Aurora will observe “Eclipse Over Aurora” from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Sunny Lake Park, 855 E. Mennonite Rd. A limited number of safe viewing glasses will be provided. There will also be food trucks on hand, a DJ and fun children’s activities.
Children and adults are invited to visit the Aurora branch of the Portage County District Library from April 1 to April 6, or on Eclipse Day itself, to make an eclipse craft or take one home. The library is located at 115 E. Pioneer Trail, Aurora. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.
While supplies last, kids aged 11 to 18 are also welcome to stop by Aurora Memorial Library on April 3 to pick up a take-home craft that will enable them to build an eclipse viewer out of a cereal box and tinfoil.
The finished project will be a pinhole device that will enable indirect viewing. It is not meant to be used to look directly at the sun at any time. Only approved eclipse glasses are safe to look directly at any eclipse, the National Park Service advises.
Whether they have toy eclipse glasses or real ones, tweens and teens are invited to drop in at Aurora Memorial Library any time April 8 to make their own paper cases to hold them. The craft activities will be ongoing while supplies last.
Like all county district libraries, Aurora Memorial Library has a supply of those approved glasses on hand. Library cards are not required: simply stop in and ask for a pair. Glasses will not be reserved via phone calls or online requests.
Wendy DiAlesandro is a former Record Publishing Co. reporter and contributing writer for The Portager.