With thousands of people expected to flock to the Spa City for the April 8 eclipse, Visit Hot Springs has given those who are coming early a free event to attend on April 4.
A special Bridge Street LIVE is set for the Thursday preceding the celestial event featuring Blues artist Nikki Hill with opener the Gravel Yard Bluegrass Band.
"As an immediate reminder for those who have somehow missed out on this: Hot Springs is in the path of totality on April 8, 2024, which is this year," Bill Solleder, Visit Hot Springs marketing director, said.
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"It's happening in three months. It's a major celestial event that according to the research in 2017, people believe that millions of people will travel to get into the path of totality to see a total eclipse, and it is special. And it will be, I think, maybe my lifetime the only chance I have to see it, at least in Hot Springs," he said.
VHS is working with local hotels to help bring visitors to the city early, Solleder said.
"There's an effort with our hotel partners to get people to come early," he said. "And it has a lot to do with traffic congestion. 'Let's get them here early, and let's show them a good time,' so to speak. So if we can get them -- we know that they're here Monday for the eclipse, and there's so much happening on that Monday."
[Read all of our eclipse coverage here]
Many events are scheduled for the weekend, Solleder said.
"There's a music festival at Ron Coleman Mining," he said. "There's the Atlas Obscura Ecliptic Festival at Cedar Glades that's happening those (four) days, so there are things happening. Most of it's happening on eclipse day, so for those who are even coming earlier, we wanted to give them something to do.
"So we're producing a Bridge Street event on Thursday, April 4, and it's just strictly for that. It's to kick off the weekend, to entice people to come earlier, to plan earlier, or if they've already made their plans to be in Hot Springs during that time, to give them something to do."
Hill, who played at the Hot Springs Blues Festival in 2017, is a "powerhouse," Solleder said.
"Really powerful, great stage presence, very raw, powerful voice, energetic," he said. "The band as well, it's not a laid-back blues band. They're a powerhouse. ... She's excited to be in Hot Springs during that time."
The Gravel Yard Bluegrass Band, according to its website, formed "in an actual gravel lot" near the Stone County Courthouse.
"(They play) traditional bluegrass but also some like amped-up bluegrass," Solleder said. "They can really pick up the tempo so to speak. They have roots in Arkansas. ... It'll be fun. If you like bluegrass, I think you'll enjoy it. They'll begin the night, and then Nicky Hill will close out the night."
While Bridge Street LIVE has had many bands that play pop music, Solleder said they have "hopped genres quite a bit" with the artists at the concerts.
"We've done a lot of pop, mostly cover bands, but we've hosted original reggae, original bluegrass," he said. "Original Zydeco has happened. Some singer-songwriter stuff is happening; some Americana has happened. We do try to mix it up, but I would say that the heavy part of the programming is on that pop cover band thing."
The choice of two quite different sounds is because it "is just a special event."
"We wanted to do something unique and cool to go along with it, so that was really it. I personally am a fan of original music. ... I think people need to give it a give it a shot," he said.
"I think people will enjoy a great blues band. She'll mix in a few covers, and she'll do some original stuff, too, same as Gravel Yard Bluegrass Band. They'll do the same; there'll be originals and covers thrown in together. I think it's a good mix. I think adding two different genres on one bill will help bring people in, too."
The event starts at 5 p.m. with a set by DJ Courier as well as vendors set up throughout the entertainment district. Gravel Yard Bluegrass Band takes the stage at 5 p.m. with Hill closing out the night.
A street banner frames the Bridge Street sign. (The Sentinel-Record/File photo)