The groundwork has been laid for a sunrise ceremony Monday when international woodchuck celebrity Punxsutawney Phil’s annual long-term weather forecast will be announced — six more weeks of winter or an early spring.
Tens of thousands of revelers will be descending on Gobbler’s Knob in rural Pennsylvania to witness this year’s prognostication, which will be made after groundhog Phil gets brought to the stage from his hatch on a tree stump.
Last year’s announcement was six more weeks of winter, by far Phil’s more common assessment and not much of a surprise during the first week of February. His top-hatted handlers in the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club insist Phil’s “groundhogese” of winks, purrs, chatters and nods are being interpreted when they relate the meteorological marmot’s musings about the days ahead.
This is the first Groundhog Day for Phil’s new “zoo” at Gobbler’s Knob, where he splits time when he’s not inside his longstanding home beside the town library.
The national popularity of Groundhog Day was supercharged by the 1993 Bill Murray film of the same name, turning it into a marketing juggernaut and a beloved tradition steeped in history and community celebration.
Punxsutawney club members say there are two types of people who show up at Phil’s spot — those cheering for an early spring and doubters wanting to affirm their skepticism regarding Phil’s predictions.
Groundhog Day falls on February 2, a significant midpoint in the winter that interlinks many cultural calendars and celebrations, representing much more than just the weather forecast.
