DailyMaill.com attended a solar eclipse 'blackout party' in Dallas where families traveled up to 2,000 miles to see the totality - including grandmother, 80, who ticked off bucket list item

The Weeknd's ‘Blinded by the Light’ played in the background as Dallas' 77F degree weather suddenly cooled and darkened.

Then, everything went black. 

The giggles and chatter of young children who had traveled with family, some from thousands of miles away, fell silent.

As the moon masked the sun, it appeared like a black ball surrounding by white fire - something astronomers have called a 'diamond ring.'

Despite being transfixed by its beauty, I took my solar eclipse-proof glasses for a moment and looked around.

Little girls stood on the green grass with their mouths dropped open in awe, parents were hugging their little ones and couples were embracing each other as they all looked to the Heavens. 

The solar eclipse reached totality in Dallas, Texas at 1:40 p.m. CDT leaving viewers in awe as the sky went dark

Families gathered to watch the solar eclipse and three young girls' jaws dropped when the moon eclipsed the sun. Only minutes before they expressed their concern that the cloud coverage would block their view of the eclipse 

Couples stood side-by-side to watch the beginning of the eclipse as excitement broke out and people started clapping when the DJ announced there was only 10 minutes until it reached totality

The eclipse lasted roughly four minutes, but the wait was difficult for some who were eager to witness the once-in-a-lifetime event

Millions of people ventured to the 'path of totality,' where the moon completely blocked the sun, starting in Mexico and moving through Texas where it traveled up to New England and finished in Canada.

I had planned to go to a Dallas street party that was predicted to have thousands of people bustling around the area.

But when I panicked when I arrived 40 minutes before the event to find a ghost town.

Many of the events had been abruptly cancel over fears of storms rolling in the state.

I quickly found an open-air venue, The Hub, finding it had a much smaller crowd but a more personal 'black out party' happening. 

While the hundreds of people in Dallas came from all walks of life, they had all gathered together to watch the event unfold. 

California resident Luanne Tesoriero was so proud she was still able to travel considering she is 80 years old. 

Ava Herrera (pictured) said she was excited to watch this 'once-in-a-lifetime' event, acknowledging that it won't happen in Dallas for another 300 years. She said it's 'really important to watch unique events like the solar eclipse because 'we have to live our lives to the fullest'

Roughly three million people gathered throughout the path of totality in Texas, including 400,000 travelers

She was inspired to make the journey to Dallas when her son spotted an eclipse from the top of a mountain while on a hike some decades ago.

Her son pointed out the edge of the shadow to her decades ago and watched as animals became very still, telling Tesoriero it was an incredibly powerful experience.

Lily Dran traveled from Toronto to watch the eclipse with her sister and friends, while local resident Maria Herrera pulled her kids out of school so they could be together to watch the event unfold.

Herrera’s daughter, Ava Herrera, jumped at the chance to tell me how excited she was about seeing the eclipse, calling it a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity.

‘It’s so amazing that I get to experience this,’ Ava said, adding: ‘Because it’s the last time it will be in Dallas for 300 years.

‘The feeling of seeing the eclipse is just something that will never leave my body and that I will never forget!’

She proclaimed how it was 'really important to watch unique events like the solar eclipse because we have to live our lives to the fullest!'

(Left to Right) Anna, Ava and Mia shared their excitement at getting to be a part of the solar eclipse viewing party

Ava Herrera (fourth from the right) stands in front of her mom, Maria who came together with their family and friends to enjoy watching the solar eclipse

Kimberly Nguyen and her husband Luan brought their daughter Emma (Left) to view the solar eclipse with their sister Cindy Nguyen (front right) and her friend Lily Dran (back right) who traveled from Toronto, Ontario to watch the solar eclipse

(Left to Right) Lilliana Atencio, Erick DA' Costa, Stefano DA' Costa and Paola Sosa traveled from Costa Rica to watch the solar eclipse from Klyde Warren Park in Dallas, Texas

'This is a feeling that will never leave my body,' Ava continued.

The event kicked off at 12:23pm CT in Texas, with totality beginning at 1:40pm CT that lasted for nearly four minutes.

Music was playing as families squished into picnic tables and children ran on a grassy hill playing football 

Alerts blared a few minutes before the eclipse began, leading to everyone excitedly putting on their solar glasses.

READ MORE: Eclipse mania sweeps America as thousands take to the streets to watch rare 'path of totality' that will plunge parts of US, Canada and Mexico into darkness 

Millions of spectators have gathered across the United States, Canada and Mexico to watch the spectacle of a total solar eclipse blocks that could sun for more than four minutes in some parts.

At the same time, the more than 100 people at The Hub in Dallas began cheering and jumping up and down when they saw the diamond right.

That was a far-cry from a few hours prior when the crowd appeared restless, claiming the solar eclipse was taking too long to start. 

After my time at The Hub, I went to a community park in downtown Dallas was also filled with families, some who came from nearly 2,000 miles away to see the solar eclipse. 

Erick Da’Costa and his family flew about 2,000 miles from Costa Rica last week to be in the best spot in the country to watch the eclipse.

They planned their trip a year and a half ago, and for Erick, his wife Paola Sosa, and his mother Lilliana Atencio, it was their second time viewing a total solar eclipse - the first was at their home in 1991.

The Da’Costa family said this eclipse was no different, but they were excited to be a part of it all the same.

But Erik's sons, Jhonathan Jimenez and  Stefano, said April 8 was the first time they had seen a solar eclipse and that it was unlike anything they had ever witnessed.

‘The feeling, the place, the people… It was just great,' Jimenez said.

He also called the eclipse 'amazing' and 'surreal,' adding that 'it was just crazy' to witness firsthand.

While it was Atencio's second time seeing the cosmic wonder, she shared how it was just as amazing to see it a second time with her son Erik.

Another solar eclipse party was held at Klyde Warren Park in downtown Dallas.

The area had on an eventful atmosphere as families came together from around the country and the world to stand shoulder to shoulder for the solar eclipse.