Groundhog Day 2024
The Prognosticator of Prognosticators, Punxsutawney Phil, will once again appear at sunrise on Feb. 2 at Gobbler's Knob in the Pennsylvania Wilds to make his annual prediction on the 138th Groundhog Day.
Stay tuned all year long for updates or join in the conversation using #GHD2024 on your social media channels. Follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest for live coverage of this #PABucketList event.
The Pennsylvania Tradition of the Groundhog
What does a sleepy, furry marmot have to do with seasonal change? According to fans of Punxsutawney Phil, everything! But why?
The story begins with Candlemas, an early Christian holiday where candles were blessed and distributed. Celebrators of the holiday eventually declared clear skies on Candlemas meant a longer winter. The Roman legions, during the conquest of the northern country, brought this tradition to the Germanic tribes who concluded that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day a hedgehog would cast a shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of bad weather or "Second Winter." German immigrants brought the tradition to Pennsylvania; but how did Punxsutawney Phil emerge?
In 1886, a spirited group of groundhog hunters from Punxsutawney dubbed themselves "The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club." One member was an editor of Punxsutawney's newspaper. Using his ink, he proclaimed Punxsutawney Phil, the local groundhog, to be the one and only weather prognosticating groundhog. He issued this proclamation on Candlemas, and yes, Groundhog Day. Phil's fame spread, and newspapers from around the globe began to report his Gobbler's Knob prediction. Today you will find up to 30,000 in attendance and millions watching on television or streaming on the internet.
For more information, visit Punxsutawney's official Groundhog website.
News & Press Information
For all the latest news on Feb. 2 and interesting story angles check out our press materials below. If you'd like to snag an interview with the Inner Circle or have other media questions, visit our PA media room
- Groundhog Day Attractions
- History of Groundhog Day
- Pennsylvania Wilds Snapshot
- 2024 Groundhog Day Virtual Events
- Media Talking Points
- Satellite Coordinates
Find out more about the Pennsylvania Wilds, the region home to Punxsutawney and its loveable groundhog.