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Here Are 10 Eclipse Parties In Arizona Perfect For Viewing The Big Event

Arizona offers a plethora of natural wonders beyond the Grand Canyon, including stunning canyons, caves, waterfalls, and scenic vistas.

Published Aug 2, 2017

Written by 

Monica Spencer

In case you haven’t already heard, North America will be experiencing a total solar eclipse on August 21 of this year and it's the first to occur in the United States since 1979. Although Arizonans will only see up to 78% of the eclipse, it is still an exciting time for astronomers and science lovers alike!

If you want to view the eclipse happening, you could do it from your home, school, or work. On the other hand, you can also go to a viewing party where you can use solar viewing glasses and interact with your fellow Arizonans. All events take place on Monday, August 21.

1. The Great American Eclipse at Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff

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Image courtesy Lowell Observatory

Hosted at one of Arizona’s most famous observatories, this is an all-day event filled with family activities, solar viewing opportunities, livestreams of astronomer talks, and tours of the facility.

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Address: 1400 West Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff

Time: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Details: lowell.edu

2. Mohave County Library 2017 Solar Eclipse, Kingman

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Mohave County Library/Facebook

This county library will be hosting a free event for community members looking to safely view the eclipse. They will be handing out free solar viewing glasses so the whole family can participate in this event.

Address: 3269 North Burbank Street, Kingman

Time: Begins at 10:00 am

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Details: mohavecountylibrary.us

3. The Big Event hosted by Miami Memorial Library, Miami

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Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum/Facebook

In the days leading up to the big event, this Miami Memorial Library will be hosting a series of educational events by showing documentaries and movies. On the day of the eclipse, the library will host a viewing party in front of the Bullion Plaza Cultural Center and Museum.

Address: 150 North Plaza Circle, Miami

Time: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Details: gcldaz.org

4. Solar Eclipse Extravaganza at Wheeler Taft Abbett Sr Library, Tucson

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Dawn K./Yelp

This Tucson library will host a solar viewing event which begins with a presentation about the eclipse followed by providing solar glasses for safelyviewing the eclipse.

Address: Wheeler Taft Abbett Sr Library, 7800 North Schisler Drive, Tucson

Time: Event begins at 9:00 am

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Details: Pima County Public Library

5. Solar Eclipse Viewing Party at Santa Cruz Library, Eloy

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Image courtesy City of Eloy

Hosted at the Eloy Santa Cruz Library, this viewing event provides you with an opportunity to safely view the eclipse with provided solar glasses.

Address: 1000 North Main Street, Eloy

Time: Begins at 9:00 am

Details:

6. Solar Eclipse Viewing at Valencia Library, Tucson

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Valencia Library/Facebook

Valencia Library in Tucson will host a free viewing party for the community. Stop by to use solar eclipse glasses to watch the eclipse and snack on a Moon Pie.

Address: Valencia Library, 202 West Valencia Road, Tucson

Time: Event begins at 9:00 am

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Details:Pima County Public Library

7. Great American Eclipse Viewing Party, Apache Junction

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Apache Junction Public Library/Facebook

Hosted at the Apache Junction Public Library, this viewing event provides solar glasses for watching the eclipse, followed by family friendly activities.

Address: 1177 North Idaho Road, Apache Junction

Time: Begins at 10:00 am

Details: Apache Junction Public Library

8. Solar Eclipse Viewing Party, Anthem

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North Valley Regional Library/Facebook

Hosted at the North Valley Regional Branch Library, you and your family can watch the partial solar eclipse right outside the library with provided viewing glasses.

Address: North Valley Regional Branch Library, 40410 North Gavilan Peak Parkway, Anthem

Time: Begins at 9:30 am

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Details: Maricopa County Library District

9. Solar Eclipse Celebration, Prescott Valley

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Image courtesy Town of Prescott Valley

Get ready to enjoy viewing the solar eclipse at this joint effort between the Prescott Valley Public Library and the Prescott Astronomy Club. Learn about the solar eclipse, don your solar glasses to watch the eclipse, and participate in a variety of activities.

Address: Prescott Valley Civic Center Amphitheater, 7501 East Civic Circle, Prescott Valley

Time: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Details: Town of Prescott Valley

10. Eclipse Party at Yuma Main Library, Yuma

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Yuma County Library District/Facebook

Want a chance to see the solar eclipse up close? While you won’t be able to travel much closer to the sun, you can use the special solar telescope that will be at the Yuma Library. Otherwise, you can use a pair of solar glasses to sit back and enjoy the show.

Address: Yuma Main Library, 2951 South 21st Drive, Yuma

Time: 9:15 am to 12:00 pm

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Details: Yuma County Library District

You can read more about the Great American Eclipse by reading The Rare Natural Phenomenon In Arizona That Will Go Down In History.

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Experiences|Events

The Most Enchanting Christmastime Main Street in the Country Is Prescott in Arizona

Prescott, Arizona transforms into a magical holiday destination with millions of lights and festive activities, earning its title as Arizona's official "Christmas City."

Updated Oct 1, 2024

Written by 

Katie Lawrence

Prescott, Arizona is known as "Everybody's Hometown," but the magic of this charming city is amplified tenfold around Christmastime. During the holiday season, the entire town square is illuminated by millions of glittering bulbs, creating a scene guaranteed to enchant anyone and everyone who visits. Get ready to step into wondrous holiday cheer. There is a reason why people call this the best "Main Street" at Christmas in Arizona. In fact, it's considered one of the best main streets in America, and for good reason.

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Designated as Arizona's official "Christmas City" in 1989, Prescott certainly lives up to its title. The entire downtown square comes alive with millions of twinkling lights, drawing visitors from all over the Grand Canyon State to come and marvel at their brilliance.

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Michael Wilson/Flickr

Near the beginning of December each year, the Yavapai County Courthouse in Prescott's historic downtown is illuminated with thousands of twinkling lights. If you miss the opening ceremony, which will be held on Dec. 7 this year, don't worry; you can witness this magical spectacle every night through mid-January. I was here in mid-December last year and was enchanted by the lights in the square surrounding the courthouse. It was very clear to me why Prescott is the most festive town in AZ!

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Flickr/Michael Wilson

But that's not all the town has to offer during the holiday season. There are countless activities for the whole family to enjoy all season long during Christmas in Prescott, Arizona. You can catch live performances, visit holiday craft fairs, and attend festive parades to get into the spirit of the holidays truly.

For starters, the 27th Annual Prescott Holiday Lights Parade & Bonfire Festival will take place on Nov. 30, 2024, at 6 p.m. This is a much-anticipated event that brings the entire community together for some festive holiday cheer. Best of all, it's free — you certainly can't beat that price tag! Once the parade is over, the bonfire portion of the festival will begin. This event is a fantastic way to kick off the holiday season in historic downtown Prescott. Then, on Dec. 7, 2024, the 42nd Annual Prescott Christmas Parade will begin at 1 p.m. This free event is another that should not be missed.

Imagine yourself wandering around the town square with a steaming cup of hot chocolate, making precious memories, and reveling in the magical atmosphere this holiday season.

Maybe you can even enjoy a snowy day in Prescott, AZ. There's nothing more enchanting than walking in a winter wonderland at Christmastime.

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Flickr/Scott Blackwell

Stay up-to-date on all the fun activities in Prescott, Arizona at Christmas on the Prescott Chamber of Commerce website. The holiday season just wouldn't be complete without a visit to "Everybody's Hometown."

What are your favorite Christmas towns in Arizona? Is there a Christmas village in Arizona you love to visit each year? What are some of your favorite ways to spend the holidays in Prescott, AZ? Let us know in the comments!

Want to explore another winter town in Arizona? Take an enchanting winter walk in Tucson that will make you feel merry and bright. And if you plan to spend any time outside during the cold winter months, make sure you are bundled up and prepared! Check out our ultimate winter packing list for inspiration.

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Experiences|Events

Take a Ride on the Eco-Friendly French Fry Express During the 123rd Grand Canyon Railway Anniversary in Arizona

The Grand Canyon Railway will be celebrating its 123rd anniversary on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, and it's a great time to embark on your Grand Canyon adventure.

Published Sep 13, 2024

Written by 

Melissa Mahoney

For well over a century the historic Grand Canyon Railway has taken passengers on a scenic journey between Williams and the Grand Canyon, the most revered natural wonder in Arizona. The trip begins at the Williams Depot which was built in 1908 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, and terminates north at the Grand Canyon Depot which was constructed between 1909-1910 inside Grand Canyon National Park. If a scenic train ride to the Grand Canyon is on your bucket list, you must make plans to take one this fall. In fact, the Grand Canyon Railway will be celebrating its 123rd anniversary on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, and it's a great time to plan your Grand Canyon adventure via train.

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grand canyon railway depot with a crowd waiting to get on the train
Credit: Xanterra Travel Collection

Your journey begins once you board the train at the Williams Depot which happens to be on the National Register of Historic Places. The train will then take passengers 65 miles through the Colorado Plateau with views of the San Francisco Peaks, prairie, and Ponderosa pine and Pinion forests along the way.

Once you arrive at the Grand Canyon Depot, a National Historic Landmark, you will have time to get out and explore the park before heading back to Williams.

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Credit: Xanterra Travel Collection

One of the trains that will run during the anniversary celebration on Sept. 21 is known as the French Fry Express (Locomotive No. 4960). This eco-friendly train runs on discarded vegetable oil from local restaurants, thus cutting emissions in half. The engine of this train was converted to run on recycled waste vegetable oil, or WVO, in 2009. Furthermore, the Grand Canyon Railway keeps approximately 50,000 cars out of the park annually. What a wonderful way to reduce emissions as well as vehicle traffic in the park.

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Credit: Xanterra Travel Collection

For the 123rd Anniversary, you will have your choice of class between Pullman, Coach, First, Observation, Luxury Dome, and Luxury Parlor. Each class has its own price tag. If you plan on making a purchase on the train, make sure you have a credit card on hand as cash will not be accepted.

A scenic train ride to the Grand Canyon is a wonderful bucket list experience that has been on my Arizona bucket list for a number of years. And if you can go for the anniversary celebration on Sept. 21, you should!

If you plan on taking a scenic train ride with Grand Canyon Railways on Sept. 21, 2024, you can upgrade to the 3-night Canyon Rails Getaway Package. This package includes three nights at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, breakfast and dinner at the on-site Fred Harvey® Restaurant, a $20 gift certificate to spend at the Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel gift stores, and 25 percent off train tickets in your class choice. However, you don't have to wait until the Grand Canyon Railways anniversary to take advantage of this package — it's available throughout the fall.

Taking a road trip to Williams in order to embark on a rail journey with Grand Canyon Railways? Take a look at our Ultimate Road Trip Packing List for everything you'll need on the road!

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