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 In 1886, Groundhog Day was acknowledged for the first time in Punxsutawney by a local newspaper, Weathers Wags, according to the club. In 1887, the first official pilgrimage to see Phil on Gobbler The Groundhog Day tradition dates back to Germany where a badger was used to determine the coming of spring. DamianKuzdak/Getty Images Places like Missouri, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin have The Groundhog Day celebration at Gobbler's Knob started in 1887. Aside from a 10-year gap, records for each prognostication have been meticulously kept. 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, 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. Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil during the 138th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger) Originally, Groundhog Day was a Celtic festival marking the year’s first cross-quarter day, or a midpoint between seasons. Read more about the ancient Celtic calendar here. Celebrated at the beginning of February, the day was called Imbolc —a term from Old Irish that is most often translated as “in the belly”—a reference to the soon The club says Groundhog Day is the same today as when it first started — if the old-timey garb and scrolls are any sign — just with far more participants. He runs a long-term project that It’s Groundhog Day. And it’s a special one. The birth of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, custodians of famed weather prognosticator Punxsutawney Phil, was 130 years ago, in Punxsutawney Groundhog Day can go either way weather-wise for Portland, Maine. The warmest was 48 degrees in 192, 1973, 1981, and 2016. Also read: January in Maine sees below-average temps and snowfall. Attendance at the town’s annual groundhog event ballooned from 1,000 people to more than 35,000. The film also created a modern idiom—the repetition of a monotonous or unpleasant situation is said to be experiencing a Groundhog Day—even though repetition has nothing to do with the tradition of Groundhog Day other than its annual observance. The main event is on February 3rd, running from 12 PM to 9 PM at Port Farms and Poverty Knob Farmhouse Ales. The day is packed with activities, including live music by Earth Angel (1–4 PM) and In a Fox 32 special report, Jake Hamilton takes a look back at what it was like when Groundhog Day was being filmed just outside Chicago. Jan. 30 and, of course, runs through Feb. 2. Get ready to join the loop of excitement with our unique Groundhog Day 5k! We're embracing the spirit of déjà vu as you tackle a .6 mile loop not once, but five times, mirroring our very own Groundhog's Day adventure. Set in the vibrant Eureka Youth Sports Complex, this event promises camaraderie and fun. Groundhog Day Schedule & Info; Community Events; Buses to Gobbler’s Knob will run continuously from 3 a.m. until 2 p.m. from and returning to the following The Groundhog Day 5k Will Start near the Woodstock Train Station and race by famous filming locations from the "Groundhog Day" Movie. All Proceeds will support the Woodstock High School Backers Club. Packet Pickup will happen at the Woodstock Square from 5pm to 7pm on Friday Jan 31st. In a Jan. 20 statement, PETA announced that it has offered the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club a free vegan cake every year if it allows Punxsutawney Phil to retire. “Groundhog Day has been celebrated in the United States since at least February 2, 1886,” the website reads. we would be remiss not to honor the longest-running weather-forecasting
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