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 When is Groundhog Day 2024? Groundhog Day is on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. Though not a federal holiday, Americans tune in to see if the famed groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, sees his shadow every year The first Groundhog Day was celebrated on Feb. 2, 1887, at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney. The holiday has roots in a few different religions, but it took a similar message from each of them. He was called Br'er Groundhog prior to being known as Phil. Canada also celebrates Groundhog Day. The movie “Groundhog Day” from 1993, starring comedian Bill Murray, made Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania famous worldwide. The film's plot added new meaning to the term “Groundhog Day” as something that repeats itself endlessly. 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. 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 Groundhog Day marks the midpoint of winter, blending European folklore with modern fun as Americans turn to a groundhog’s shadow to predict the season’s outcome — either six more weeks of 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. Many people gearing up for Groundhog Day, when eyes are on Punxsutawney Phil to learn if six more weeks of winter or an early spring is on the horizon. While Groundhog Day is Feb. 2, celebrations Groundhog Day is not a national holiday in the United States. It is a traditional observance that takes place on 2 February each year. Since Groundhog Day is not a federal holiday, Hands off our hog! PETA activists are calling for Punxsutawney Phil, the region’s fluffiest weather predictor, to be replaced with a vegan “weather reveal cake” during Sunday’s annual Groundhog Day celebration in Pennsylvania. The Brief. Woodstock, Illinois, became the filming location for "Groundhog Day" (1993), and the town now celebrates the movie with an annual festival that attracts visitors from around the world. A Groundhog Club handler holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather-prognosticating groundhog, during the 133rd celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 2, 2019. 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. Robb Pearlman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over 50 books, including The Office: A Day at Dunder Mifflin Elementary, Parks and Recreation: Leslie for Class President, Pink is for Boys, Dolls and Trucks are for Everyone, Fun with Kirk and Spock, and Groundhog's Day Off. robbpearlman.com Twitter: @msmazeppa Instagram: @robbpearlman Thanks to a small town in northern Illinois, Groundhog Day is bigger than one chubby rodent and its shadow dropping a dubious weather forecast. In Woodstock, the groundhog takes a backseat to the real cause for celebration: the 1993 Bill Murray movie that was filmed there. WNIJ’s Under Rocks team visited the famed town square with the head of the annual festival (and Groundhog Day movie PETA activists are calling for Punxsutawney Phil, the region's fluffiest weather predictor, to be replaced with a vegan "weather reveal cake" during Sunday's annual Groundhog Day celebration in Cap off the celebration with a visit to Dienner’s Country Restaurant for some traditional Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine, Groundhog Day in Pennsylvania is far more than a simple weather Groundhog Day is a full-fledged community effort in every way, she noted. The Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center kicked things off on Jan. 25, crowning the 2025 Little Mr. and Miss Groundhog Day’s origins can be traced back to ancient European traditions, particularly Candlemas Day, a Christian festival held on February 2nd. Candlemas marked the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, a day when clergy would bless candles to ward off the winter darkness.
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