On Aug. 21, Scholastic and Holiday Inn Nashville-Vanderbilt are teaming up to celebrate the first total solar eclipse in nearly 100 years and experience this unique celestial event. The hotel is along the eclipse totality line, providing families with the optimal view of this rare celestial occurrence. Kids and parents alike will learn about space with the “Magic School Bus Presents: Our Solar System” book while cherishing this unforgettable moment together. There will be space-themed crafts, story time and photo ops with Scholastic characters and special glasses provided for guests to ensure optimal eclipse viewing. The solar eclipse viewing party is complimentary for hotel guests.   My family and I have also been invited to join in on this historic event!

This event is part of the Holiday Inn brand’s Summer of Smiles program, a new offering that provides in-hotel experiences curated for families complete with entertainment for all! These special occasions are the perfect way to spend quality time together and create lasting memories.

You might be asking yourself “What exactly is a solar eclipse?” This event occurs when the moon passes between the sun and Earth and blocks all or part of the sun for up to about three hours, from beginning to end, as viewed from a given location. For this eclipse, the longest period when the moon completely blocks the sun from any given location along the path will be about two minutes and 40 seconds. The last time the contiguous U.S. saw a total eclipse was in 1979.

Image Credit: NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio

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