At first glance, it could have been mistaken for a typical early spring day in Cleveland. The type of day Clevelanders welcome after a spate of cold days. It’s the type of sunny, warm day that makes one want to sit outside.

The patio at EDWINS Too restaurant on Shaker Square was full. Others sat on many of the benches scattered around the square. A few dozen people were clustered in small groups in the green space.

One telltale sign let all know that this was not a typical weekday afternoon. Solar eclipse glasses were the giveaway. On the EDWINS patio, one woman tried on her eclipse glasses over her eyeglasses and then without them. A short distance away in the green space, a man sorted through a few pairs of eclipse glasses. He tried each on, trying to make a choice before the solar eclipse began.

It was just after 3 p.m. Several feet away, Aaron Holland was seated on the grass with three others. Why weren’t they at a downtown eclipse event?

“We didn’t need to,” he said. “We can see the eclipse right from here.”

At EDWINS, many of the diners were positioning themselves on the patio and the sidewalk just front of  it. They wanted the best view of the once in a lifetime experience that was only a few minutes away.

The skies began to darken as the moon passed between the Earth and the sun, blocking the view of the sun as well as its warmth. The anticipation of the crowd became palpable. 

“Look, the patio lights came on,” one woman said with excitement. 

Of course, this was something that usually only happened at twilight. Today, it was an indication that 3:13 p.m. was only a few minutes away. Some put on jackets as the temperature dropped 

“I didn’t expect it to be this dark in the middle of the day,” said Peggy Gallagher of Cleveland. “I expected it to be a moment, but it’s a process. I liked watching it slowly change.”

She viewed the eclipse from EDWINS Too with nine friends. Most lived in condos near the square. Her friend, Elaine Dovas, who lives in New York City, came to Cleveland specifically to see the eclipse.

Dovas had seen partial eclipses.  She had even seen a total one as a child, but she was too young to remember it. As she looked at the sky, Dovas was wowed.

“I feel accomplished,” she said after witnessing the eclipse. “I met my goal. I’m with friends. I’m having an experience. Life is good! I’m very happy.”

Many of those dining on the patio were EDWINS Too regulars who were also sharing the eclipse experience with friends. Among them was Marita Hayes of Cleveland

“This is our neighborhood,” she said. “We knew seeing it here would be a blast. It was perfect.”

Brandon E. Chrostowski, the founder, president and CEO of EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute, knew he would be in France during the eclipse. Still, he thought it important to have the solar eclipse event. 

“We wanted to do something for the neighborhood to celebrate this once in a lifetime experience,” he told Signal Cleveland last week. “Our neighborhood shouldn’t have to go somewhere else to see the eclipse.”

Ramal Keeler, who waited on Hayes’ table, said he enjoyed working during the solar eclipse.

“It was a great vibe,” he said. “Everybody was happy.”

Keeler said the eclipse wasn’t bad either.

“I just loved it,” he said. “Tingles just went through my body.”

Jay Croom of Cleveland, who lives nearby and works from home, took a break from work to view the eclipse from the EDWINS Too patio. She was in awe.

“It was the first time I saw an eclipse,” she said. “It makes you think about how big the world is and how small you are inside of it. It is beautiful to witness the universe working without human intervention.”

Find additional news and information about the April 8 solar eclipse here.