Forest Lawn Cemetery to close to visitors on day of total solar eclipse

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Forest Lawn Cemetery and Hamburg’s Lakeside Cemetery will be closed to visitors on April 8, the day of the total solar eclipse, to ensure safety and privacy for funeral services, Forest Lawn Cemetery and Crematory Group announced Sunday.

The group said both cemeteries could attract significantly more visitors on the day of the eclipse, and they are not “designed as a venue for large gatherings.”

Additionally, as both cemeteries are active, the group wants to eliminate any risk of disruption to services scheduled for April 8. Access to the cemeteries will thus be limited to funeral processions only.

Forest Lawn and Lakeside will reopen to visitors at 8:30 a.m. on April 9, and signs communicating the April 8 closure will be posted at the cemeteries’ entrances.

Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the News 4 team in 2022. You can find more of his work here .