Visitors from around the world have arrived in Nashville for the total solar eclipse on August 21, and Nashville International Airport is expected to stay busy through the weekend.
Airport officials said passengers numbers are expected to increase, with the busiest day being Sunday.
In the middle of the Friday afternoon rush, many visitors said they came to Nashville specifically for the eclipse. Visitors came from Florida, Colorado, Massachusetts, and even Italy.
"This hasn't happened for almost 40 years, so we have been planning this trip for months," said Dr. Marc Sharfman who was traveling from Orlando with his wife Nancy. "We have our special viewing glasses and our matching T-shirts."
One family said it was worth it to make the long flight from Italy to see the two minutes of darkness.
"I witnessed the first total eclipse of the sun in Germany in 1999, and since then I had a family and I thought my children had to witness this," said Stefano Simonetti, who is from Italy.
Many people said they came into town early to beat the rush, and they planned to visit sites in Nashville ahead of the eclipse on Monday.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation is also gearing up for a busy weekend. Officials said they are urging motorists to plan ahead and avoid being on the roads during the eclipse.
TDOT will have extra HELP trucks and maintenance crews on the interstates Monday and will work with local law enforcement to help clear crashes and lane blockages. Construction related lane closures will stop from 12 p.m. Friday to 12 p.m. Tuesday to help cut down on congestion.
For all you need to know about the eclipse, click here.
