Total Solar Eclipse 2024 at Thorpe Vineyard!
The Little Winery on the Great Lake
Monday, April 8, 2024
Sit, sip, and experience the Total Solar Eclipse at Thorpe Vineyard, the Little Winery on the Great Lake on Monday, April 8, 2024! We'll gather on the southern shore of Lake Ontario in Wayne County, New York, to watch the progress of the eclipse. The Moon will start to occult the Sun around 2 pm leading us to the totality at 3:20 pm local time. We will have about 3 minutes and 30 seconds of darkness. The Sun, then, will return to its original glory a little after 4:30 pm.
Fumie Thorpe, the winery owner and winemaker, has a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology—with an Astronomy minor—from SUNY Oswego. She will be present during the entire solar eclipse and will be available for an educational talk and to answer your questions about a solar eclipse and astronomy in general. (She’ll talk about meteorology, wine, and grapes, too, if you ask!)
A noteworthy aspect of this total solar eclipse is that it will take place when the Sun is just about hitting its solar max of the 11-year solar cycle. The Sun has its own ups and downs, sometimes its activities are low compared to some other times.
One of the signs of the active Sun is that it “explodes” on its surface more often that causes various electromagnetic disturbances on the Earth. A good example is the Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights. We have been seeing them more frequently in recent years, including from here at the Winery.
The Sun also produces many more sunspots—occasionally they grow large enough to be observed with the naked eye from the Earth. (Of course, don’t forget your solar shields to see them!) Some huge ones were spotted by NASA’s Perseverance rover from over 152 million miles away on Mars!
During the totality near the solar max, we could also expect more robust corona, the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere, which appears as a glow to surround our Star. We should be able to see it if the sky is clear.
The last total solar eclipse viewed in our region was on January 24, 1925. And the next one will be on October 26, 2144.
We look forward to sharing this precious moment with you!
Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for the up-to-date information. Questions? Call or email us!
Event Information
- This ticketed event will take place on Monday, April 8, 2024, from 1 to 5 pm on the lawn of our Winery premises. Rain or shine. Our Vineyards are not open to the public.
- Please show us the receipt of your ticket purchase upon arrival.
- You are not required to be here all 4 hours. You can come and leave anytime you wish.
- The typical daytime temperatures around this date at our location are in the 40s. Please dress appropriately.
- Bring your own chair and/or blanket to be comfortable during the eclipse viewing. You will pick your spot upon arrival.
- We will have a few popup tents on the lawn and will open our Barns when it rains for your shelter.
- No refunds due to the nature of the event unless we cancel.
- If you cannot attend the event but are able to stop by a later date, you are entitled to a pair of solar shields, a commemorative wine glass with one serving (6 oz) of our wine. Please keep your receipt to show to us.
- This offer is valid until December 31, 2024.
- No alcoholic beverages other than our own products are allowed on our premises.
- You are welcome to bring your food. We have Hedonist’s chocolate, Muranda cheese, snack food, and soft drinks for sale.
- When our driveway becomes full, you are requested to park along the road.
- Please keep your pets on leash at all times on our premises.
Admission
Presale Tickets
Adult: $20.00, includes 
- a pair of solar shields
- a commemorative wine glass with one serving (6 oz) of our wine of your choice
School-age children (6 to 20 years old): $12.00, and
Preschool (5 years old or younger): $7.00, includes
- a pair of solar shields
- a bottle of a soft drink and a bag of the snack of your choice
At the Door
(while supplies last and space permitting)
Adult: $25.00
School-age children: $15.00
Preschool: $10.00
(8% New York State sales tax will apply to all ticket sales.)
Request Tickets Here
Please email to thorpevineyard@gmail.com or call 315-594-2502 for more information and/or questions you may have. Thank you!
Starry Starry Night: Stargazing at Thorpe Vineyard
Starry Starry Night is an event for you to learn the stars and constellations. We ask that you bring your own chairs and/or blankets to sit/lay on the lawn outside the Tasting Room during the event. There is no cover charge to join the Stargazing. Please note that we don't conduct any winetasting once the talk starts; however, wine and snacks are available for purchase.
Learning the Stars & Constellations: Fumie Thorpe, the owner of Thorpe Vineyard, has a BS degree in Meteorology with a minor in Astronomy from SUNY Oswego. She hands out a star chart and talks about the celestial bodies overhead. She introduces some Eastern star tales she grew up with along with Greek/Roman mythology associated with the constellations we are seeing. Timely astronomical news and findings are also presented. When an International Space Station (ISS) flyby is anticipated, we’ll take a break from the talk and watch.
Stargazing! See how many constellations you can find! Phone apps are a great tool to learn and find the constellations. Fumie can help you learn how to use them if you are not familiar with them yet.
Notes and Advice: Please dress appropriately--long pants and bug spray are good ideas. Sneakers or walking shoes/boots are recommended as the lawn will be likely wet from the dew. Bring your binoculars and telescopes if you have and would like.
The entire event, both Sunset Tasting and Starry Starry Night, is weather permitting due to its nature, so we cancel the activities when it looks appropriate. We post weather updates on Facebook and Twitter. Follow us to keep informed! Or you are welcome to call us if in doubt.
August 10
Sunset Tasting 8-9 pm; Starry Starry Night 9-10 pmAugust 24
Sunset Tasting 7:30 – 8:30 pm; Starry Starry Night 8:30 – 9:30 pmSeptember 7
Sunset Tasting 7 – 8 pm; Starry Starry Night 8 – 9 pmSeptember 21
Sunset Tasting 6:30 – 7:30 pm; Starry Starry Night 7:30 – 8:30 pm
Feel free to call or email us with any questions.
Sunset Tasting
Sunset Tasting serves as a prelude to the Starry Starry Night. Enjoy a wine tasting in the Tasting Room or a glass of wine while watching the sunset over Lake Ontario on the lawn. We also start an astronomy talk to get ready for the Starry Starry Night.
