500K visitors expected in Kingston, Ont. for the total solar eclipse

Eclipse glasses the hottest item in town CTV's Jack Richardson explains what you need to protect your eyes when viewing the April eclipse and where to get it.

The City of Kingston is asking residents to watch the total solar eclipse from their backyard or close to home next month, with up to half a million visitors expected to arrive in the Limestone City for the rare celestial event.

The city is in the path of totality for the rare solar eclipse on April 8, when the moon moves between the sun and the earth.

"The entire city will be in the path of totality, so once you have high-quality solar eclipse glasses, you can experience the eclipse from anywhere in town!" the city said in a media release.

"Residents of Kingston should view the eclipse in their neighbourhood or close to where they live to minimize the amount of traffic on the roadways."

Residents and visitors are being urged to use public transit, walk or cycle to get to their destinations. Bus service will be free on April 8.

The city is hosting a free special event at Glass Creek Park on Highway 2 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on April 8, featuring live entertainment, food trucks, educational programming and more.

The City of Kingston says the following sites will offer washroom access, and Eclipse Ambassadors from Queen's University will be available to answer questions:

The partial solar eclipse will begin in Kingston at 2:09 p.m. on April 8, with the full eclipse at 3:22 p.m. The full eclipse will end at 3:25 p.m., with the partial eclipse ending at 4:34 p.m.

The last total solar eclipse in Kingston was almost 700 years ago, and the next one won't be until 2399.