CLEVELAND, Ohio – Millions of people tune in or bundle up each Feb. 2 to watch a groundhog named Phil predict the weather from a small town in western Pennsylvania.
Groundhog Day has been celebrated for more than a century, but many people have unanswered questions about the furry forecaster in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Here are some facts you might not know about the tradition:
Why do we celebrate Groundhog Day?
The celebration is rooted in Christianity, when people in Europe would take their candles to the church to have them blessed for the winter during a holiday called Candlemas. The tradition evolved when an English folk song suggested the day would predict the weather: “If Candlemas be fair and bright, Come, Winter, have another flight; If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Go Winter, and come not again.”
When Germany was introduced to the lore, followers there believed if a hedgehog saw a shadow on Candlemas Day, there would be a second winter. When Germans immigrated to the United States, and with the absence of hedgehogs in the ecosystem, another hibernating rodent was chosen. In 1886, Groundhog Day made its first appearance in the local Punxsutawney newspaper.
Why is the city called Punxsutawney?
Punxsutawney got its name from Native American legends. According to the city’s historical and genealogical society, Native Americans called the land Ponksaduteney, which meant the “town of the sandflies” after a young chief killed a man who practiced “evil medicine.” His body was burned and “miraculously turned to searing sandflies, or ‘ponksad,’ which plagued the area.”
Now, the small, western Pennsylvania city, called Punxy by people who live there, is a rustic area about three hours east from Cleveland. Travelers who have seen the “Groundhog Day” movie starring Bill Murray might be surprised by the humble, down-to-earth atmosphere the city gives off. The movie was actually filmed in Woodstock, Illinois, and is screened in Punxsutawney’s City Hall repeatedly during the coming weekend.
Who is Punxsutawney Phil?
Punxsutawney Phil, also known as the Prognosticator of Prognosticators, the Seer of Seers and Weather Forecaster Extraordinaire, is a groundhog who comes out of his burrow after a long winter sleep each Feb. 2 to look for his shadow. If he sees it, he regards it as an omen of six more weeks of bad weather and returns to his hole. If the day is cloudy and shadowless, he takes it as a sign of spring and stays above ground.
Early observances of Phil’s predictions were conducted privately in the wooded areas that neighbor the town. Today’s celebration sees tens of thousands of people from all over the world as revelers await Phil’s appearance at Gobbler’s Knob visitor center.
How often does Phil see his shadow?
The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club said Phil has seen his shadow 103 times since the first Groundhog Day celebration. He has predicted 18 early springs, according to records. There were no recordings for the first several years.
Can other animals predict the weather?
Other cities have started their own tradition with animals that supposedly predict the weather. In Portland, Oregon, the zoo’s Fufu the Hedgehog tries to predict the weather. Texans turn to an armadillo named Bee Cave Bob for their forecast.
Other prognosticators include “Sand Mountain Sam,” an opossum from Albertville, Alabama, and Ohio’s Buckeye Chuck. Whether you believe the legend or not, the Groundhog Club, the official fan club for the holiday, argues that there is only one furry forecaster that can be trusted – Punxsutawney Phil. All others are imposters.
Who are the people in top hats in Punxsutawney?
The Inner Circle is a group of local dignitaries responsible for carrying on the tradition of Groundhog Day and other celebrations. If you have been to the city for Groundhog Day or watched it from home, the members of the Inner Circle wear tuxedos and top hats. They present Phil and read his prognostication each Feb 2.
What is the Groundhog Club and can anyone join?
For a $20 donation, anyone can join the official Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. As a member, you will receive an official membership card signed by the official keeper of the Legend of Punxsutawney Phil, the President of the Groundhog Club.
You will also receive a copy of his “Official Proclamation” made annually on Feb. 2 and advance notice of the activities planned for the annual Groundhog Day Celebration. You are invited to a members reception in Punxsutawney on Feb. 1st held by the Inner Circle.
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