PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – The fluffy leader of the groundhogs has spoken, spring is near. Sunday, February 2, 2020 is officially Groundhog’s Day and in Punxsutawney, Pa they take this matter very seriously.
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This fun folklore tradition has lasted 134 years, not with the same marmot. Perhaps a descendant of the original weather predicting woodchuck, but no one can be sure.
That doesn’t stop thousands of tourists from descending upon the Pennsylvania borough to watch as Phil climbs out of his own burrow.
Legend has it, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter are in store. If Phil doesn’t see his shadow, an early spring is predicted.
There are many reported origins of Groundhog Day. A leading concept is that it’s linked to the Germanic tradition of Candlemas Day, a Christian feast day. However, Europeans use a hedgehog or badger, where the groundhog has stepped in to cover the responsibility in the U.S.
Did You Know?
According to Groundhog.org, the soon-to-be famous groundhog first appeared in the Punxsutawney local paper in 1886.
In 1986, Phil met President Ronald Reagan.
In 1993, the movie Groundhog’s Day, with Bill Murray, was released. Following the movie Gobblers Knob saw an estimated 30,000 tourists. The entire town of Punxsutawney has a population of 5,788)
In 2010, you could sign up to receive a text message alert of Phil’s prediction.
No reports indicate whether or not Phil made any predictions on the Super Bowl later in the day.