COLUMN: Burlington eclipse excitement equal to that of Raptors' victory parade

It was dark, it was cold, and it was something we'll never forget

Families gathered in the park, braving the cold that came with the darkness. Chris Arnold/BurlingtonToday

Thousands gathered in Spencer Smith Park in Burlington on Monday to watch the sun go dark for a few minutes.

Babies, the elderly, pets, parents, and just about every other group of people who was able to make its way to the lake, did. With a crowd that may only be rivalled by the Sound of Music festival, it was an odd feeling of togetherness during a time of literal darkness.

For many, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Seeing it helps to put some perspective on why ancient civilizations may have thought the world was ending, or the gods were angry with them. The most surprising part of it all was the sudden and significant drop in temperature. As the clouds broke about 15 minutes prior to showtime, onlookers in everything from shorts and T-shirts to parkas, breathed a sigh of relief as we knew the southern Ontario skies would not dampen the experience.

And then it got cold. Really cold, really fast.

I don’t know if I was shaking from excitement – as I was the kid who had a model solar system hanging in his childhood bedroom, and a bookshelf lined with space-specific encyclopedias – or from wearing a spring coat with not enough down filling for what was about to happen. Nevertheless, I switched on my camera and did what I could to remember the moment.

To see something so grand for a few short minutes alongside so many other people who made the choice to watch as well, there is only one thing that draws comparison for me.

The Toronto Raptors Victory Parade in 2019.

Granted, the crowd in Burlington was smaller by a significant amount, but for the thousands to be there, waiting for the same moment that we all know isn’t likely to happen again anytime soon (sorry Toronto sports fans, I’m one of you) held a sense of belonging with one another.

Just as I watched Kyle Lowry wheel by on the top of a double decker bus outside of the Royal York hotel for maybe 45 seconds, holding the shining Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, itself shining bright bright gold that June afternoon, a better poet than I would describe the trophy and the sun as parallels I’m sure.

The eclipse was something that many of us will remember for the rest of our lives, and those moments are few and far between.

I hope you saw it too.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article originally appeared on April 7, 2024.