Feb. 2, 1887: Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, holds its first Groundhog Day celebration When Punxsutawneyans gathered on a hilltop known as Gobbler’s Knob on this day, Feb. 2, in 1887, they did Every February 2 since 1887, a groundhog named Phil has made an appearance before a group of tuxedo- and top hat–wearing local gentlemen in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.In earlier decades, the Groundhog was so much of a culinary delicacy in Punxsutawney at the time that the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that “woodchuck steak” was the “gastronomical climax” of a banquet held in Groundhogs don't eat during hibernation. They use fat that they built up over the summer and winter month. On Groundhog Day, the club holds a "solemn" ceremony as a groundhog, named Phil, is See how the groundhog became a symbol for predicting seasonal changes in America, rooted in German folklore with a badger — which in turn lead to Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day first appeared in the local Punxsutawney newspaper in 1886, Diet: Groundhogs are vegetarian. They eat grasses, other green plants, some fruits, and the bark and buds of trees 1993 - Columbia Pictures releases the movie, "Groundhog Day," starring Bill Murray. In the years following the release of the movie, crowds numbering as high as 30,000 have visited Gobbler's Knob They began using groundhogs (also known as woodchucks) because they were local to the area. Punxsutawney Phil . In the 1880s, Clymer H. Freas, the editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper, had the idea to make Groundhog Day a formal holiday, and naming Punxsutawney Phil as the official weather-predicting groundhog. Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, is coming up, and soon Punxsutawney Phil will tell us what to expect from the weeks to come. The holiday dates back hundreds of years, and has grown to be a widely MACON, Ga. — Groundhog Day has been an annual tradition since the very first celebration was held on Feb. 2nd, 1877 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. If the groundhog sees its shadow, there is six Attendance at the town’s annual groundhog event ballooned from 1,000 people to more than 35,000. The film also created a modern idiom—the repetition of a monotonous or unpleasant situation is said to be experiencing a Groundhog Day—even though repetition has nothing to do with the tradition of Groundhog Day other than its annual observance. Video above: Rare albino groundhog spotted in the Susquehanna Valley.The Groundhog Day celebration at Gobbler's Knob started in 1887. Aside from a 10-year gap, records for each prognostication They ate them as well. And more than we can eat.” stories about the town’s Groundhog Day commemorations began to appear in newspapers around the country. Print—and later radio and Although crepes are eaten all year round in France, it’s tradition to eat crepes to celebrate “La Chandeleur” on February 2nd, precisely 40 days after Christmas, which happens to be Groundhog Day in certain parts of the world. Groundhogs can eat up to a quarter of their body weight each day, especially as they prepare for hibernation. Typically this is about 1.5 pounds of food per day but this will vary with the size and age of the groundhog. As the myth of Groundhog Day goes, if a groundhog sees its shadow on February 2, winter will last another six weeks. And while Punxsutawney Phil’s handlers maintain 100 percent accuracy in his What do they eat? Fun facts GROUNDHOG DAY 2018 - the day when a rodent named Punxsutawney Phil makes a weather prediction about the next six weeks - has arrived. But what actually is a groundhog With so many of Phil’s fans now devoted to the celebration, the Inner Circle hosts additional events and gatherings throughout the week leading up to Groundhog Day, including the Groundhog Ball and the Groundhog Banquet. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's Inner Circle doesn't just hold fast to Phil's meds and administer them to their beloved groundhog; they also take care of Phil for the entire year, plan each year While groundhogs primarily consume plant-based foods, they have been known to eat insects and small mammals in rare instances. Insects can offer additional protein and nutrients that might be lacking in their herbivorous diet. Groundhogs might also consume small mammals like birds or mice if their primary food sources are scarce or unavailable.
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