Today, 1887 is recognized as the first Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, PA. That makes this tradition over 130 years old. And, if you believe the tales of the Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle, it’s been the same groundhog giving the prediction every year since: Punxsutawney Phil. What Happens on Groundhog Day? Punxsutawney’s famed groundhog was first officially named Phil a few years later in 1961, and records suggest it was a holdover name from the earlier Philip. Punxsutawney Phil speaks groundhogese. February 2, 1886 - The Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper proclaims this date as Pennsylvania's first official Groundhog Day celebration. 1986 - Phil travels to Washington, DC to meet with President You probably know the holiday just by the name “Punxsutawney,” as the town shares its name with the hero of the day, the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil. Groundhog Day is most famous at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, the site where Punxsutawney Phil leaves his burrow on the morning of Feb. 2 to predict whether we will have an early spring. 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. In the United States the most popular event occurs in Pennsylvania and centers on a groundhog designated Punxsutawney Phil. Celebrating Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney is a bucket list event for some, and Farcus says people come from around the world. Some hotels are already booked up through 2027. 3 of 15 | . FILE - The groundhog saw his shadow, Feb. 2, 1954, as the sun peeked through an overcast sky at Washington Park Zoo in Milwaukee, Wis. The arrival of annual Groundhog Day celebrations Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, will draw thousands of people to see celebrity woodchuck Phil at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa. — an event that exploded in popularity after the 1993 Bill Murray movie. The little town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, is famous for one thing a giant prophetic rodent named Punxsutawney Phil. One of America’s weirdest traditions surrounds the holiday of Groundhog Day, when, every February 2nd, the famous groundhog comes out of his trunk in Gobbler’s Knob to assess his own shadow. Crowds as large as 30,000 have turned out to Punxsutawney for multi-day Groundhog Day festivities, which the state calls a significant tourism boost for the town of fewer than 6,000 people. The Punxsutawney groundhog makes predictions but he's not always predictable. The designated groundhog emerged before sunrise in 1929 and didn't come out until late afternoon in 1941. Groundhog Day takes place at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney every February 2. And, in addition to Gobbler’s Knob, you can also visit Phil’s Burrow at the community’s library, check out the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center (which features some Phil-related displays), and explore the Phil statues around town. What Happened On Groundhog Day By: Erik L. Ellis . The following is my account of what happened on each day of the movie Groundhog Day. There were more days implied, but these are the only days that were either shown or explicitly implied. Feb 1. Phil delivers 5 o'clock weather report and heads for Punxsutawney with Larry and Rita. Feb 2. Day 1 In Punxsutawney, 1886 marked the first time that Groundhog Day appeared in the local newspaper. The following year brought the first official trek to Gobbler’s Knob. Each year since then has seen a steady increase in participation of the celebration from people all over the world. Twenty years ago today, on February 12th, 1993, Harold Ramis‘ comedy “Groundhog Day” opened in theaters. Twenty years ago today to the day, on February 12th, 1993, Harold Ramis‘ comedy 3 of 15 | . FILE - The groundhog saw his shadow, Feb. 2, 1954, as the sun peeked through an overcast sky at Washington Park Zoo in Milwaukee, Wis. The arrival of annual Groundhog Day celebrations Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, will draw thousands of people to see celebrity woodchuck Phil at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa. — an event that exploded in popularity after the 1993 Bill Murray movie. Will the Groundhog See His Shadow in 2025? According to our weather predictions, February 2, 2025, will bring snow showers and cold weather. We think that when Punxsutawney Phil—that Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Weather Prognosticator Extraordinary— emerges from his burrow (with a little help from his handlers) to make his much-anticipated forecast, he will NOT see his shadow, which The U.S. holiday appeared in a local newspaper in 1886, but the first official trip to Gobbler's Knob didn't happen until the following year. How often is Punxsutawney Phil correct? In short, not There's a Groundhog Banquet the night before. Held on Feb. 1 every year, the banquet is held at the Punxsutawney High School at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling 814-938 Groundhog Day is the event for you! The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club 1548 Woodland Ave Ext., Punxsutawney, PA 15767. 814-618-5591 / [email protected] Home; 2. It starts in the wee hours of the morning. Because Phil usually ascends from his hole at about 7:25 a.m., the festivities up at Gobbler’s Knob start well before then, with people pouring into
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