The community is invited to the UCA eclipse watch party in partnership with the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce at Estes Stadium on April 8, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will include free eclipse glasses, arts and crafts vendors, food concessionaires, yard games, NASA TV on the big screen, and the chance to talk to UCA scientists about the eclipse. Seating is available in the stadium, but you are welcome to bring a blanket and hang out on the Stripes!
Do you plan to visit UCA on April 8? Let us know!
Upcoming Events
Eclipse Yoga Flow
April 8, 2024
9 a.m.
College of Business Lawn
Join yoga instructor True Alisandre for a unique yoga experience on the College of Business Lawn. Embrace the balance of light and shadow in this Eclipse Yoga Flow Gathering.
Sponsored by Campus Recreation and Wellness
Eclipse 2024 Watch Party
April 8, 2024
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Estes Stadium
The community is invited to the UCA eclipse watch party in partnership with the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce at Estes Stadium! The event will include free eclipse glasses, arts and crafts vendors, food concessionaires, yard games, NASA TV on the big screen, and the chance to talk to UCA scientists about the eclipse. Seating is available in the stadium, but you are also welcome to bring a blanket and hang out on the Stripes!
Pet-Friendly Eclipse Viewing and Dog Barkanalia
April 8, 2024
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
College of Business Lawn
Put the world on PAWS and join the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences for a once-in-a-lifetime event, as we watch the solar eclipse with our best friends. Enjoy entertainment for you and your canine companions from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the College of Business lawn right off of Donaghey Ave. We’ll have mainstage entertainment and a show ring with dog agility, demonstrations, and costume competitions. Don’t miss your opportunity to take your picture with LUNA, the eclipse superhero, a 25 ft. inflatable sculpture. There will also be plenty to do while you wait for totality, including lawn games, pet adoption, exhibitors, and more. Free hot dogs, Sun Chips, Moon Pies, and water will be available while supplies last, and there will be many special freebies you can only get at this event!
Road Trip to Totality Film
April 8, 2024
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Eclipse Dog Barkanalia (College of Business Lawn)
JOIN THE ROAD TRIP! In the midst of the 2024 Eclipse, filmmakers, actors, and crew will converge in Arkansas to film a new movie starring Robin Mullins and Michael B. Woods. Directed by Emily Railsback and produced by Tara Sheffer, Road Trip to Totality will be filmed in part at the Eclipse Dog Barkanalia and in real time during totality. Join us and make your mark on film history!
Antique Car Show
April 8, 2024
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Estes Stadium Parking Lot
Enjoy visiting with the Toad Suck Car Club as they showcase up to 15 antique cars and trucks. The club will have the vehicles in a parking lot just outside Estes Stadium, and several members will be on hand to talk about the restoration and preservation of the cars and trucks.
Founded in 1986, the Toad Suck Car Club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of all cars and trucks.
Eclipse Children’s Book Readings
April 8, 2024
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Explaining complex natural phenomena to children can be challenging, but Darcy Pattison, award-winning children’s author from Arkansas, has done just that. Darcy will read Eclipse: How the 1919 Solar Eclipse Proved Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity at several venues across campus on Eclipse Day 2024. Eclipse books will be given to children at the readings and the Meet the Author session. These events and book distributions were funded by a grant from the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium.
- 9 a.m. – Inclusive Reading for All Abilities, Lewis Science Center, Room 102
A sign language interpreter will translate the verbal language to visual language while the pages of the book are projected on large screens for access to the text and pictures. - 10:30 a.m. – Barkanalia, College of Business lawn
- 11:30 a.m. – Hall of Fame Room at Estes Stadium
- 2:30-3 p.m. – Meet the Author, Estes Stadium STEM Outreach End Zone
Past Events
Janet’s Planet
March 8, 2024
10 a.m. and 12 p.m.
Reynolds Performance Hall
Join Janet of Janet’s Planet™ for “Exploring Microgravity,” where Janet brings to light the legendary heroes of science such as Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton, and Henry Cavendish, and their groundbreaking theories that have shaped our understanding of the universe. With Janet’s fun and engaging approach, students will experience complex concepts in an accessible way helping them to retain more information and develop a deeper understanding of what astronauts experience in space. With “Exploring Microgravity,” Janet has created an unforgettable learning experience that will inspire and educate students of all ages.
A Brief Moment of Alignment: Movement, Theatre, Film
March 28, 2024
7:30 p.m.
Reynolds Performance Hall
A brief moment of alignment is a new multidisciplinary work commissioned by the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Central Arkansas. Created by artist and choreographer Sue Schroeder, the work features a multi-generational cast and a film installation with original sound score by Berlin-based artist Christian Meyer. Schroeder created the work for and with four women—Wanda Eason, Hannah Hanshaw, Aida Kuettle, and Nakeya Palmer—who have ties to Conway and UCA. Her concept for a brief moment of alignment, formed from the wisdom and contributions of the performers, is an evocation of the five phases of a total solar eclipse:
- First Contact | when the Sun and Moon touch for the first time
- Second Contact | when the Moon progresses until the Sun is completely obscured
- Maximum Eclipse | when the two bodies are perfectly aligned
- Third Contact | when the Sun re-emerges
- Last Contact | marks the end of the eclipse
In 44 years of work in the arts, Sue Schroeder has created more than 110 original dance works for theaters, museums, green spaces, architectural works, and water environments. Schroeder is recognized as a leading arts activist and mentor, and the founding artistic director of Core Dance, dual-based in Atlanta and Houston.
Public Lecture: “Inflatable Public Art, LUNA the Eclipse Superhero,” by Morton Brown
April 3, 2024
7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Windgate Center Lecture Hall 167
Join Morton Brown for an exciting discussion about his creation of LUNA, the eclipse superhero. This 25-foot inflatable sculpture depicts a woman of color who stands on the moon and has luna moth wings. LUNA will be on display at the south entrance of the Windgate Center on the day of the lecture.
Morton Brown, a UCA alum is a public art consultant operating in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His professional areas of interest and expertise include managing conservation of outdoor works of art; administering new commissions of public art; artist selection and fabrication; facilitating collaborative art-making processes with artists, architects, community and commissioning agents; space planning for the integration of works of art in the landscape and managing the creation and commission of public art. Morton is an artist, and is also a part-time faculty member of Robert Morris University, teaching the history of visual communications, foundation drawing, and 2D and 3D design courses since 2020.
Eclipse Kickoff Party on The Stripes
April 4, 2024
1:40 p.m.
Estes Stadium
Join the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (and a few guest dance groups) for an Eclipse Kickoff Party featuring 4 time Grammy nominee, Zydeco legend, and artist-in-residence Sean Ardoin. Sean will lead everyone through the line dance steps of his song, “Kick Rocks,” culminating with a mass performance. LUNA, the Eclipse Superhero will also be inflated and unveiled. This 25 foot structure, created by artist and alumnus Morton Brown, is a woman of color who can walk on the moon! Dignitaries will be on hand, and there will be plenty of exhibits and freebies to grab. Make plans to kick off this once-in-a-lifetime Great North American Eclipse with a dance party at Estes Stadium!
Art Exhibit: Russell Crotty, A Look into the Vast
On View: March 28 – April 26, 2024
Windgate Center Art Gallery
Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Special Hours: April 6, 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; April 7, 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Russell Crotty Gallery Talk
April 4, 2024
3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Windgate Center Art Gallery
Russell Crotty has made important contributions to contemporary drawing since the early 1990’s. Utilizing ballpoint pen as his primary medium, he is especially renowned for his distinctive drawings on paper-coated suspended globes and within large-scale books. His work engages astronomy, landscape, mapping, surfing, coastal studies, along with an idiosyncratic commentary on the natural and manmade worlds.
As a serious amateur astronomer, the artist has made important observational contributions to accredited astronomy organizations such as NASA and ALPO (Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers). He obsessively and enthusiastically documents the night sky and celestial phenomenon. The resulting body of astronomical work is informed by scientific research by contemporary astrophysicists, romanticized by his extensive knowledge of exploratory 19th century science, and fueled by his immense passion for the cosmos. Russell’s work has been extensively exhibited nationally and internationally and is owned by private collectors, museums and public collections. He is a 2015 Guggenheim Fellow.
Russell Crotty Drawing Workshop
April 5, 2024 | 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Windgate Center, Baldwin and Shell Drawing Studio room 115
Join Artist-in-Residence Russell Crotty who will conduct a drawing workshop that explores our relationship with our closest celestial neighbor, the Moon. As we anticipate the total solar eclipse, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the Moon just before it aligns with and obscures the Sun. The workshop is designed to spur dialogue and contemplation of the many moods of the Moon: romantic, scientific, literary, cultural, symbolic, spiritual, seasonal, time, surface, etc. Attendees will be provided with paper, pencils, and charcoal. You are also welcome to bring your own materials if you wish to work with watercolor, ink, collage, text, etc.
Russell Crotty Gallery Talk
April 6, 2024 | 3 p.m.
Windgate Center Art Gallery
Capturing Celestial Beauty: Save Your Camera and Get the Photo
April 4, 2024
6 p.m.
Buffalo Alumni Hall
Join us for an enlightening session with James Neihouse, UCA Distinguished Alumnus 2016, as we unravel the secrets behind photographing eclipses without risking your camera. In this engaging event, you’ll discover the art and science of capturing the awe-inspiring beauty of celestial phenomena through your lens.
Whether you’re a novice or an experienced photographer, this event is your gateway to mastering the art of eclipse photography while preserving the integrity of your camera gear. Don’t miss this opportunity to unlock the secrets of capturing the magic that happens when the moon dances in front of the sun.
James Neihouse has honed his skills as a professional image maker over more than four decades. In those years, he has traveled the globe documenting the natural world. James has filmed some of the most popular IMAX films of all time, with titles such as Blue Planet, Hubble 3D, and Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey on his credit list. He has trained astronauts to shoot IMAX® films in space, consulted on design and development of various imaging systems, and mentored countless students in the photographic arts.
Sean Ardoin Kreole Rock and Soul
April 4, 2024
7:30 p.m.
Windgate Center Concert Hall
Sean Ardoin will perform a Kreole Rock and Soul concert. The Ardoin name is one of the most revered in Creole and Zydeco music. As a four-time Grammy nominee, Sean’s family legacy started with legendary Creole musician Amadee Ardoin, whose songs are the foundation for Cajun and Creole music, followed by Bois Sec Ardoin, one of the best-known practitioners of the state’s rural Creole sound for six decades and his father Lawrence “Black” Ardoin. The event will highlight the artist’s hit song “Sun Don’t Shine.”
Eclipse Planetarium Shows
Join the UCA Department of Physics and Astronomy for special eclipse-themed planetarium shows. Located in the Dr. Edmond E. Griffin Planetarium, these shows are family-friendly and a great way to learn about what will happen during the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse. Shows are free and open to the public.
- April 5, 2024 at 7 p.m.
- April 6, 2024 at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m.
- April 7, 2024 at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m.
Conway Corp Center for the Sciences, Griffin Planetarium
UCA Opera Theatre Presents Too Many Sopranos
April 5 – 6, 2024
7:30 p.m.
Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts – Concert Hall
Opera in two acts by Edward Penhorwood, plus music by Puccini, Duke and Nocolai.
Adults: $10
Seniors (over 65) and active duty military personnel: $7
K-12 students: $5
Free for UCA faculty, staff, and students
The Elton John Experience featuring The Rocket Band
April 6, 2024
7:30 p.m.
Reynolds Performance Hall
The Elton John Experience featuring the Rocket Band is coming to UCA! Starring Craig A. Meyer as Almost Elton John and featuring music by The Rocket Band, this spectacular musical journey celebrates the decades of chart-topping hits of Sir Elton John including “Benny and the Jets,” “Philadelphia Freedom” and “Crocodile Rock.” Award-winning actor/singer Meyer uses his remarkable resemblance and uncanny ability to sound like the legendary star to celebrate the character, costumes and charisma of the famed pianist and singer.
Film screening of La Voyage dans la Lune
April 7, 2024
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts – Concert Hall
Film screening of La Voyage dans la Lune (1902 silent film), directed by George Méliès, with original music composed by Blake Tyson and performed live by the UCA Percussion Ensemble, with a pre-screening discussion of French silent films by Dr. Adele Okoli (School of Language and Literature) and post-screening presentation about eclipses in history by Dr. Azida Walker (Department of Physics and Astronomy). This short adventure film, which follows a group of astronomers who travel to the moon, is widely regarded as the earliest example of a science fiction film and as one of the most influential films in cinema history.
Dr. Amber Straughn
April 7, 2024
7:30 p.m.
Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts – Concert Hall
Dr. Amber Straughn is an astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. Amber grew up in Bee Branch, Arkansas, and earned her B.S. in physics from the University of Arkansas in 2002, and went on to obtain a Ph.D. in physics at Arizona State University in 2008. Amber is a member of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope science team and is interested in answering questions about our universe that relate to how galaxies change over time.