Latin Times
Punxsutawney Phil, the famed weather-predicting groundhog, saw his shadow Sunday morning, signaling six more weeks of winter to a lively crowd at Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania.
“Only I know — you can’t trust A.I,” read a member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club from a scroll, reported the Associated Press who covered the annual event.
Today’s celebration marked the 139th anniversary of the annual tradition, rooted in European folklore and popularized by the 1993 movie, “Groundhog Day,” has captivated Pennsylvania locals for over a century.
The event’s premise is rather simple: If Phil “sees” his shadow, then Pennsylvania residents are getting an early spring. But if Phil doesn’t see his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter.
The annual event attracts children and adults, with many adults recalling their participation in their youth.
Phil’s handlers, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, uphold the child-like belief that Phil is the same groundhog making predictions for generations, thanks to a secret “elixir of life.”
Thousands gather each year to embrace the lighthearted spectacle, a blend of superstition and community belonging.
Many cities have replicated their own Groundhog Day, with at least 28 states and Canadian provinces, but the original Pennsylvania Punxsutawney Phil is the authority.
Originally published on Latin Times
