Eclipse Festival Fails To Shine

An Idaho man learned the hard way that putting on first-time festivals can be tough – even if they’re inspired by a celestial event that is the talk of the nation. Jeff Webb said he lost more than $20,000 when his eclipse-themed festival only attracted a few dozen people.

Webb’s multi-day festival in Cascade, Idaho, began Aug. 19, two days before the total solar eclipse would be visible. 

John Roark/The Idaho Post-Register via AP – Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017
The moon covers the sun during an eclipse in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

“When it got to the day I was looking for the people, and I thought, ‘What’s going on?’ I didn’t see the traffic,” Webb said, according to KIVI-TV. “I don’t blame people for not going up if they thought they were going to be in traffic bumper-to-bumper for nine to 11 hours, which is what I was hearing.”

The local ABC affiliate noted, “While there’s no denying the town saw a nice uptick in out-of-state visitors making their way into the path of totality, almost all drove right past Webb’s outdoor venue, finding somewhere else to soak in the solar views.”

You can’t say Webb wasn’t prepared for festivalgoers. He reportedly had booked eight live bands, had food for thousands of would-be patrons, arranged a shuttle bus, paid for security, and spent nearly $7,000 on porta-potties. 

Webb had hoped to use the profits from the festival to help pay for renovations to his massage therapy facility in Nampa, Idaho.