Eclipse Watch Party
Join us at Vista's 21 acre ranch on Saturday, October 14 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. for a very special event: a "Ring of Fire" eclipse! We're opening up early to view this amazing stellar event where the moon passes in front of the sun.
The partial eclipse begins at 10:23 am with the fullest coverage at 11:53 am. We'll be back to full daylight by 1:32 pm.
This event is free and open to the public. We are offering a $5 ticket which includes a pair of eclipse glasses to safely view the solar eclipse, and it includes donation to the Hays County Friends of the Night Sky. Only 500 pairs of glasses available.
This is a family and dog friendly event.
During the Watch Party, enjoy $3 pints of Vista's popular Dark Skies Black Pilsner, named in honor of fighting light pollution. Vista's delicious food menu, Texas wines & ciders and these specials are available:
"Ring of Fire" Blood Orange Mimosa
Bourbon Barrel Aged Dark Skies - made just for this eclipse event, we've aged Dark Skies in the rare barrels from Still Austin's Bottled in Bond Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey.
Dark Skies Chili - Texas Wagyu beef slow cooked with Dark Skies Black Pilsner, guajillo chilis and topped with aged cheddar, farm radish, sour cream, and cilantro.
There are two big stellar events happening soon in the Texas Hill Country. The first is an Annular Solar Eclipse on October 14, 2023.
A once-in-a-lifetime Total Solar Eclipse is happening on April 8, 2024 — and Driftwood is in the totality. Stay tuned for details on this international tourism event!
Read more about the two upcoming eclipse events at https://www.drippingeclipse.com.
About Hays County Friends of the Night Sky
We are concerned citizens who support advocacy, outreach and educational efforts in Hays County, Texas, to promote and encourage smarter lighting designed to improve visibility and safety at night, protect the natural night sky, and support individuals and communities in their efforts to receive recognition for their “dark sky” efforts. The heritage of star-filled nights has been taken away from us in many parts of our county.
Our organization works to engage the public and government officials to keep our night skies naturally dark and full of stars, to help fellow citizens reduce light pollution in our cities and towns. With our work, we aim to make lasting changes in the way we all think about outdoor lighting.