2017 Eclipse Over Houston

Approximately 5,000 residents of Houston attended one of two events hosted by the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) to celebrate the August 2017 total solar eclipse. Though Houston experienced just 66% totality, many curious residents stepped out into the Houston summer to view the eclipse. LPI's events were held at the Levy Park Conservancy located in the heart of Houston and the Freeman Branch of the Harris County Public Library system, located in close vicinity to the LPI. This paper will describe both events, including an art contest held in conjunction with the eclipse, summarize advertising strategies used to promote the events, discuss the benefits of partnering with community organizations for large public events, and end with an outline of lessons learned that may be applied to the 2024 total solar eclipse.