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Punxsutawney Phil

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Punxsutawney Phil
Phil in February 2018
Other namePhil
SpeciesGroundhog
SexMale

Punxsutawney Phil (/ˌpʌŋksəˈtɔːni/) is a groundhog residing in Young Township near Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, United States, who is the central figure in Punxsutawney's annual Groundhog Day celebration.

Overview

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The Punxsutawney Groundhog Day celebration is rooted in Germanic tradition that says that if a hibernating animal casts a shadow on February 2, the Christian celebration of Candlemas, winter and cold weather will last another six weeks. If no shadow is seen, legend says, spring will come early. In Germany, the tradition evolved into a myth that if the sun came out on Candlemas, a hedgehog would cast its shadow, predicting snow all the way into May.[1] When German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania, they transferred the tradition onto local fauna, replacing hedgehogs with groundhogs. Several towns in the region on either side of the US-Canada border hold similar Groundhog Day events, though Punxsutawney's event is the most famous.

Punxsutawney's annual civic festival is held on February 2 each year.[2] The central event is a ceremony, which begins well before the winter sunrise, where Phil emerges from his temporary home on Gobbler's Knob, located in a rural area about 2 miles (3 km) southeast of the town. According to the tradition, if Phil sees his shadow and returns to his hole, he has predicted six more weeks of winter-like weather.[2] If Phil does not see his shadow, he has predicted an "early spring."[3] The event formally began in 1887, although its roots go back even further.[4] The event, and other groundhog-related events throughout the year,[5] are organized by the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's "Inner Circle" – recognizable by their top hats and tuxedos.

The event is based upon a communal light-hearted suspension of disbelief which ascribes fantastical abilities to Phil. Ostensibly, Phil communicates his prediction to the president of the Inner Circle, who can magically understand his "Groundhogese" due to possession of an ancient acacia wood cane. The president then directs the vice president to read the a corresonding scroll (one is prepared for each potential outcome), announcing Phil's forecast.[6]

The suspension of disbelief extends to the assertion that Phil is infallible, and occasional incorrect predictions are the errors of those in charge of translating the message rather than Phil himself. Empirical estimates place the predictions' accuracy between 35% and 41%.[7][8][9] Additionally, it is asserted that Phil is the same groundhog who has been making preductions since the 19th century, sustained by drinks of "groundhog punch" or "elixir of life" administered at the annual Groundhog Picnic in the fall.[10]

Phil's official statue, April 2006

Outside of Groundhog Day, Phil resided with a mate, Phyllis, at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library in a climate-controlled environment. In March 2024, the Inner Circle announced that Phil had sired two babies, the first time in the history of the event that such a siring had happened; the birth surprised the Inner Circle, which had assumed that groundhogs do not breed in captivity. As a result of the births, the Groundhog club was working to build a larger environment for the family at Gobbler's Knob.[11]

Phil first received his name in 1961. The origins of the name are unclear, but speculation suggests that it may have been indirectly named after Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.[12]

Reception

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The event in Punxsutawney attracted crowds of approximately 2,000 prior to 1993. However, the popularity of the film Groundhog Day brought significantly more attention to the event, with annual crowds rising to 10,000–20,000.[citation needed] The event has been streamed online each year since 2018.[13] The ceremony in 2021 took place without any crowds, due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.[14][15]

Three governors of Pennsylvania have attended the festivities while in office: Ed Rendell in 2003, Tom Corbett in 2012, and Josh Shapiro in 2023,[16] 2024[17] and 2025.[18] Shapiro named Phil state meteorologist during the 2024 ceremony.[17]

In some cases where Phil's prognostications have been incorrect, organizations have jokingly made legal threats against the groundhog. Such tongue-in-cheek actions have been made by a prosecutor in Ohio,[19] the Monroe County, Pennsylvania sheriff's office,[20] and the Merrimack, New Hampshire Police Department.[21] People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals object to the event, claiming that Phil is put under stress. They suggest replacing Phil with a robotic groundhog.[22]

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Miniature replica at MRRV, Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh
  • Phil and the town of Punxsutawney were portrayed in the 1993 film Groundhog Day. However, the movie was actually filmed in Woodstock, Illinois.[23]
    • In Groundhog Day, the 2016 Broadway musical adaptation of the film, Phil is ascribed a more mythical role.
  • In 1995, Phil was flown to Chicago for a guest appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, which aired on Groundhog Day, February 2, 1995.[24]
  • A 2002 episode of the children's animated series Stanley, titled "Searching for Spring", featured Punxsutawney Phil.
  • Phil was the main attraction in "Groundhog Day", the April 10, 2005, episode of the MTV series Viva La Bam. In the episode, street skater Bam Margera holds a downhill race in honor of Punxsutawney Phil at Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Macungie, Pennsylvania.
  • The Pennsylvania Lottery's mascot is a groundhog named Gus, referred to in commercials as "the second most famous groundhog in Pennsylvania", in deference to Phil.[25] Since the Groundhog Club Inner Circle has trademarked the use of the name "Punxsutawney Phil," no commercial entity may use the name without permission.
  • Phil is the protagonist of the 2024 play How to Kill a Rodent. In the play, Canadians Guy and Carrie go to Punxsutawney to commit an act of terrorism against the United States by assassinating Phil on live television.[26]

Historical predictions

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Punxsutawney Phil's predictions[27][28]
1886 1887 1888 1889
1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899
1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909
1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
  Six more weeks of winter (109)
  Early spring (20)
  "War clouds have blacked out parts of the shadow." (1)
  No appearance (event canceled) (1)
  No record (10)

Predictive accuracy

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See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Groundhog Day, Hedgehogs and Candlemas". www.bellaonline.com. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Groundhog Day 2020 Guide: Punxsutawney Phil facts, tips for going to Gobbler's Knob and more". pennlive. January 28, 2020. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Groundhog.org FAQ". Groundhog.org. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Groundhog Day: History and Facts". History.com. Archived from the original on February 6, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  5. ↑ "About Us". Punxsutawney Groundhog club.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ↑ TODAY (February 1, 2020). Every Day Is Groundhog Day For Punxsutawney Phil’s Caretakers | TODAY Original. Retrieved January 15, 2025 – via YouTube.
  7. ↑ "Groundhog Forecasters versus the U.S. Temperature Record". NOAA National Climatic Data Center. Archived from the original on February 5, 2013. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Groundhog Day Forecasts and Climate History". National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). February 1, 2017. Archived from the original on September 30, 2022. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Phil's Groundhog Day prediction: 6 more weeks of winter". AP NEWS. February 2, 2023. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Fun Facts". The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Punxsutawney Phil surprises, starts family with 2 baby groundhogs". ABC27. March 27, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  12. ↑ Reilly, Lucas; Thompson, Austin (February 1, 2019). "The Curious (and Possibly Murderous) Origins of Punxsutawney Phil's Name". Mental Floss. Archived from the original on February 3, 2019. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  13. ↑ "What Time Does the Groundhog Come Out on Groundhog Day?". Travel + Leisure. Archived from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow and predicts six more weeks of winter". CNN. February 2, 2021. Archived from the original on February 2, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  15. ↑ Carlson, Peter (February 3, 2004). "His Moment in the Sun". Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 18, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  16. ↑ Deto, Ryan (February 1, 2023). "Shapiro to become just 3rd sitting governor to attend Pa.'s Groundhog Day celebration". TribLIVE.com. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  17. 1 2 Shannon, Bill (February 2, 2024). "Punxsutawney Phil declared Pennsylvania's official meteorologist". abc27.com. Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Punxsutawney Phil Predicts Six More Weeks of Winter". exploreClarion. February 2, 2025. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Prosecutor indicts groundhog for misrepresentation of early spring". WHIO-TV. March 21, 2013. Archived from the original on March 24, 2013. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  20. ↑ Samenow, Jason (March 28, 2018). "There is a Warrant Out for the Punxsutawney Phil's Arrest. Give the Groundhog a Break". Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  21. ↑ Durando, Jessica. "Police want to take Punxsutawney Phil into custody". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on February 8, 2022. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  22. ↑ "No more Punxsutawney Phil? It's 'long overdue' for an AI groundhog instead, PETA says". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  23. ↑ Wardle, Lisa (January 6, 2017). "2 Punxsutawneys: Compare 'Groundhog Day' film locations to the real town". pennlive. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  24. ↑ Pulling, Anne Frances (2001). Around Punxsutawney (Images of America). Arcadia Publishing. p. 128. ISBN 978-0-7385-0530-5.
  25. ↑ "Gus the Groundhog is Back by Popular Demand". Pennsylvania Lottery. November 25, 2015. Archived from the original on August 1, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  26. ↑ "How to Kill a Rodent". Next Stage Press. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  27. ↑ "Groundhog Day". Stormfax Weather Almanac. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
  28. ↑ Mendoza, Jordan. "Every Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil predicts the future weather. How often is he right?". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2023.

Further reading

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40°55′49″N 78°57′28″W / 40.9302°N 78.9578°W / 40.9302; -78.9578

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