Instead of 300,000 spectators, as multiple officials projected, Bloomington saw tens of thousands, according to early estimates. And while the smaller-than-expected crowds enabled the city to escape snarled traffic, the overestimates also kept some Bloomington residents from leaving their homes and attending the local events, from Switchyard Park to Memorial Stadium.

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IU spokesman Mark Bode said the university hosted “tens of thousands of visitors and students across at least seven separate events,” including “nearly 10,000” at Memorial Stadium.

(The maximum capacity of the stadium is over 50,000.)

While between 50,000 and 100,000 eclipse viewers were expected in Nashville and Brown County, an estimated 20,000 showed up.

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Jiffy Treet in Ellettsville, the epicenter of the total solar eclipse in Indiana, had a big day. More than 50 people watched the eclipse from a grassy field adjacent to the Ind. 46 ice cream shop.

Incidentally, the parking by Jiffy Treet was charging $50 per car, so that’s not exactly shocking.

The eclipse was on a Monday. Most kids not near the path of totality had school. Why they thought so many thousands were coming is beyond me. This should have been easily predicted.