Are you ready for Spring?
Every Groundhog Day, Canadians eagerly await the highly anticipated weather prediction of their local groundhog.
On February 2nd, the groundhog will emerge from its burrow. If he sees his shadow, tradition says winter will continue for another six weeks, if the groundhog does not see his shadow, spring is coming soon!
We celebrate the event every year, but do you know the history behind the tradition?
Here are 5 things you need to know about Groundhog Day:
The tradition stems from a German celebration
The shadow concept stems from Germany and the holiday, Candlemas, where early European Christians believed if the sun came out on February 2nd winter would last another six weeks.
Groundhog Day is North America’s take on the tradition, observed in Canada and the United States.
The first North American Groundhog Day celebration involved eating groundhogs
The first Groundhog Day celebration in North America took place in 1887 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
According to a Pennsylvania Dutch superstition, if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den and Winter will continue for six more weeks. If it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early.
After sightseers celebrated the first groundhog’s weather prediction, the crowd dined on a feast made up of various groundhog dishes.
The Groundhog Day movie put Punxsutawney Phil on the map
Groundhog Day, a 1993 film featuring Bill Murray, tells the story of a weatherman reporting on Groundhog Day who gets stuck in a time loop, repeating the same day over and over.
The film takes place in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania as Murray reports on Punxsutawney Phil’s weather prediction.
After the film was released, the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney exploded, drawing crowds of up to 30,000 people, making it the most attended celebration.
Wiarton Willie is Canada’s official groundhog
In Canada, Wiarton Willie is the official groundhog we look to for answers as to whether or not we will see six more weeks of Winter or the arrival of spring.
Willie lives in Bruce County, Ontario, where the Wiarton Willie Festival takes place every year on February 2nd.
There are many famous groundhogs across Canada
Across Canada, there are many famous groundhogs the public looks to for weather predictions.
Shubenacadie Sam of Nova Scotia is the first Groundhog Day prediction in North America as he lives in the Atlantic Time Zone.
Canada’s French groundhog, Fred la marmotte, lives in Val-d’Espoir, Québec
Wiarton Willy is Canada’s most popular groundhog. He lives in Bruce County, Ontario,
In Manitoba, Merv has been leading local Groundhog Day celebrations for nearly 30 years.
Although groundhogs are plentiful in most parts of Canada, they aren’t found in southern Alberta. Therefore, Balzac Billy the “Prairie Prognosticator” is a man-sized groundhog mascot from Balzac, Alberta.
Finally, Chopper, Marlu and Van Isle Violet, are three Vancouver Island Marmots who predict the forecast in Nanaimo.
What do you think his prediction will be?
