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Wiarton Willie is the name given to a Canadian groundhog who lives in the community of Wiarton in Bruce County, Ontario. 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” is different depending on where in Canada you find yourself. Let’s run through Groundhog Day in each of the provinces that have some sort of celebration to observe the day: Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia. Groundhog Day Celebrations in Canada Groundhog Day is celebrated in Canada and the United States every year on 2 February. Legend has it that watching a groundhog emerge from its burrow can determine the weather forecast for the coming weeks. Accordingly, if it is a sunny day and the groundhog sees its shadow, it goes back to sleep for six more weeks of winter. Groundhog Day Celebrations occuring in 2025 Ontario N0H 2T0: Chilly Charlie: Groundhog mascot: 02/02/25: 8:15am EST: South Gate Centre: 191 Old Wellington St S Groundhog Day was marked in the U.S., with the first prediction by Punxsutawney Phil in 1886, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's website reports. The first official trek to Gobbler's Knob was made On Friday, shortly after 8 a.m., a groundhog was carried out onto the stage at Wiarton Arena, to decide the fate of winter for Ontarians as part of annual Groundhog Day ceremonies. In a moment of whimsy and spontaneity, when asked about the whereabouts of the groundhog, Mac playfully tossed a fur hat into the snow. Seizing the opportunity for a memorable photo, the reporter immortalized the hat as a stand-in for the elusive groundhog. And with that playful gesture, Wiarton's Groundhog Day tradition was born. Ontario, Canada. The farming community in both US and Canada is celebrating Groundhog Day today. The centuries-old tradition involves a playground activity featuring their localised groundhog celebrity. In the tradition where folklore dominates science, groundhog delivers weather prediction based on whether or not it sees its own shadow. Wiarton Willie is a prognosticating Groundhog from Wiarton in Ontario, Canada. In 2024, Willie predicted an early spring. Some Christian churches also celebrate Candlemas on this day, while others use Groundhog Day to take down their Christmas decorations. Groundhog Day is growing more and more popular in Canada. There is a festival in Wiarton, Bruce County, Ontario, where the town groundhog, Wiarton Willie, delivers his “prediction” early in the morning on About Mike. Middlemiss Mike is a plush prairie dog prognosticator from Melbourne, Ontario. Jack Galbraith (pictured) started the event in 2007, remarking that weather predictions in faraway Punxatawney aren’t typically accurate in Ontario. Nova Scotia's groundhog, Shubenacadie Sam, and Quebec's Fred la Marmotte both predicted a long winter ahead, while Ontario's Wiarton Willie claimed an early spring is on the way. The Groundhog Day celebration at Gobbler's Knob started in 1887. Aside from a 10-year gap, records for each prognostication have been meticulously kept. Over the years, Phil has predicted six more There are 82 prognosticators throughout North America: 68 in the USA, and 14 in Canada. Use the map to find your nearest Groundhog Day prognosticator (unless you’re from Saskatchewan — sorry bud). Fenwick Flossie is an adult-sized groundhog mascot organized by the local Lion’s Club in Fenwick, Ontario. Flossie is a non-gender mascot, given life by an octogenarian Lion’s club member who has suited up for the role each year for nearly three decades. 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. 2024 GROUNDHOG DAY RESULTS Lucy The Lobster: Barrington Passage, N.S. - Six more weeks of winter. Wiarton Willie: Ontario - Early spring (April Walker/The Weather Network) On Friday, shortly after 8 a.m., a groundhog was carried out onto the stage at Wiarton Arena, to decide the fate of winter for Ontarians as part of annual Groundhog Day ceremonies. South Bruce Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated in the United States and Canada on February 2, Gary the Groundhog of Kleinburg, Ontario, Canada. Spanish Joe of Spanish In 2022, Groundhog Day was on Wednesday, February 2nd. Most groundhogs (57%) predicted an early spring. Ontario, Canada.
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