse began about 12:30 p.m., with some taking up positions on the steps of the Benton County Courthouse and the sidewalk along Northwest 2nd Street. Most -- if not all -- came prepared with special glasses to safely watch. Multiple local businesses offered eclipse glasses to their customers, along with special themed goods.
Happy State Co., a Bentonville-based apparel store, had a covered booth by Northeast A Street. People could swing by the booth and pick up a pair of glasses and consider purchases of shirts depicting a smiling Bentonville Water tower wearing the necessary eyewear, as well as the state of Arkansas with a caption reading, "I got mooned."
"I think it's cool," Summer Manzo, owner of Happy State Co., said of the eclipse. "It's something unusual. Our kids stayed with us today so they could stay out here and check it out instead of going to school, so they're playing hooky to be out here and help us and watch it."
Visit Bentonville, Markham & Fitz Chocolate and First Baptist Church Bentonville had booths along the City Square as well.
Brian and Leslie Taylor of Bentonville were just two people who came to the square for the Solar-bration. They were accompanied by their dog, a Jack Russell terrier mix named Sadie.
Brian Taylor said they have been looking forward to the event for about a year.
Leslie Taylor said she's glad Bentonville had a nice place in which the community could go and watch the eclipse.
"We have a great view, obviously, of the eclipse itself, and then it's kind of cool just to be able to chill on the lawn and live music playing and stuff, so it kind of made it a fun place to come," she said.
Emergency management officials in the Northwest Arkansas said that Monday was a normal day, despite the eclipse.
"It ended up being a nonevent as far as emergency management services were concerned," said Washington County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Kelly Cantrell. Public information officers for Rogers, Bentonville and Springdale police said nothing was out of the ordinary.
Traffic on state roads and highways was minimal Monday, according to the Arkansas Department of Traffic's online traffic map. Emergency health care providers such as Mercy Northwest Arkansas and Washington Regional Medical Center said the hospital did not see any injuries or concerns that were related specifically to the eclipse.
David Sayre and Elizabeth Sayre, 6, of Bentonville look at the solar eclipse Monday during an eclipse viewing party at the downtown Bentonville Square. Downtown Bentonville Inc., Visit Bentonville and the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce collaborated to host Solar-Bration on the square in Bentonville. Visit nwaonline.com/photos for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Mary McCully of Springdale watches the solar eclipse Monday at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks in Fayetteville. Around 700 people attended the event. Visit nwaonline.com/photo for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/J.T. Wampler)
Jackson Leder, 14, of Fayetteville checks out the progress of the sun and moon Monday through eclipse glasses while watching the solar eclipse and roller skating at the Arkansas Air and Military Museum in Fayetteville. The museum partnered with Starlight Skatium which debuted its new mobile skating rink for the free event. Visit nwaonline.com/photo for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)
Ellie Hammer, 9, (from left); Liam Hammer, 11; and Dagan Crider, 10, lie on their backs Monday while watching the solar eclipse and roller skating at the Arkansas Air and Military Museum in Fayetteville. The museum partnered with Starlight Skatium which debuted its new mobile skating rink for the free event. Visit nwaonline.com/photo for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)
Kelli Cragin (from left), Gay Currence, Peggy Fuller of Joplin, Mo. and Adhana Rajkumar and Hema Chandrasekaran of Bentonville look at the eclipse, Monday, April 8, 2024 during an eclipse viewing party at the downtown Bentonville Square in Bentonville. Downtown Bentonville Inc., Visit Bentonville and the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce collaborated to host Solar-Bration on the square in Bentonville. Visit nwaonline.com/photos for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)