Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett is hosting an eclipse viewing party at The Cove at Concord Park next Monday, Aug. 21. The Cove is located at 11808 S. Northshore Drive. The event is free and open to the public. It marks the first total solar eclipse in the continental United States in 38 years.

The event will run from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Those in attendance should see the total eclipse for about 1 minute and 30 seconds beginning at 2:33 p.m.

“This is going to be a fun opportunity for the community to experience a rare event,” said Mayor Burchett. “I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at The Cove and to enjoying good music and good food.”

At The Cove, a limited number of “eclipse glasses” will be available to aid in safely viewing the eclipse. Tootsie Truck will be on hand selling food, River Sports will have canoes, kayaks and stand-up-paddle boards for rent, and Knoxville-based RMS, a veteran rock band, will play a wide variety of classic rock and R&B music from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Attendees are welcome to bring their own food, chairs and blankets. Normal facility rules apply, which include no alcohol.

Parking will be available at The Cove, across the street and at other designated locations. Overnight parking in these areas is prohibited and cars will be towed at the owners’ expense. Other areas of Concord Park, and west Knox County, will provide good viewing opportunities if no parking is available near the Eclipse Viewing Party. Visit this Google map for more details: https://goo.gl/33kCtG

Information about the eclipse can be found at https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-who-what-where-when-and-how.

And for those who want to see if their home or workplace is located within the totality, visit this interactive map from NASA. Any location within the blue lines will experience a total eclipse: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/interactive_map/index.html.

Special thanks to media sponsor WIVK 107.7.