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 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. 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 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 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 Feb. 2, 1887: Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, holds its first Groundhog Day celebration 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. What is Groundhog Day, anyway? Every year on February 2, crowds gather at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to watch a groundhog emerge for the day—just like in the classic Bill The "Punxsutawney Groundhog Club" was founded in 1886 by a group of groundhog hunters, one of whom was the editor of the town's newspaper and quickly published a proclamation about its local 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 Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating groundhog, while posing for a photo with Miss Pennsylvania Miranda Moore during the 138th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa., Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. Groundhog Day 2024: Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow and more winter Punxsutawney Phil predicts more winter ahead. Groundhogs may not have a great track record when it comes to weather forecasts 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. Still, it’s perfectly sensible to wonder what happened to Phil Connors after his years of endless Groundhog Days. Phil experienced thousands of February 2nds, learned to be a better man, then With so many of Phil’s fans now devoted to the celebration, the Inner Circle hosts additional events and gatherings throughout the week leading up to Groundhog Day, including the Groundhog Ball and the Groundhog Banquet. Stephen Tobolowsky, who played Ned Ryserson, in the movie Groundhog Day, attended the 2010 Groundhog Day Celebration in Punxsutawney. Danny Rubin, writer of the screenplay Groundhog Day, attended Groundhog Day 2013. This was the first time he attend Groundhog Day since before the movie was released. The first official celebration in Punxsutawney happened in 1887 with the first official trek to Gobbler’s Knob, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. There may have been earlier similar 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 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.
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