Groundhog Day (Pennsylvania German: Grund'sau dåk, Grundsaudaag, [29] [30] While in Scotland the animal that heralds spring on this day is a snake, [i] In 1886, Groundhog Day was acknowledged for the first time in Punxsutawney by a local newspaper, Weathers Wags, according to the club. Do other states have animals predicting the weather? The Groundhog Day celebration is rooted in Germanic tradition that says that if a hibernating animal casts a shadow on February 2, the Christian celebration of Candlemas, winter and cold weather will last another six weeks. If no shadow is seen, legend says, spring will come early. Since 1887 an animal in Punxsutawney, in the west-central part of the state, has been the centre of a staged appearance each February 2.In what has become a media event, a groundhog designated Punxsutawney Phil is the centre of attention of television weathermen and newspaper photographers. 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 prediction on how the remaining winter will play out. A groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil is central to the traditional Groundhog Day celebrations held each year on the 2 nd of February in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. It’s said that if Phil emerges from his burrow and is able to see his shadow, then there will be six more weeks of winter. If Phil cannot see his shadow, then spring will arrive early! Should be remaining on Candlemas Day. On Candlemas Day, The good goose begins to lay. When the wind’s in the east on Candlemas Day, There it will stick till the 2nd of May. On Candlemas Day, if the thorns hang a drop, You are sure of a good pea crop. More About Groundhogs! What exactly IS a groundhog? Also known as a woodchuck or whistlepig Groundhog Day has been celebrated in the United States since at least February 2, 1886. There are also other weather-predicting animals (and stuffed toys The groundhog — arguably the most famous member of his species and the most recognizable of all the country's animal prognosticators — did what he has done for the last 138 years: search for a The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals has campaigned for years to halt the annual practice of putting Phil on prognostication duty in Punxsutawney, Pa., every Feb. 2 on Groundhog Day. 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. The Legacy of Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day’s enduring popularity stems from its combination of folklore, community spirit, and humor. It offers a moment of levity in the depths of winter and connects people to nature and the changing seasons. Bill Murray Groundhog Day. The holiday gained additional cultural significance with the 1993 film Groundhog Day, also known as Mole Day, is an event in the Animal Crossing series. This holiday was left out of Wild World and New Horizons. However, it returns in City Folk and New Leaf. Like the real holiday, the entire village will gather to see if the local mole will predict winter, else the long awaited spring. At 7:00 AM, villagers will congregate around the Wishing Well. The player can If February 2 is a sunny day in Texas and Bob casts a shadow then there will be six more weeks of winter. If it's cloudy and he doesn't cast a shadow, then spring will come early. "We don't need no mangy groundhog in Pennsylvania predicting the weather for us," founder of a Groundhog Day succession movement, T. Booth said. To add to the fanfare 1993 - Columbia Pictures releases the movie, "Groundhog Day," starring Bill Murray.In the years following the release of the movie, crowds numbering as high as 30,000 have visited Gobbler's Knob 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. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has called for a change to Groundhog Day, suggesting the Punxsutawney Phil tradition be replaced with a weather-reveal cake, similar to gender The groundhog is known as Punxsutawney Phil, because the town where the Groundhog Day tradition originated is called Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. A big celebration is still held in the town to this (Apparently Groundhog tastes like a cross between pork and chicken. YIKES!) The Groundhog feast eventually faded away (thankfully) but the visit to Gobbler’s Knob continued, and became more ritualistic. Since the release of the film Groundhog Day, the crowd in Punxsutawney has grown from 2000 to over 10,000 visitors. The Groundhog, or woodchuck, is a large rodent in the Sciuridae, or squirrel, family. This species lives throughout much of North America. They are most famous for their namesake “Groundhog’s Day,” which revolves around the animal seeing or not seeing its shadow. Read on to learn about the Groundhog.
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