Groundhog Day (Pennsylvania German: Grund'sau dåk, Grundsaudaag, Grundsow Dawg, Murmeltiertag; Nova Scotia: Daks Day) [1] [2] [3] is a tradition observed regionally in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every 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. 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. The first Groundhog Day celebration in Punxsutawney was the brainchild of local newspaper editor Clymer Freas, who sold a group of businessmen and groundhog hunters—known collectively as the The History of Groundhog Day. The Christian religious holiday of Candlemas Day has become most commonly associated with the current celebration, but it’s roots are older than that. The celebration started in Christianity as the day, (February 2nd), when Christians would take their candles to the church to have them blessed. 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. 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. In 1993, the film Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray popularised the use of the term ‘groundhog day’ to mean something that is endlessly repeated.It also popularised the event itself: after the film came out, the crowd at Gobbler’s Knob grew from around 2,000 annual attendees to a staggering 40,000, which is nearly 8 times the population of Punxsutawney. 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 Day and beyond: the best time-looping TV shows and films to watch before The Lazarus Project. Great Smoky Mountains: a weekend guide to America’s most visited national park. Groundhog Day is an "unusual holiday," according to the Farmers Almanac, that dates back centuries to European traditions. It was originally a Celtic festival marking the year’s first cross A Groundhog is a small, furry animal that looks like a mixture of a squirrel and a badger. According to the tradition, each year one of the furry creatures can predict when spring will arrive. Groundhog Day may be one of the weirder American holidays. How did it come to be? Here is the origin story of Punxsutawney Phil and his predictions. What Is Groundhog Day? The Groundhog Day prediction is based on whether the groundhog sees its shadow. Groundhog Day is celebrated on February 2nd as a way of predicting the arrival of spring. The day’s events involve celebrations held early in the morning to watch the groundhog leaving its burrow. What is Groundhog Day? In the American tradition of Groundhog Day, the nation’s groundhog prognosticators take a stance on the season ahead. If the groundhog sees his shadow, he predicts six Groundhog Day definition: 1. in the US, 2 February, which, according to an old story, is the day the groundhog wakes up after. Learn more. Groundhog Day is a tradition that has taken place annually in the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania since Feb. 2, 1987. A groundhog, also known as a woodchuck, is brought out at sunrise to make a Home of Punxsutawney Phil in the Weather Capital of the World. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club invites to to celebrate Groundhog Day! Groundhog Day isn’t the only cross-quarter holiday that has stuck to the modern calendar: many people now celebrate May Day in honor of workers around the world, and Halloween also has roots in Groundhog Day is almost here: What to know about the rodent, the shadow, and the weather Punxsutawney Phil is the most famous weather-predicting rodent, but he apparently isn't the most accurate
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