2024 Solar Eclipse Festival

at the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home

Join us at the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home to experience the Great North American Eclipse, April 5-8, 2024. Primitive camping will be available for a weekend of special events, highlighted by the eclipse on April 8. Evening entertainment will be available at nearby Wilson, Arkansas.

To purchase, click the buttons below or visit the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home A-State Marketplace.  See the breakdown of opportunities below.

Quick links: Roots Ride  |  Roots Music Festival  |  NASA Lunch & Learn  |  Tailgating  |  Camp the Weekend

Saturday, April 6: Arkansas Roots Ride and Arkansas Roots Music Festival

Arkansas Roots Ride

The Arkansas Roots Ride begins at 8:00 AM on April 6. This supported ride will connect the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home and the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum. Participants will receive a t-shirt, lunch, and admission to the Arkansas Roots Music Festival that afternoon. Tickets are $55 in advance or $60 after March 15. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.

Arkansas Roots Music Festival

The Arkansas Roots Music Festival will begin at the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home at noon on April 6 and will feature an afternoon of live music from Arkansas artists. Food trucks will be available, and participants will be able to tour the Boyhood Home (tour included in ticket price). Tickets are $35 for participants 18 and over, $10 for ages 13-17, and free for ages 12 and below.

Musical lineup includes: Nightwing, Posey Hill, Marty Ray Project, and Jason D. Williams

April 7: Eclipse Lunch & Learn with NASA scientist Dr. Les Johnson

Join us at noon for a lunch and learn with NASA scientist Dr. Les Johnson. Dr. Johnson will share the science of solar eclipses. This event is perfect for children. Following Dr. Johnson’s talk, he will be available for a book signing, and the colony Administration Building and Visitors Center will be open for tours. Tickets are $15 and space is limited.

April 8: The Great North American Eclipse

Either join us in Dyess to watch the eclipse or use us as a home base to explore the area. The partial eclipse will begin at Dyess at approximately 1:38 PM a will last approximately 2 hours and 37 minutes. The eclipse will peak at 99.38% totality at approximately 2:57 PM. For more detailed eclipse tracking, click here.

Reserve a Tailgating Spot

Tailgating style spots are available for April 8. Each spot is 20’x20’ and includes four pairs of Johnny Cash Boyhood Home eclipse glasses. Chemical toilets will be available, but participants should plan to provide their own food. Rental of the spot for that day is $150.  For information on special accommodations for school or commercial tours, please contact the museum.

April 5-8: Full Weekend Primitive Camping Package

A Full Weekend of Events

Camping package includes four nights of primitive camping (Check-in after noon on April 5 and check-out before 11 AM on April 9). Spaces are 20’x20’ gravel spaces. Chemical toilets and potable water are available, but no other services are available except during the specified events. No RV hook-ups are available. All equipment and vehicles must fit in the 20’x20’ space.

Package also includes:

• 4 tickets to Arkansas Roots Music Festival,
• 4 tickets to Lunch and Learn event, and
• 4 pairs of Johnny Cash Boyhood Home eclipse glasses.

Campers may add the Arkansas Roots Ride to their package for a $30/person supplement by contacting ptoombs@AState.edu.

Cost

The rate for the full weekend package $400. There are no partial packages available. Payment is due at time of booking and is non-refundable. Please read our camping rules before booking.

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