Five Fun Facts About Groundhog Day
Happy New Year! It’s time to make plans now for Groundhog Day February 2, 2018!
Did you know…
Groundhog Day is always on February 2.
We often get the question, when is Groundhog Day? Well, it is always February 2nd which means the day of the week it falls on changes with the year. When Groundhog Day is on a week day, the crowds can be anywhere between 10,000- 15,000 people. When Groundhog Day is on a weekend, the crowds increase in size to 20,000- 30,000 people. Groundhog Day 2018 will be on a Friday which means a large crowd!
There has only ever been one Punxsutawney Phil since 1886.
One, yes, you read that correctly. We always hear from the skeptics, ‘There is no way!’ Well Groundhoggers, every September the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club has an Annual Picnic were Phil receives the Elixir of Life Groundhog Punch. With each sip Phil takes, he receives seven more years of life and longevity. So, to do the math- Phil is at least 133 years old. This past September alone, he took 4 sips of the Elixir. That’s 28 years of longevity friends!
Groundhog Day is for locals, regional residents, and tourists alike.
There is something for everyone. What does that mean? Well, that means there are events for everyone whether you live near or far. We have a 3-day long celebration where there is a vast array of entertainment, food vendors, craft vendors, and much more. Do you like music? We have that. Are you a foodie? We have a Groundhog Grub Food Tour and many different options for dining. Do you like groundhog crafts? We have groundhog everything. Check out the Groundhog Day 2018 Schedule and Travel Guide to see the following times for the annual banquet, a ball, dueling pianos, many kid’s activities, dog shows, contests, and much more!
Groundhog Day is the perfect continual Bucket List item.
Since the movie, Bucket List, made its debut we have seen a huge influx of people wanting to cross Groundhog Day off their Bucket List. It is a true piece of Americana that is still pure to the legend and tradition. Groundhog Day is a holiday about pure and simple fun. Imagine being in the middle of the woods, in Western PA, during the middle of the winter, in the middle of the night with thousands of new friends, with fireworks going off above your head- waiting to hear the prognostication of the World Famous, Punxsutawney Phil. Pure bliss and excitement you can only find in one place, Gobbler’s Knob on Groundhog Day.
Groundhog Day is an international holiday.
The Legend of Groundhog Day has German roots with ties to Candlemas Day, a day that was celebrated in the midpoint of winter. Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil attracts visitors from across the world. People become enthralled with the Legend that spanned many decades. We see visitors from numerous countries each year. We hold a contest during the summer months called, the Worldwide Adventures of Phil. With this contest, participants take a photograph of Phil and show him all over whatever area they desire. They submit the pictures and a winner is selected and receive Inner Circle Section Passes for Groundhog Day along with many other prizes. We have had winners in our International Category from Spain and Japan, just to name a few, spend Groundhog Day with us.
See you February 2, 2018 in Punxsutawney in the Pennsylvania Wilds!
- Learn more and see travel planning tips at the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club website.
- For more Groundhog Day travel planning, visit our travel partner, the Pennsylvania Great Outdoors.
- Check out this Travel Channel Article!
The Appeal of Groundhog Day – “Groundhog Day draws thousands of visitors from around the world to see if Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow or not.”