Singer-songwriter Aaron Watson headlined performances at the June 29 Freedom & Fireworks event. File Art

A cloudy day turned black as night as Princeton residents witnessed the area’s first total solar eclipse since 1878. 

April 8, 2024, will remain in the memory of watchers, young and old. The next total eclipse for Collin County won’t occur for another 300 years.

The moon began to cover the sun about 12:23 p.m., slowly darkening skies as the sun played peek-a-boo with the clouds. 

But a hole opened during the four minutes of totality starting about 1:41 p.m. and viewers could remove their glasses to see the sun’s bright corona around the edges of the moon as the landscape became dark as night. 

By 3 p.m., though, the moon had moved on, and it was just another partly cloudy day.

The eclipse was not the only outdoor event Princeton enjoyed in 2024. 

J.M. Caldwell Sr, Community Park was bright with colored clouds as hundreds of children and adults laughed, yelled, sang, danced and threw colored powder on each other in the Holi festival welcoming spring on March 30. Diwali, the Festival of Lights, was celebrated in November. 

Princeton High School students helped raise the wall in March as work began on a new home on Harrelson Drive by Habitat for Humanity of Collin County. The LaTischa Johnson family received the keys in November.

Two decades of fundraising and fun was the focus April 20 at the 20th annual Onion Festival at Princeton High School.

The event recognized Collin County’s onion industry that started in the city.

Proceeds from the all-day festival benefitted programs sponsored by Lions Club International in conjunction with Princeton ISD, including eye exams and eyeglasses for economically disadvantaged students, scholarships for graduating seniors and the Angel Tree program.

Princeton’s VFW Bois D’Arc Post 9167 held its annual Day of Service on May 4, cleaning up Princeton Cemetery and Veterans Memorial Park.

The city’s Second Annual Fishin’ Frenzy in the Municipal Center pond attracted hundreds of aspiring anglers.

On June 29, Princeton celebrated Independence Day with a Freedom & Fireworks celebration at J.M. Caldwell Sr. Community Park. Dallas-area party band Empire 6 performed, followed by headliner Aaron Watson, a country music singer-songwriter.

In August, the Princeton Fire and Rescue Department welcomed a $1.2 million Rosenbauer fire truck with a 100-foot aerial ladder. The new truck is housed at Fire Station No. 3 on Myrick Lane.

“We definitely need this equipment because we’re getting so many three-story apartment buildings and taller commercial structures,” said Fire Chief Tom Harvey, who retired this year.

The city’s first Pumpkin BooLooza took place Oct. 15 in Caldwell Park with carnival rides, trick-or-treating for costumed celebrants, hayrides and a DJ providing dance music. The event featured screening of the 2012 animated film “Hotel Transylvania.”

Caldwell Park was all decked out for the city’s North Pole Christmas on Dec. 7, but two cold, rainy days forced the city to cancel the event. 

A somber observance will be conducted next year on July 25 as Princeton remembers Police Officer Nancy Dominguez, who was fatally injured in a two-vehicle crash while on her way to work. 

A Princeton Police squad car parked outside the Municipal Center was decorated in her honor.

In less than two years on the job, Dominguez had received numerous accolades including 2022 Rookie of the Year, 2023 Rookie of the Year, a 2023 Citizen Commendation Award, multiple Letters of Commendations from the department, a Life Saving Award in June of 2023 and multiple RISE Awards.

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