groundhog day canada balzac billy groundhog day nyc 2025

Balzac Billy is the "Prairie Prognosticator", a man-sized groundhog mascot who prognosticates weather on Groundhog Day. [1] [2] He lives in Balzac, Alberta, 8 km north of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. [3] According to the legend of Groundhog Day, the groundhog's behavior is a way of forecasting the weather. If the groundhog sees his shadow, it will Balzac Billy is the “Prairie Prognosticator”, a man-sized gopher mascot who prognosticates weather on Groundhog Day from the town of Balzac, Alberta. Billy is not a real groundhog because groundhogs are not native to Alberta. Instead, Billy is more properly a Richardson Ground Squirrel (ie, a gopher) who lives in a man-sized burrow outside Apparently, Billy even received death threats. Calgary radio station CFAC program director Jim Kunkel came up with the name Balzac Billy in the late 1970s. In 2021 and 2022, Billy predicted a long winter or, in the Groundhog Day language, six more weeks of winter, while last year, he just couldn’t wait for spring. Legend has it that, on The Balzac Business Community Association hosted their Annual Groundhog Day Breakfast to rouse Balzac Billy from hibernation. The celebrations began at 7 a.m. with the annual breakfast. Billy emerged from his hole around 8:15 a.m. and picked up a snow brush predicting six more weeks of winter. Description: A gopher mascot, Balzac Billy predicts the weather in Balzac, Alberta, Canada, on Groundhog Day every year since 2001. A number of events are held with Balzac Billy including Groundhog Day Breakfast hosted at Bluegrass Nursery & Garden Centre, Balzac, stampede Breakfast at CrossIron Mills, Airdrie Canada Day Parade, and the Calgary It's Groundhog Day — a tradition that stretches back centuries in European folklore. Balzac Billy has the job of checking for his shadow in Alberta, but he looks a lot different from his furry On early Friday morning, the 'Prairie Prognosticator' Balzac Billy, predicted six more weeks of winter during the 21st Annual Balzac Groundhog Day Celebration. Billy's anticipated prognostication is an annual event hosted in front of the Blue Grass Nursery, Sod and Garden Centre in Balzac. This year, a free pancake breakfast is being hosted by the Airdrie Regional Chamber of Commerce until 9 a It’s not the news we wanted to hear, Alberta’s own Balzac Billy is predicting six more weeks of winter. Just before 8:30 a.m. Friday, a crowd gathered outside the Blue Grass Nursery and Garden Centre to await the man-sized mascot. Anticipation was building as attendees chanted “Billy! Billy! Billy!” and waited for good news. Groundhog Day continues to be a weird, but wonderful tradition every February 2 – in Alberta, across Canada and throughout the United States. Pennsylvania is home to Punxsutawney Phil, a furry forecaster featured in the Bill Murray holiday classic from Gobbler’s Knob. Billy then stuck around and took pictures with kids and did a few morning media hits before dancing the rest of the morning away to live music performed by local band Jeske. Blue Grass Garden Centre has hosted the Balzac Billy Groundhog Day forecast for 14 years, with Friday’s event marking the 21st time Balzac Billy has made a weather Manitoba Merv - Six more weeks of winter. Manitoba Merv has been leading local Groundhog Day celebrations for over 30 years. He started as an actor in children's puppet shows at Oak Hammock Marsh Balzac Billy is a prognosticating Person in a gopher suit from Balzac in Alberta, Canada. Balzac Billy has made 20 predictions since 2004. Skip to main content Groundhog - D a y.com Balzac Billy, Alberta’s prairie groundhog, started as a 1978 radio gimmick and has since become a cherished mascot for Groundhog Day. Now a symbol of communi Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated in the United States and Canada on February 2, Balzac Billy of Balzac, Alberta, Canada. Shubenacadie Sam of Shubenacadie Alberta's "groundhog," Balzac Billy predicted early spring today morning.Legend has it that, on February 2nd, if the groundhog emerges from its burrow, and sees its shadow, winter will last for another six weeks. If it doesn’t see its shadow, winter will be shorter.Balzac Billy is not a real groundhog and is a mascot from the town of Balzac, 24km north of Calgary.The origins of Balzac Billy See a list of all 14 Canadian prognosticators, whether genuine groundhogs or otherwise. Despite the name, GROUNDHOG-DAY.com is all-welcoming. On Thursday, February 2, better known as Groundhog Day, Balzac Billy, the 'Prairie Prognosticator' predicted an early arrival of spring for Albertans, at the Blue Grass Nursery, Sod and Garden Centre. Steve Neubauer, a longtime member of the Balzac Billy Organizing Committee said that the beloved tradition is one that started over 45 years ago. Our next furry friend who’s not a real groundhog is Balzac Billy, a mascot from the town of Balzac, 24km north of Calgary. The origins of Balzac Billy can be traced to the 1970s, when Balzac’s then-mayor, Merle Osborne, befriended a Richardson Ground Squirrel. Alberta's "groundhog", Balzac Billy predicted for six more weeks of winter on Groundhog day.Legend has it that, on February 2nd, if the groundhog emerges from its burrow, sees its shadow, winter will last for another six weeks. If it doesn’t see its shadow, winter will be shorter.Balzac Billy is not a real groundhog and is a mascot from the town of Balzac, 24km north of Calgary.The origins Find your closest Groundhog Day prognosticator on an interactive map of all groundhogs across USA and Canada. and 14 in Canada. Balzac Billy. Person in a

groundhog day canada balzac billy groundhog day nyc 2025
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