In the style of the great Dave Letterman, Hancock Hotel General Manager Dirk Bengel is sharing his top 10 reasons to be excited and have a positive outlook on the upcoming solar eclipse!

#10. The Eclipse will bring new people to Findlay.

As a hotel general manager I love it when people visit our community. This gives new people a chance to see what Findlay and Hancock County is all about, and that is always a good thing.

# 9.   We get to showcase the City of Findlay!

Plus, we get to show off a little bit!  Our local attractions are extending their hours over eclipse weekend so visitors can see all the fun happening in Findlay and Hancock County, bars and restaurants are launching special eclipse menus with celestial-inspired items, and see #4 for all that our stores are doing.  Any chance we get to show off to visitors – new and returning – is a chance we should take.

#8.   We will help our new visitors create memories.

The last total solar eclipse in Ohio was in 1806, when our state was just three years old.  The next eclipse in our area will be in 2099, and a total solar eclipse will not occur in the continental United States until 2045.  For many, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience – how lucky are we to be part of our visitors’ story.

#7.   We are the closest city to the ideal viewing location!  

Because of our proximity to interstates and major state routes we are in a prime location to watch the eclipse.  While we can’t know exactly how many visitors our community will see we do know that we are going to give visitors a great experience.  Watch this segment from Fox 8 in Cleveland on how Findlay is getting ready for the eclipse.

#6.   DORA- Get a drink and visit the downtown and look for the sun!

Grab your eclipse glasses and a DORA beverage and go search for the sun (safely, on the sidewalk!)  Downtown Findlay is a great place to be both in the lead-up to the eclipse as well as on Eclipse Day.  See the participating DORA bars and restaurants here.

#5.  Building return business! Show them a good time and they will come back!

As a community let’s take this time to show off our great town.  Friendly faces go a long way, but paired with Findlay’s amenities and events, great shops, and wonderful restaurants we are creating an experience that visitors will want to return to.

#4.  Stores will be busy!

Our stores have arisen to the occasion, creating unique and fun merchandise to commemorate the eclipse. From Dietsch’s and Wolfie’s special Eclipse treats, to jewelry, to soap, to shirts, and everythign in between – Get your souvenirs now.  Plus, don’t forget your eclipse glasses!

#3. Restaurants will be busy! Our guest will need to eat and drink!

Local shops won’t be the only ones that will be busy.  Restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, and more will have the chance to show off their best dishes for those in town for the eclipse.  Think of how many new people you can now talk about your favorite local restaurants with (and the boost to our mom & pop spots!)

#2.  Heads in Beds. The hotels will be full. Just think of the tax generation.

Our hotels are reporting that they are all very nearly full – which means we will have about 1,500 overnight visitors alone in the lead-up to the eclipse!  Bed tax alone will see a boost, and that is before visitors step out of their hotel rooms!

#1. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

This is going to be a great experience for our local residents, an opportunity to showcase our community to visitors, and, the cherry on top, we will see a bump in our local economy!

You don’t have to wait until April 8 to get in on the eclipse fun.  Local eclipse events are taking place daily – see the event calendar here.  Whether you’re walking to a local watch party or viewing site, or planning to enjoy the eclipse from the comfort of your home, make your eclipse day plans now.  Get all the information about the eclipse in Hancock County at FindlaySolarEclipse2024.com.