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 Originally, Groundhog Day was a Celtic festival marking the year’s first cross-quarter day, or a midpoint between seasons. Read more about the ancient Celtic calendar here. Celebrated at the beginning of February, the day was called Imbolc —a term from Old Irish that is most often translated as “in the belly”—a reference to the soon 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. The beginning of February, which falls roughly halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox , has long been a significant time of the year in many Month Day Today. Upcoming Upcoming Select date. January 2025 Fri 31 Groundhog Day is a tradition observed regionally in the United States and Canada on February 2 Groundhog Day By Numbers. 1841 – A storekeeper named James Morris wrote and marked the date February 2 as Candlemas Day. 40,000 – The number of people who attend the Groundhog Day celebration in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. 1886 – The year the first Groundhog Day was held in Punxsutawney. Groundhog Day falls between the December solstice and the March equinox. In modern times, the year’s four cross-quarter days are Groundhog Day (February 2), May Day (May 1), Lammas (August 1 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 Most of us know the tradition: on February 2, our old friend the groundhog will emerge from hibernation, come out of his den, and predict whether winter will deliver more cold weather this year. If the groundhog sees his shadow, the story goes, cold weather will persist another few weeks. If not, warm weather is around the corner. If you like the folklore of holidays, you may be interested to An unusual, yet beloved holiday February 2nd is Groundhog Day, the day when a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil predicts whether or not we will have six more weeks of winter. If he sees his shadow, more cold is on the way; if not, warmer weather is coming. While this holiday may seem like a silly tradition, it has a surprisingly deep history. Ancient Traditions Every February 2, on Groundhog Day, Willie takes part in the local Wiarton Willie Festival. His role is to predict whether there will be an early spring. Although the original Wiarton Willie died in 1999, the Wiarton groundhog day celebrations continue each year with the original Willie's successors, referred to as "Wee Willie." Groundhog Day traces its roots to ancient Celtic traditions, where Imbolc marked the midway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Black History Month events in metro Just a fun little note, Springfield is well above average for their snowfall. For the month they’ve seen 11.3″ of snow which is 5.2″ above the average. 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. In 1886, Groundhog Day was acknowledged for the first time in Punxsutawney by a local newspaper, Weathers Wags, according to the club. In 1887, the first official pilgrimage to see Phil on Gobbler 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. 200+ bought in past month. DVD. $4.99 $ 4. 99. List: $9.99 $9.99. FREE delivery Fri, May 17 on $35 of items shipped by Amazon. Groundhog Day Decorations Photo PUNXSUTAWNEY — The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club’s Event ticket launch date has been set for the upcoming Groundhog Day 2025. for 1 day 1 Month: $12.75 Groundhog Day is a 1993 American fantasy comedy film directed by Harold Ramis from a screenplay by him and Danny Rubin.Starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliott, it tells the story of a cynical television weatherman covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, who becomes trapped in a time loop, forcing him to relive February 2 repeatedly. A popular event in the US, Groundhog Day is a tradition that spans centuries, cultures, and even continents. Its origins are mysterious, associated with ancient times and the awakening of animals after their winterlong sleep. On this day, the groundhog wakes from its hibernation, comes out of its den, and people await its forecast of an early spring or a longer winter. So, we had to ask: What Groundhog Day history Big picture view: Groundhog Day traces its roots to ancient Celtic traditions, where Imbolc marked the midway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.
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