With just days to go before the solar eclipse on August 21 the special glasses needed to safely view the eclipse are becoming a hot commodity.

On Thursday morning, the Elizabethton/Carter County Chamber of Commerce had a limited number of solar eclipse viewing glasses available for purchase beginning at 10 a.m., but the line to buy the glasses started well before the sale time.

The first person in line at the Chamber was Karen Crowe, who said she arrived at the building at 4 a.m. on Thursday to ensure she got some glasses.

“I wanted to make sure I got them for my little granddaughter,” Crowe said.

The Chamber acquired 190 pairs of the special glasses, and purchases were limited to two pairs per customer. Within about 40 minutes, the Chamber was sold out of glasses.

“Initially we weren’t expecting this turnout,” said Chamber Director Tonya Stevens. “But after what happened in Jonesborough we knew it would happen.”

On Wednesday, the Jonesborough Visitor’s Center sold glasses and the turnout was huge, with reports of the line wrapping around the building.

The turnout was high at the Elizabethton/Carter County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday morning. The parking lot was filled to overflowing, and the line stretched from the building to near the historic train display.

On Thursday morning the Chamber had 40 pairs of the glasses on hand and had been expecting the rest of their shipment to arrive early that morning. The first 40 glasses were given out, and then the remaining customers were given vouchers to pick up their glasses. By Thursday afternoon the final shipment had arrived, and Chamber staff began calling those customers who had been given vouchers to come in and pick up their glasses.

Those purchasing glasses at the Chamber were given a card listing some eclipse related activities.

Among the happenings in the area for the eclipse are:

• Solar Eclipse of the Park — Meet the staff of the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library on Sunday, August 20, at the Elizabethton Twins game. Staff will be handing out about 250 pairs of the glasses to those in attendance at the game from 5-8 p.m.

• Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park — Monday, August 21, from noon until 4 p.m. The first 125 visitors to the park will receive a free pair of viewing glasses. The event at the park features a variety of programs and activities for children and adults.

• Carter County Drug Prevention and the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library are hosting a viewing party at Kiwanis Park on West G Street from noon until 2 p.m. The event is free, and there will be games, activities, and snacks. The library will have a limited number of glasses available to hand out at this event.