The observance of Groundhog Day in the United States first occurred in German communities in Pennsylvania, according to known records. The earliest mention of Groundhog Day is an entry on February 2, 1840, in the diary of James L. Morris of Morgantown, in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, according to the book on the subject by Don Yoder. This was a What is Groundhog Day? People flock to Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 2 every year to be a part of the celebrations revolving around Punxsutawney Phil's winter forecast. The groundhog is known as Punxsutawney Phil, because the town where the Groundhog Day tradition originated is called Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. A big celebration is still held in the town to this Groundhog Day, celebrated every year on February 2, is an unusual holiday that stretches back hundreds of years back to European traditions and even ancient times. How is Groundhog Day Celebrated? Groundhog Day is famously connected to weather prediction, with the most prominent tradition involving a groundhog predicting the conclusion of Of course, this prediction only refers to winter weather — and not the actual season — as the Spring Equinox consistently falls within the same two-day span each year. Annually, Groundhog Day The first official Groundhog Day took place on February 2, 1887, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The event took up permanent residence at Gobbler’s Knob the following year. In modern times, the year’s four cross-quarter days are Groundhog Day (February 2), May Day (May 1), Lammas (August 1) and – the most sinister cross-quarter day because it comes at a dark time The origins of Groundhog Day date back to German settlers in the 1800s and the celebration of the Christian festival of Candlemas, held on Feb. 2. Candlemas is the midpoint between the Winter Groundhog Day, in the United States and Canada, day (February 2) on which the emergence of the groundhog from its burrow is said to foretell the weather for the following six weeks. In the United States the most popular event occurs in Pennsylvania and centers on a groundhog designated Punxsutawney Phil. The first official Groundhog Day celebration took place on February 2, 1887, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The annual ritual has roots in pre-Christian traditions and was brought to the U.S. by In honor of Groundhog Day last week — when Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring (so we got that going for us [and, yes, I am mixing my Bill Murray movie references]) — Gallagher pinpointed the exact number of Groundhog Days Murray's Phil Connors endures in “Groundhog Day:” 12,403 days. "Today the Germans say the groundhog comes out of his winter quarters," read the diary entry, "and if he sees his shadow he returns in and remains there 40 days." How can I celebrate 2025 Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney? While there are a handful of local celebrations of the holiday, the most well-known Groundhog Day event takes place on Feb. 2 in Punxsutawney. The Groundhog Day celebration is organized by the “ Inner Circle ” of the town’s “Groundhog Club.” These tuxedoed men in top hats conduct In Punxsutawney, 1886 marked the first time that Groundhog Day appeared in the local newspaper. The following year brought the first official trek to Gobbler’s Knob. Each year since then has seen a steady increase in participation of the celebration from people all over the world. On the DVD commentary for Groundhog Day, director Harold Ramis claims, "We figure the day had been repeating for about 10 years." While that may not seem a terrible length of time, ten years is The original Wiarton Willie lived to the advanced age of 22, and was found dead only two days before Groundhog Day in 1999. The organizers were unable to find a replacement, and instead marked Groundhog Day by revealing "Willie" in a coffin. He had been dressed in a tuxedo, with coins over his eyes, and a carrot between his paws. This translates to about four weeks' worth of days after Groundhog Day of morning lows at least dipping to the freezing mark in New York, Philadelphia and St. Louis; at least 45 such freezing Phil experiences a mind-boggling amount of repeated days over the course of the film, and someone has actually taken the time to work out how long he was stuck living the same day over and over. The truth is even crazier than you might think – not to mention utterly terrifying. Bill Murray starred in Groundhog Day in 1993Columbia Pictures Groundhog Day originated from an ancient European tradition called Candlemas Day, where clergy would bless candles and distribute them to ward off the darkness of winter. The first official Groundhog Day celebration took place on February 2, 1887, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.