Groundhog Day 2017

What’s The Real Story Behind Groundhog Day

... of light. In some sects of Christianity, this day came to honor the ritual purification of Mary, 40 days after the birth of Jesus. Also, Christians remember the presentation of Jesus Christ in the temple. 40 days after the birth of a Jewish boy, it was Hebrew tradition to take a boy infant to the temple in Jerusalem to be presented to God by his thankful parents. Regardless, Candelmas continued the pagan tradition of celebrating the lengthening days in the northern hemisphere. Why Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania? Fast-forward thousands of years to emigrants arriving to the United States. Many of Germanic ancestry settled in what was the Dutch colony of Pennsylvania. Drawn by the religious tolerance of the Quakers who settled there, many German emigrants kept their traditions– but transferred them onto local flora and fauna. The hedgehog was replaced by the North American groundhog. The traditional mantra of a burrowing animal seeing a shadow meaning 6 more weeks of winter ...

The Full Schedule Of Events In Punxsutawney

... party with gifts for anyone who can prove they have a Feb. 2 birthday. Punxsutawney Community Center, 220 N. Jefferson St. 10 a.m.: "Groundhog Day" screening. Punxsutawney Community Center, 220 N. Jefferson St. 10 a.m.: Top hat decorating contest for children up to 12 years old. Supplies provided. Barclay Square celebration tent, 300 E. Mahoning St. Groundhog Day is the most romantic day of the year. 10 a.m.-noon: Wedding and vow renewal ceremonies. No walk-ins available. Barclay Square and the Civic Center, 301 E. Mahoning St. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Oreo stacking contest for children through age 12. Punxsutawney County Market, 201 N. Hampton Ave. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Groundhog cookie decorating. Cost: $1 per cookie. Punxsutawney County Market, 201 N. Hampton Ave. 10 a.m.: Hay ride historical tour. Departs ...

Rodent Refuses Role. Museum Cancels Groundhog Day

... in grand winter pageants. But not in Charlotte. Our groundhog says no dice. She won’t have it. If you check their contracts, being an official metropolitan groundhog turns out to be a pretty sweet deal. All that’s required is a single appearance on the second morning of February where one prognosticates the remaining length of winter by waddling from the den and casting one’s eyes about. Interpreting your meaning is left to others, and you get the afternoon off. Queen Charlotte, our local prognosticator of climate, says forget it. On Wednesday her keepers – rather like the sheepish mother of a runaway bride – announced that, ahem, her majesty would be skipping the annual fest, instead graciously tweeting her views on winter’s endurance from the privacy of her chambers at Discovery Place Nature. How a stubborn, wee rodent can cow a bunch of ...

All You Need To Know About Punxsutawney Phil

... appear to work on humans. "We've tried, it just makes them fat and bald,"  co-handler Ron Ploucha told Penn Live.  "If you saw some of our Inner Circle members you can tell the ones that tried.". What it's like to handle Punxsutawney Phil (it's a dangerous Groundhog Day task!). He bites. The groundhog's handlers wear chainmail gloves to protect themselves from Phil's large teeth when they anticipate he might put up a fight. What does Phil do in between Groundhog Days. He lives with his wife, Phyllis, in a burrow at Barclay Square next to the Punxsutawney Memorial Library. Visitors can see him at 301 E. Mahoning St. most of the year. Phil has also gotten involved in politics - even threatening 60 weeks of winter if he couldn't get a drink during Prohibition - and claimed to have made  two trips to the moon. That wasn't Phil in "Groundhog Day.". The Punxsutawney groundhog did not make an appearance in the movie that brought fame to his small town (even though it was filmed in Woodstock, Illinois). A groundhog named Scooter and five understudies filled in for Phil on set. ...

Accuracy Rate Of Staten Island Chuck's Predictions

... we take a look back at the storied history of everyone's favorite weather-predicting rodent, Staten Island Chuck. Will Chuck see his shadow, signaling six more weeks of winter? Or won't he, signaling the start of an early spring. You can find out Thursday, Feb. 2, at the Staten Island Zoo , where the ceremony will begin at 7 a.m. with Chuck set to make his prediction at 7:30 a.m. Admission to the ceremony is free. But how accurate is Chuck. According to the Staten Island Zoo, Chuck has 80 percent accuracy on his predictions, including a streak of seven straight correct predictions dating back to 2010. But how do they measure the prediction's accuracy. That's where the kids come in. Local elementary school children are given the task of tracking how many days over the next six weeks are warmer, or atypical, for winter weather. A day when the temperature exceeds 40 degrees is considered atypical. At the end of the six-week period, if there are more atypical weather days than typical weather days, we got an early spring. If ...

Groundhog Day Roots Astronomy Holiday Spiritual Meaning

... Day is tied to the seasons for a very important reason — and it's probably much older than you'd guess. Groundhog Day as we know it started in the 1800 s , when a couple of Pennsylvanians went out to the woods to see if the groundhogs had woken up for spring yet. They were actually spending the day observing Candlemas , which celebrates the day that the baby Jesus was presented to God. This is not the only holiday that shares February 2 with Groundhog Day — people have been celebrating this time of year for centuries, even millennia. Groundhog Day is simply the latest occasion. According to Earth Sky , Groundhog day occurs on a "cross-quarter day," or a day that falls exactly between a solstice and an equinox. There are four cross-quarter days in the year, plus the four "quarter" days (the spring equinox, summer solstice, fall equinox, and winter solstice). Throughout history, cross-quarter days have been celebrated as signs of the changing seasons. For example, the Pagan holiday Imbolc dates back to Celtic customs, falls on the same cross-quarter day as Groundhog Day, and celebrates the arrival of spring. Cross-quarter days are ...

When Is Groundhog Day 2017? History, How To Celebrate, Where To Watch

... out of his burrow at sunrise and sees his shadow, winter will be around for a little while longer. However, if the groundhog doesn't see his shadow, spring weather is on its way. The Groundhog Day tradition can be traced to Candlemas, an early Christian holiday where candles were blessed and distributed. Those who celebrated Candlemas decided that clear skies on the holiday meant a longer winter. The Germans eventually began to believe that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, a hedgehog would cast a shadow - predicting six more weeks of harsh winter weather. And it was the Germans who brought this belief to the United States. When German immigrants arrived in Pennsylvania, they found a large number of groundhogs. And they tasked the groundhog, which resembles the European hedgehog, with the job of predicting the weather. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was founded in Punxsutawney, Pa., in 1887 by a group of groundhog hunters. The editor of the Punxsutawney newspaper was a member of the club, and ...

3 Diseases You Can Get From Groundhogs

... confusion, seizures, and memory loss,” as well as neurological problems in the long-term. “There is no specific treatment, but people with severe POW virus illnesses often need to be hospitalized to receive respiratory support, intravenous fluids, or medications to reduce swelling in the brain.” The disease is related to West Nile virus. I'm not going to live by their rules anymore. Groundhog Day. How much wood can a woodchuck chuck? Not a lot, but it can chuck rabies your way. The Humane Society notes  that the groundhogs “may be aggressive when this disease has taken its final hold on them” so you should get tested for rabies if one attacks you. The Mayo Clinic describes  rabies symptoms as including a fever, headache, nausea, anxiety and confusion, trouble swallowing, hyperactivity, salivation, fear of water, hallucinations, insomnia, paralysis and agitation. Bing! Groundhog Day. Humans can get this bacterial disease from a tick bite or by coming into contact with skin from an infected animal, like a groundhog. “In particular, this ...

Essex Ed Is Ready For Groundhog Day 2017 And The Super Bowl

... building at Turtle Back Zoo.  Attendance at the event is included with regular zoo admission, and will not only include Ed's weather forecast, but also his pick to win the Super Bowl. “According to folklore, if it is cloudy when the groundhog emerges from its burrow, winter-like weather will soon end,” county officials stated. “If it is sunny and the groundhog sees its shadow, winter weather will continue for six more weeks.”. Turtle Back Zoo is located at 560 Northfield Ave., West Orange. Recent Articles Nearby. By TAPINTO VERONA/CEDAR GROVE STAFF. February 1, 2017. VERONA, NJ - Kylee Gallagher scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Verona to a 55-34 victory at home against West Side on Tuesday. The Lady Hillbillies took charge from the start, outscoring West Side, 31-14, in the first half.  They continued to battle in the second and easily claimed the win. CC Courter and Desiree ...