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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 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 On February 2, 1887, Groundhog Day, featuring a rodent meteorologist, is celebrated for the first time at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.According to tradition, if a groundhog 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 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. 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 weather prognosticating groundhog (though Phil didn't get his name until 1961). The first Gobbler's Knob ceremony took place the next year, and the rest is Feb. 2 is one of the quirkiest and most whimsical traditions celebrated in North America – Groundhog Day! The holiday finds its roots in a German tradition that dates back to the 18th century. The legend goes that if a hibernating animal, often a Badger or a “Dachstag” in German, saw its shadow on Candlemas 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. Groundhog Day fans aren’t able to arrive at the official “Gobbler’s Knob” grounds until they open at 3 a.m. ET. Since the holiday has evolved over time, Groundhog Day activities don’t just end after Phil makes his predictions. In fact, celebratory events continue throughout the rest of the week — including the Groundhog Ball on Feb. 3. "Groundhog Day is a film that resonates with audiences on a deep level. It‘s a story about the power of self-reflection, personal growth, and the importance of living each day to the fullest." – Roger Ebert, film critic. The movie‘s popularity had a significant impact on the real-life Groundhog Day celebration in Punxsutawney. How did Groundhog Day start? According to the club , the holiday began as a part of the Christian celebration of Candlemas Day in Europe, which was first observed in A.D. 350. How did Groundhog Day start? According to the club , the holiday began as a part of the Christian celebration of Candlemas Day in Europe, which was first observed in A.D. 350. Updated February 2, 2024 at 8:19 AM ET. On Friday morning, thousands of early risers either tuned in or bundled up to watch Punxsutawney Phil emerge from a tree stump and predict the weather. List of dates for other years. Upcoming holidays in the United States. Holidays in the United States 2025. Holidays in the United States 2026. Groundhog Day falls on February 2 in the United States, coinciding with Candlemas. Groundhog Day has its roots in ancient midwinter ceremonies. How did the U.S. end up celebrating Groundhog Day in the first place? It dates back to ancient traditions — first pagan, then Christian — marking the halfway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox, says Troy Harman, a history professor at Penn State University who also works as a ranger at Gettysburg National 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 Here's how Groundhog Day became a thing Groundhog Day can be traced to even older holidays from pre-Christian times. Groundhog Day Holidays. on now. 10:30AM: Today in New York Martin Luther King Jr., Day, in the United States, holiday (third Monday in January) honoring the achievements of the civil-rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Established as a federal holiday in 1983, it is usually celebrated with marches and parades and with speeches by civil rights and political leaders. Most of us know the tradition: on February 2, our old friend the groundhog will emerge from hibernation, come out of his den, and predict whether winter will deliver more cold weather this year. If the groundhog sees his shadow, the story goes, cold weather will persist another few weeks. If not, warm weather is around the corner. If you like the folklore of holidays, you may be interested to Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating groundhog, during the 137th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa., Feb. 2, 2023.
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