Total (Texas) Eclipse of the Heart
For 4 minutes and 28 seconds on April 8th, 2023, the moon perfectly blocked out the sun in a total solar eclipse. To celebrate this incredible phenomenon, I and 35-40 thousand others attended the Texas Eclipse festival, held at Reveille Peak Ranch in Burnet, TX originally scheduled from April 5-9th. The festival ended early, on the morning of the eclipse, due to inclement weather.
The grounds were massive. With eight music stages (Eclipse, Lone Star, Moon, Sky, Sun, Ether, and Earth), at least six speaker stages (Consciousness, Movement, Sacred Fire, Space, Source, Onchain), at least three surprise art car stages, art galleries and exhibits galore, there was more to be seen and experienced than a single person could possibly do in a weekend.
12 international festivals collaborated to make this event spectacular, from booking tons of international talent to incredible stage design. The Indigenous Village, home to the Sacred Fire, was built by Cosmic Convergence, a festival in Guatemala celebrating the convergence of art, music, tribal technology, education for conscious living, and Mayan culture. Cosmic Convergence “built [the Indigenous Village] almost entirely with materials sourced from the land when we arrived on site.” Josh, an Austin local, found the Sacred Fire his favorite part of the festival. He told me it was a great way to disconnect from the craziness of the festival. The aroma of the fire and the music they played in the Village was calming, allowing Josh to decompress and prepare for the day ahead.
I spoke to several attendees after the festival and all shared the sentiment that they wished they got the chance to see more of the art and participate in the experiences earlier in the weekend. The Multiversal Dome, powered by Adapter & Chroma, was a popular exhibit, frequently mentioned as a priority early in the weekend. Trevor and CC of Oklahoma City felt fully immersed when in the Dome, saying “you get a sense of being in the art itself.” With cushions and pillows covering the floor, it was the perfect time to hug, cuddle, and relax. At night, the Dome transformed into a stage where DJs such as Boggdogg, Skysia, and Bloomurian spun special intimate sets.
“Gone Fishin'”, presented by Meow Wolf, was another commonly mentioned art exhibit. While “cool,” the attendees I spoke to found it largely underwhelming and had expected more. It felt Meow Wolf-themed, more so than an exhibit they created. I wandered into the whacky exhibit and felt similarly until performers came seemingly out of nowhere and put on a lively show of trying to catch a fish in the kiddie pool. Had I spent more time in the fishy world, I wonder if immersion would have found me.
The Haven art gallery, located between the Sky and Moon stages, was Jenna’s favorite part of the festival. Every time she went through it, she saw something different and was drawn to new pieces. She explained that at her age, festivals like this really push your body to the limit. When you’re in this state, art just hits differently, and these are the “kinds of experiences that crack your head open.” The gallery was the perfect space for her to meet and connect to the artists behind the art she found impactful.
Jenna, who had traveled from Arizona to meet a friend flying in from Australia, found herself making many more connections throughout the festival. One of her neighbors was from Arizona and another was from Australia, a coincidence that helped bond the group. Despite the 20+ year age difference, a handful of her neighbors got along great, formed a crew, and explored the festival together throughout the weekend. Jenna explained she loves hanging out with people from different generations, as they provide a fresh perspective on things and an opportunity to learn. The younger crowd were big ravers and while Jenna casually listens to EDM, she wasn’t familiar with some of the artists. The younger crowd helped educate her, they explained the artists, what other festivals they typically perform at, and what makes them popular, which Jenna enjoyed hearing. Throughout the festival, Jenna felt the crowd was very friendly, open, and welcoming. She likened the community to Burning Man and felt she got the same thing out of Texas Eclipse as she gets out of burns, the emotionally impactful art, and those moments of genuine human connection. Bonding with your neighbors to get through a survivalist weekend felt the same to her, too.
Trevor and CC, a couple from Oklahoma City, also had some touching experiences that resonated with me. To set the stage, Trevor told me of their first festival together, where CC was so overwhelmed she didn’t say a word all day. CC admitted she is very shy. While in line for a smoothie, an enthusiastic group started a conversation and recommended places to check out, and CC felt everyone was super welcoming to do that legwork of striking up a conversation. Later, at some point in the massive Tipper crowd, she lost her friend. CC turned to her neighbors, introduced herself, and asked if they could be friends until she found hers. They immediately accepted her into their group and CC finally felt “this was fine, no one is gonna hurt me.”
Out of 10+ festivals they’ve attended, Texas Eclipse was the most transformative one yet. With the beauty of nature on the fantastically large grounds and the openness and friendliness of the community that showed out, Trevor and CC were brought closer together, with a new respect for the connections with their new and old friends.
Despite the serious planning and infrastructure issues, the weather-induced early cancellation, and the general chaos that comes with a first-time festival, Texas Eclipse left a lasting impression. Attendees like Trevor and CC, Jenna, and Josh found it a beautiful experience filled with self-discovery and genuine connection in the face of adversity. Texas Eclipse may have been a one-off festival, but after experiencing totality, we’re hooked. See you for the next total solar eclipse in 2026 in Spain or Iceland!