Feb. 10—A potential solution to house some of an expected influx of tourists into Crawford County in early April might be found just outside of Meadville.

Tourists are expected to arrive in droves in the county and other parts of northwestern Pennsylvania during the Great American Eclipse on April 8.

Northwestern Pennsylvania lies in the path of totality — the direct path of the moon’s shadow — as the moon passes between the sun and Earth on April 8.

The Crawford County Fair Board is exploring the possibility asking the county to open up the county fairgrounds for camping during the total eclipse.

The proposal seeks to open the fairgrounds the weekend of April 6 and 7 plus April 8, the date of eclipse. Camping fees would serve as a fundraiser for the fair, according to Dean Maynard, president of the Crawford County Fair Board.

“We’re investigating the interest. We want to see what’s out there,” Maynard told the Tribune on Friday.

“We’ve been getting a lot of calls and emails already whether the fairgrounds will be open for camping during the eclipse weekend,” he said. “We’ve had hotels from Erie calling us because they’re already booked up.”

At its meeting Thursday night, the fair’s board authorized moving forward with the idea.

However, it’s by no means a done deal.

The fair needs to get approval from the Crawford County Board of Commissioners.

County commissioners have to approve opening the grounds for camping during the eclipse since the county owns the fairgrounds.

The Crawford County Fair Board, which runs the fair each August, operates separately as a self-sustaining entity. The board doesn’t pay rent to the county for its use of the fairgrounds for the county fair.

If approved as proposed, there would be a maximum of three nights of camping, April 6, 7 and 8, for a $250 fee; or a $100 fee for one night of camping, Maynard said.

Applications for camping would have to be submitted to the fair by April 1, Maynard said.

Campers would be permitted onto the fairgrounds at 4 p.m. April 6, with all campers to be clear of the fairgrounds by noon April 9, he said.

The proposal would have to be submitted to a public work session of county commissioners first for review before any action could be taken at a voting meeting of commissioners.

The county commissioners next public work session is Feb. 21.

Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.