IT'S GROUNDHOG DAY!!!

[Golddollar]

As an Ambassador of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club (appointed 1992), I want to wish everybody a Happy Groundhog Day. Despite the lockdown, the show must go on, and a live feed from Gobbler's Knob was sent out to the world. The Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club made their 135th trek to commune with the Seer of Seers, Punxsutawney Phil. According to legend, Phil, in the ancient dialect of Groundhogese, communicated to the Groundhog Club President Jeff Lundy which of the scrolls contained the prediction of the coming weather. Phil's revelation was "There is a perfect shadow cast of me, Six more weeks of winter there will be."

Having attended the Groundhog Day ceremony many times in the past, it was a different sensation this year. Where before there would be thousands of Fans of Phil packed together waiting for Phil's prediction, this year Groundhog Day was done as a virtual event with a live feed of the ceremony and much historical footage of the history of Groundhog Day.

I was fortunate to have been able to attend the ceremony in person for 20 years. Health issues make it a little tough on me to stand out in sub-freezing weather now, so I was glad I was able to view the ceremony live from my home.

So to everyone on the Forum, HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY!!!

 

[Muss Muggins]

The movie will be on repeat on AMC starting at 9 AM CST . . .

 

[Golddollar]

In honor of today I decided to watch my Special Edition DVD of "Groundhog Day."

Back in 1992, I saw Bill Murray at the Groundhog Day ceremony. He stayed hidden until it was just about over so he wouldn't disrupt anything, and the Inner Circle put a top hat on him and he got to hold Phil. The movie was in production at the time and the story I heard is that when Bill Murray went back to the production site he did a re-write on the script based on what he saw from being at the actual ceremony. From my observations that was probably the case.

 

[Spajohn]

What qualifications does it take to become a member of The Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club?
Is there a secret handshake or something?

 

[Golddollar]

What qualifications does it take to become a member of The Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club?
Is there a secret handshake or something?

The only definitive qualifications I can think of is being a resident of the Punxsutawney area, and being a member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. I received the appointment as an Ambassador as a person who did not reside in the area but had helped to spread the legend of Punxsutawney Phil.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Is the ancient language of Ground Hogs any relation to Whistle Pig Latin?

I did my monthly work today and was outside all morning, No ground hogs saw their shadow in Central Ohio! I don't even think they came out to look because the effort would involve tunneling through 2 to 3 inches of frozen slush and whatever snow drift that was on top of that!

Ivan

 

[BC38]

Watching it on AMC as I type this. One of my favorite Bill Murray movies - right up there with Caddy Shack, & Stripes.

 

[Sistema1927]

My wife is in the hospital, complications from COVID on her kidney transplant*. I thought she would be coming home today, and when I called her this morning I said "It's groundhog day!"

Guess what I will say to her tomorrow morning?

*We both contracted COVID at the same time, unknown source. She immediately went into the hospital 11 days ago. I stayed at home under the remote direction of my PCP. My fever broke last Friday, and I have been feeling better each day. She is improving, but the disease upset the delicate balance of blood pressure, blood sugar, sodium, kidney function, etc., which they are getting back into balance.

 

[robvious]

I was worried this was going to turn into a "what caliber for groundhog" thing.. lol

 

[pawngal]

He sure wouldn't have seen his shadow here. Dense fog most all day.
Winter is going to get serious this weekend. Lows -15 to -20.

 

[paplinker]

Funny thing is unless your the newest Phil,being a ground hog up around Punxy is not a good idea. Farmers and hunters shoot them on sight. They cause a good bit of livestock injuries I was told.

I am curios what the oldest video footage is of this event. It would be interesting to see something from the 40s or so.

 

[yaktamer]

I'm still waiting for Chupacabra Day.

 

[Golddollar]

I am curios what the oldest video footage is of this event. It would be interesting to see something from the 40s or so.

My parents and their siblings grew up in and around Punxsutawney, PA, and as a child I spent a lot of weekends there visiting my grandparents. So my connection to the Groundhog Day celebration goes way back.

I attended the ceremony every year from 1989 through 2009.
When I went to the ceremony in 1989, the crowd was estimated at 800 people. After the Groundhog Day movie came out in 1993, the size of the crowds just skyrocketed.

From what I can recollect, serious marketing of videos began in 1992, about the same time the movie was in production. My dad and my soon to be stepmother were interviewed on one of the videos. I don't know if this VHS video is still available. I checked the Groundhog Club website and didn't see anything of the type listed for sale.

 

[Eric300]