February 2 marks the 134th annual Groundhog's Day in the U.S., a tradition signifying either an extended winter or an early spring.
The iconic groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, will come out of his burrow and according to the legends of the day, if he sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter but if he doesn't see his shadow, it means that the spring season is coming early. The weather of the day plays a crucial role in whether or not Phil sees his shadow, considering that clouds will block a shadow.
Groundhog's Day 2020 will take place at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on Sunday, February 2. Punxsutawney Phil is expected to come out of the ground at approximately 7:25 a.m. ET.
How to watch
Fans will be able to livestream the event at VisitPA's website, https://visitpa.com/live-stream-phils-prediction
For fans that would like to attend the actual event instead of watching a stream, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club provides transportation to Phil's location. There will be busses from three different locations to Gobbler's Knob, starting at 3 a.m. ET on Saturday until the final bus at 6:30 a.m. ET Sunday. It is free to watch Phil's prognostication but the busses to Gobbler's Knob cost $5 per person.
In addition to Phil coming out of the ground, there will also be a number of other events going on. According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, the events start on Friday, January 31 at 12 p.m. ET and extend until Sunday, February 2 at 3 p.m. ET. Some of the events include tours, scavenger hunts, an art show, and plenty of dining options.
According to History.com, the first Groundhog Day celebration occurred on February 2, 1887, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The day stemmed from the idea of a local newspaper editor, Clymer Freas. He was able to sell his idea to a number of businessmen and groundhog hunters, who became known as the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.
Today, the celebration is conducted by a group of men who call themselves the "Inner Circle." They are known for wearing their black top hats and conduct the celebration while speaking in the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect.
According to the National Center for Environmental Information, Phil has predicted 104 forecasts of a longer winter and 18 forecasts of early spring and has been right 40 percent of the time over the past 10 years.
There are also some other groundhogs that come out of their holes on February 2, to predict a longer winter or an early spring. In Staten Island, New York, another groundhog named Staten Island Chuck will come out on Sunday, as well as Buckeye Chuck from Ohio.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Matthew Impelli is a Newsweek staff writer based in New York. His focus is reporting social issues and crime. In ... Read more
