EVENTS & TOURISM
The Village of Makanda welcomes all visitors to visit Makanda and the surrounding Southern Illinois area. Makanda has a lot to offer. Visit the unique shops in downtown Makanda. Enjoy nature and the many rock formations at nearby Giant City State Park and Shawnee National Forest. Have dinner at the ever popular Giant City Lodge. Stay at many of the nearby cabins or bed and breakfasts. Enjoy the Southern Illinois Wineries on the Wine Trail. The possibilities are endless.
Below are several links to help you plan your Makanda and Southern Illinois experience.
RESOURCE LINKS:
http://www.southernillinoistourism.org/
Spring Makandafest
Makanda Springfest is evaluated each spring depending on the weather. Check back for updates.
For questions and additional information please email makandafestevents@gmail.com.
VultureFest 2024
Scheduled October 19th and 20th
Each fall, vultures soar and glide over Makanda and the surrounding areas and signal the beginning of fall and the arrival of the incredible fall colors of Makanda and southern Illinois. Vulture Fest features live music, food, shopping, and art by local artists for purchase.
For questions and additional information please email makandafestevents@gmail.com.
B.C. Ross Community Center
Located at 230 Makanda Road near Downtown Makanda.
Building capacity and seating for 100 people. Full kitchen available. No alcoholic beverages allowed in building or on Village property.
Rental fee for Village of Makanda residents - $75/8 hrs. plus $60 Deposit.
Rental fee for non-residents - $100/8 hrs. plus $60 Deposit
Contact Trustee Elaine Ross at (618) 457-7940 or per1956@myfrontiermail.com.
ECLIPSE ENCORE: Makanda Goes Dark—Again
Welcome to America’s Eclipse Crossroads Secondary Title
ART FOOD MUSIC VENDORS
Makanda, Illinois (pop. 547) has the world’s unique distinction of being positioned directly under the path of the shadow of the Moon— twice within seven years. This almost never happens anywhere. Two total solar eclipses, one on Aug. 21, 2017 and the second on April 8, 2024, are why this historic 1800s railroad village within the rugged hills of southern Illinois is Earth’s international astronomical wonder. America’s Eclipse Crossroads a attracted thousands of global eclipse chasers who witnessed totality under perfectly clear skies in 2017. Will clear skies return on the afternoon of Monday April 8, 2024? Expect darkness.
Visitors will definitely want to make plans well in advance of next April’s encore. For dawdlers expecting a room, it’s likely too late. Many lodging sites in the region have been booked since 2017. But plenty of viewing opportunites exist for the wise traveler. Downtown Makanda and its historic boardwalk business community of artists, galleries and totally cool people will be hosting a weekend eclipse party leading up to Monday’s grand spectacle. Local art, eclipse souvenirs, food trucks, music. $5 daily weekend parking and $20 on Monday. It snowed in Makanda on April 8 in one recent year. The next year it was sunny and 80. Plan accordingly.
MAKANDA ECLIPSE FACTS & SAFE VIEWING TIPS
The total solar eclipse of Monday, April 8, 2024—visible directly above Makanda, Illinois—begins with first contact (the moment when the Moon first “takes a bite” out of the Sun) at 12:42 p.m. Minute by minute, as the Moon takes an increasingly larger bite while blocking more of the Sun, an eerily dim daylight and freakish spots of crescent-shaped sunlight will be visible everywhere (clouds permitting) across a large swath of North America. Makanda is located at the center of the Moon’s 115.4 mile-wide path of totality. So darkness will be greater and last longer in Makanda than viewing locations near the edge of the Moon’s shadow. But, realistically anyone in the region can experience the astronomical wonder with almost identical opportunity. The Moon’s shadow will be racing across Earth at 1,874 m.p.h.—so a blink of an eye separates the eclipse duration at viewing sites (including nearby Giant City State Park and anywhere around Makanda). Know that safe eye protection is required to view the par/ally eclipsed Sun at all
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY-CARBONDALE’S CLIPSE EVENTS
Will this second eclipse be a charm? One pesky cloud famously interrupted the Aug. 21, 2017 total solar eclipse viewing party at SIU’s football stadium as thousands cheered on national TV. Nonetheless, nearby Carbondale and SIU-C are planning big events to celebrate what all hope to be clear skies for total eclipse redemption. Check out: eclipse.siu.edu
Track the path of totality right to your door
Curious about how close you live to the path of the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse? Or maybe you want to select an ideal viewing loca