Hundreds Attend Eclipse Party At Bethpage Library

BETHPAGE, NY - Hundreds attended the eclipse party at the Bethpage library on Monday afternoon.

Shortly before 1:30 p.m., the line for people waiting for their special glasses and entry to the event in the back of the library was already out the door.

A library employee was warning people walking up that they were at capacity and that the people on line could not be guaranteed to receive a pair of glasses or entry to the back patio.

Several people bought their own glasses to be able to watch the eclipse. One woman was offering her special glasses to those waiting on line so they could see once the eclipse began.

Some, like Bethpage High School students Kristin Oggeri and Ricky Trezza, both 16, made their own device to be able to watch the eclipse.

Oggeri, who learned how to make the contraption on the internet, use cardboard boxes and tin foil to make it.

"I just took a box that I found and I put tin foil on all the places that light can get through and I cut two holes in there, put tin foil on one of them and poked a hole through the tin foil so you can see it and then you can put your eye through the other hole to see," she explained.

While she claimed the boxes did not work as well as the glasses, she said it was working "pretty well."

It was lucky that the two made their own devices because eventually, the library ran out of special glasses to give out. Library assistant director Rob Sporing says they ordered a total of 1,000 glasses and gave out 800 to Bethpage residents prior to the event.

The event attracted many people from out of town like Kayla Hummel, 21, came from East Northport and Derek Gevo, 23, who came Conneticut.

The two tried to order glasses on Amazon, but wouldn't have received the glasses on time and even tried to go to the Huntington library before coming to Bethpage, but they ran out at 1 p.m.

By the time the two reached the front of the line to get get the glasses at about 2:30 p.m., they were told they could only receive one per group.

The two were also among those who couldn't get in the back portion of the library where the "party" was being held and had to watch the eclipse from in front of the building.

"I was hoping to get in but even if we don't, it's okay," Hummel said.

Oggeri, who heard the event from her dad who saw it in the newspaper, said she didn't expect so many people to be at the local library.

"I expected some but I don't think I expected like a whole bunch," she said.

Check out additional photos from the event below: