Punxsutawney Groundhog Day, Feb. 2

Long before Groundhog Day celebrations began in Pennsylvania, there was the Christian celebration of Candlemas in Germany. This tradition consisted of blessed candles distributed among Christians who would then predict the long winter, or “Second Winter,” based on the clarity of the candle-lit sky.

German immigrants eventually brought this tradition to Pennsylvania, where a bit of folklore adapted Candlemas into Groundhog Day as we know it today.

In 1886, a group of hunters in Punxsutawney declared Phil, a local groundhog, a weather-prognosticating marmot. This news caught on quickly with the locals and made the papers, evolving into the most famous Groundhog Day tradition. The official start of Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pa., actual took place on Feb. 2, 1887.

Punxsutawney Phil is still celebrated as the world’s most famous weather-predicting groundhog. Celebrate in Punxsutawney where the tradition began with cornhole competitions and top hat decorating. The event is free and there will be activities in celebration of Phil’s 131st prediction.