Nate Hudson from News Team 7 recently visited with Heather Fisher and Autumn Shirley about their upcoming event, EPIC: An Ozarks Eclipse Experience, which will be held on May 11th at the Incubator. This 7-minute video gives a great overview of the event and the importance of planning ahead for the April 8th total solar eclipse that will cover the Eastern Ozarks in darkness for up to four minutes in the middle of the day.
EPIC 23 Interview Transcript
Visual note: Throughout the interview, the speakers are seated around a table in a radio studio setting.
Introduction
[Visual: EPIC 23 logo appears in lower corner]
Nate Hudson:
This is Nate Hudson with Ozark Radio News and News Team 7. Today I am speaking with Heather Fisher and Autumn Shirley from the Ozarks Small Business Incubator. Coming up is EPIC 23, a pretty big to do with the Ozarks Small Business Incubator, better known as OzSBI. Heather, what can you tell us about it?
About EPIC 23: An Ozarks Eclipse Experience
Heather Fisher:
[Visual: Photo of an eclipse and date April 8, 2024 appears]
EPIC is our National Small Business Week celebration, and this year we’re doing it a little different. We’re focusing on the eclipse, and our event is called EPIC: An Ozarks Eclipse Experience. It will be held on May 11th and is geared toward businesses and communities preparing for the total solar eclipse in April 2024.
[Visual: Logo for EPIC: An Ozarks Eclipse Experience appears]
There are many things communities can do in advance—such as preparing for visitors and creating attractions—to help realize the economic potential of the event. EPIC will help them understand those opportunities.
Keynote Speaker: Brooke Kaufman
Nate Hudson:
From what I understand, you have a speaker coming in who knows quite a bit about eclipse tourism. Can you tell us about her?
[Visual: Photo of Brooke Kaufman appears]
Autumn Shirley:
Yes. Our keynote speaker is Brooke Kaufman, who led eclipse planning in Casper, Wyoming, during the 2017 eclipse. She organized a major marketing effort that brought significant economic impact to that small community. They attracted over 100,000 tourists from across the U.S. and from 142 countries. While we may not see those exact numbers, Brooke will help us understand how to prepare for a large influx of visitors.
Regional Collaboration
Nate Hudson:
When it come’s to the tourism that’s coming in, OzSBI is not the only one working on it, is that correct?
Heather Fisher:
OzSBI isn’t the only organization working on eclipse preparation. We see our role as providing education and information, but many groups are collaborating.
Autumn Shirley:
The City of West Plains has its own Eclipse Task Force, and Melissa Wharton from the Tourism Department is involved. Melissa and I also serve on the Missouri State Eclipse Task Force. A variety of organizations are working together to help the region prepare.
Eclipse Details and Totality Timing
[Visual: Small graphic of a calendar displaying “April 8”]
Nate Hudson:
And the eclipse we’re talking about takes place on April 8th, 2024, correct?
Autumn Shirley:
Yes. It falls on a Monday, which is ideal for a festival. West Plains is planning a four-day Eclipse Festival. We will experience full totality at approximately 12:53 p.m. and will have just over three minutes of complete darkness in the afternoon.
Heather Fisher:
The surrounding communities—Willow Springs, Birch Tree, Van Buren, Koshkonong, Winona, and Summersville—will also experience totality, ranging from about 15 seconds to nearly four minutes. We encourage those communities to attend EPIC and learn how to plan events, marketing, and merchandise.
Eclipse Path & Community Opportunities
[Visual: Totality map appears on screen]
Heather Fisher:
Each of those communities will have different durations of darkness, and each can build its own approach to attracting visitors. We want to help them understand those opportunities and use them to their advantage.
Tourism Trifecta
[Visual: Smithsonian Folklife Festival graphic appears]
Autumn Shirley:
The Ozarks is also entering what we call a “tourism trifecta.”
First, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C., this summer will spotlight the Ozarks and encourage visitors to explore our region.
[Visual: Eclipse image appears]
Second, the April 2024 total solar eclipse will bring a unique once-in-a-generation opportunity.
[Visual: Route 66 logo appears]
Third, in 2025, Route 66 will celebrate its 100-year anniversary. It’s one of the most internationally visited roadways, and it passes right through the Ozarks. These three events together represent a major tourism opportunity for our area.
Event Details for EPIC 23
[Visual: EPIC logo appears again]
Heather Fisher:
EPIC will be held on May 11th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The morning session is aimed at chambers and cities and how they can prepare. The afternoon includes a presentation from an astronomer about the eclipse, another talk from Brooke Kaufman about preparing your business, and the rollout of the Ozarks Eclipse Media Kit.
In June, we will follow up with a more in-depth workshop by High-Minded Marketing, the company that created the media kit, to help businesses apply the branding and increase tourism.
Closing
Nate Hudson:
Heather and Autumn, it has been wonderful speaking with you. This is Nate Hudson with Ozark Radio News and News Team 7. If you want to learn more about the Ozarks Small Business Incubator, visit ozsbi.com.
