Ground Hog Day 2024 checked on bucket list- Local couple see Phil in person

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Punxsutawney Phil, the marmot prognosticator came to be in 1961, as “Phil;” but was the major indicator of spring since 1886 (NPR, 2024).

Early German immigrants brought the marmot prediction (using hedgehogs) to America with them, as tradition. However, hedgehogs are not native to the German’s new country, the US.

As with many times, necessity is the mother of invention! A “new” rodent was chosen to predict spring. Viola! The Prognosticating Ground Hog is “born!”

Many have seen the movie, Ground Hog Day. Many weather-persons are as good as “Phil” at predicting weather trends, about 40% accuracy. Whichever it is, attendance in Punxsutawney, PA and Gobbler’s Knob, is at all time highs of more than 30,000 people! The local town of Punxsutawney is home to only about 6,000 people in the “off season.”

Rick and Cindy Edwards, Versailles, had previously spoke of visiting for Ground Hog Day, and loving “small town adventure,” Rick said “Let’s just go!” Cindy started researching, booked a room and the path to Punxsutawney was set.

The Edwards were among those who made the pilgrimage to PA to observe the official Ground Hog Day prognosticator himself. They left Versailles and arrived in Clarian, PA on February 1, six hours after departure.

The Edwards settled into a lovely Inn in Clarian (40 miles/minutes) from the festivities. The Edwards then set out to explore, so they would be in the right place (on February 2) before dawn to see Phil and his weather prediction.

There, in Punxsutawney, the Edwards found a vicarious weekend festival. The festival featured chainsaw-carved statues of the pleasant prognosticator himself,