It’s Groundhog Day, Let’s Celebrate

Today’s a good day to shake off all those worldly worries and enjoy something that amuses, entertains and brings each and every one of us a little bit of joy.

So here you go …

While Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil is predicting six more weeks of winter for 2021, Canada’s Wiarton Willie and Shubenacadie Sam are both forecasting an early spring.

In Pennsylvania, the annual Groundhog Day celebration was virtual for the first time ever with viewers from all over the world tuning in to see Punxsutawney Phil make his annual prediction.

For the 135th time, Punxsutawney Phil made his annual weather prognostication and this year, he saw his shadow and is predicting six more weeks of winter.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf said: “Groundhog Day is a beloved Pennsylvania tradition that has been embraced wholeheartedly by Phil’s faithful fans from around the world for generations.”

The Governor continued: “Although we couldn’t celebrate together in person this year, viewers could experience the magic of Phil’s prediction virtually by watching from their homes while prioritizing everyone’s health and safety.”

A Little Background

The story of the holiday tradition declares that if the groundhog emerges early on the morning of February 2 and sees his shadow, we will have six more weeks of winter weather. Should he not see his shadow, we will have an early spring. The annual event began in 1886, when a spirited group of groundhog hunters dubbed themselves “The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club” and proclaimed Punxsutawney Phil to be the one and only weather prognosticating groundhog.

In 2020, the annual event attracted more than 30,000 visitors to Punxsutawney, Jefferson County, located about 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. This year’s virtual event — a first for the one-of-a-kind tradition — featured live demonstrations, holiday recipes, themed playlists, social media giveaways, and a live stream of Phil’s prognostication.

Go to https://www.visitpa.com/live-stream-phils-prediction to check it out.

Early Spring For Canada

Here in Canada, Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam also went virtual for his 2021 foretelling of the weather.

Sam emerged from his burrow at the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park early this morning (about an hour before other prognosticating groundhogs in North America) and didn’t see his shadow, meaning that we’re looking at an early spring.

Yeah, Sam!

Take a look at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viXWPp_NG0w

In Ontario, Wiarton Willie also went virtual this year, emerging from his home to also predict that an early spring is in the forecast.

Good for you, Willie.

If you want to check it out, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFUyZySOLAo&feature=emb_logo

 

PHOTO: Punxsutawney Phil courtesy of the Pennsylvania Tourism Office