Latest news with #PunxsutawneyGroundhogClub
CBS News
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Former Punxsutawney Groundhog Club president dies
Former Punxsutawney Groundhog Club president William "Bill" Deeley died. Deeley was the president of the Inner Circle, as well as Punxsutawney Phil's handler. "With heavy hearts," the club shared the news of his death on Facebook Thursday. "Bill embodied the magic and cheer that is Groundhog Day. He was at the forefront of the worldwide expansion that took the holiday from our little town to the entire world," the Groundhog Club said in a social media post. It's with heavy hearts that the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club shares the news of the passing of former President and... Posted by Punxsutawney Phil on Thursday, May 1, 2025 The top hat- and tuxedo-wearing members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, which was founded in 1887, are responsible for making the trek every Feb. 2 to Gobbler's Knob, where Punxsutawney Phil predicts whether there will be six more weeks of winter or an early spring. According to lore, there is only one Punxsutawney Phil, the same way there is only one Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. Phil's Inner Groundhog Club attributes his longevity to the elixir of life, which he drinks every summer. The Inner Circle president has a cane which, according to legend, allows him to speak Groundhogese and hear Phil's yearly prediction. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club shared photos on Facebook, remembering Deeley. "He made our community a better place, and his contagious smile will live on in our hearts forever. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bill's family. Thank you for everything and for simply always being you," the club wrote. Groundhog Day is a big deal in the town of Punxsutawney, drawing tens of thousands of visitors, including the governor. This year's crowd was one of the largest ever, the current Inner Circle president said. Phil saw his shadow, meaning six more weeks of winter.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Former Punxsutawney Groundhog Club president, handler dies at 75
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club announced the passing of former President and Handler William 'Bill' Deeley. The club announced Deeley's passing in a Facebook Post Thursday, May 1. In the post, the club said that Deeley 'embodied the magic and cheer that is Groundhog Day' and that he was at the 'forefront of the worldwide expansion that took the holiday from our little town to the entire world.' Deeley, who passed away at the age of 75, was born in Punxsutawney. Aside from being the former President and Handler, Deeley also owned and directed the Deeley Funeral Home. In 2002, Deeley was honored as Punxsutawney's Man of the Year. He made our community a better place, and his contagious smile will live on in our hearts forever. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bill's family. Thank you for everything and for simply always being you… Deeley Deeley Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Community members took to the comment section of the Facebook Post, offering prayer and love for Deeley's family as well as the club. One comment read, 'Bill was such an important part of the Punxsy community. Sending love and prayers to the Deeley family during this time.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Los Angeles Times
14-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Opinion: Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil's everlasting nightmare
There is one question that all Americans are asking themselves today: Will winter wonderland continue or will spring come early this year? The answer was revealed this morning, Feb. 2, in a small town in Pennsylvania. Today marks the 187th annual Groundhog's Day, which is celebrated throughout the United States and Canada. A ceremonial gathering was organized by the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, with thousands in attendance and millions watching online. However, many are questioning the ethics of this iconic holiday. Immortal, beloved groundhog Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his burrow at Gobbler's Knob. If he sees his own shadow and returns to his burrow, winter will be prolonged 6 additional weeks. However, on the rare occasion that he does not see his shadow, spring is forecasted to arrive early. At 7:25 am this morning, the celebrity groundhog predicted a lengthy winter when he gazed upon his own shadow. After the ceremony, Phil is paraded around the town, bombarded by cameras and flashing lights, touched and pet by a crowd of 40,000, and held in captivity for another year until the next Groundhog's Day comes around. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a non-profit organization that works to protect animals rights, is attempting to alter the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's tradition. Groundhogs are typically antisocial animals who avoid human interaction whenever possible. Every year, however, Phil is subjected to appear on national television and be handled by thousands of humans, for solely amusement and entertainment purposes. Last year, PETA begged the Groundhog Club to free Punxsutawney Phil, and offered to provide them with a gold coin they could flip during the ceremony as a replacement. This year, however, the organization made a second attempt, and encouraged the Club's Inner Circle leaders to let Phil and his family reside in a sanctuary. ' You batter believe that for Phil, Groundhog Day is no piece of cake ,' wrote PETA president Ingrid Newkirk in a letter to Punxsutawney Groundhog Club president Tom Dunkel. 'Retire Phil to a reputable sanctuary with his family.' As an alternative to Phil, PETA offered to deliver a vegan 'Weather Reveal' cake every Groundhog's Day to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The Club leaders would slice the cake at the Groundhog's Day ceremony, and the cake's interior would foretell whether or not spring would arrive early. ' If the inside of the cake is blue, there will be six more weeks of winter. If it's pink, there will be an early spring,' Newkirk explained. 'This would allow you to still make tourism dough while showing Phil a slice of decency.' However, Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro, responded to their proposal via Instagram and wrote, 'Come and take it.' Many people are responding similarly. It is unlikely that the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle, led by Dunkel, will agree to retire their cherished tradition and use a cake in the years to come. It seems as though Punxsutawney Phil must accept his fate, and that he will continue to suffer, just to be an annual spectacle and money-maker for the people of Pennsylvania. However, Newkirk said that as people spread awareness about animal cruelty, ' locals and tourists who genuinely respect Phil [will] want him to live his life doing what's natural to him,' and that this cruel tradition might one day be broken. Related
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Will Phil see his shadow? How to watch Groundhog Day live
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (WTAJ) — Each year Punxsutawney Phil predicts whether there will be six more weeks of winter or an early spring when he emerges from his home in Gobbler's Knob on Groundhog Day. WTAJ will air 'Out of the Shadows' live at 7 a.m. on-air and in the video player above. Meteorologist Zach Petey, and Tristan Klinefelter will show off the festivities at Gobblers Knob and all the events that led up to the celebration. Punxsutawney Groundhog Club President, Tom Dunkel estimated over 35,000 people and as many as 40,000 attended this year's event. Governor Josh Shapiro named Phil the 'Official meteorologist of Pennsylvania.' Punxsutawney Phil declared Pennsylvania's official meteorologist Following Groundhog Day in 2024, Phil and his wife Phyllis became parents with two groundhog pups, Sunny and Shadow. It was the first time the Seer of Seers had children. Shops around Punxsutawney began selling items featuring the two new additions. In 2023, Phil saw his shadow, signaling six more weeks of winter. It was the 108th time Phil had seen his shadow since the tradition began in 1887. How did the Groundhog Day tradition begin? Click here to find out! Every year, Gobbler's Knob fills up with people from around the world. Everyone from locals to newlyweds and even some real-life characters, truly living their best lives will be there. Forget the chapel, this TN couple got married at Gobbler's Knob for Groundhog Day 2022 Pennsylvania troopers, agencies planning for Groundhog Day crowds Groundhog Day Trivia: How much do you know about the tradition From cookies to cupcakes: Punxsy bakeries fire up for Groundhog Day Little Mr. and Miss Groundhog crowned in Punxsutawney for 2025 celebration The festivities exploded worldwide after the release of 'Groundhog Day' which starred Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell in 1993. The event would see around 5,000 people attending yearly, now up to 35,000 people every year since the movie debuted 32 years ago. More fun Groundhog Day stories can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hill
PETA issues swap deal: Punxsutawney Phil for a vegan cake
PETA is urging Punxsutawney Groundhog Club to remove Punxsutawney Phil from his Groundhog Day duties. The animal activist organization doesn't plan on leaving the club empty-handed, offering a weather-reveal vegan cake in his place. In a letter to club president Tom Dunkel, the nonprofit offered the cake in exchange for placing Phil and his family in an animal sanctuary. How could the cake tell the weather, you may ask? Well, according to PETA, the dessert would have one of two colors: Blue or pink. Should blue be on the inside of the cake, it would signify an extra six weeks of winter. If it were pink, an early start to spring would be on the horizon. 'When allowed to be themselves, groundhogs avoid humans, create intricate networks of underground burrows, communicate with one another, and even climb trees, but poor Phil is denied all of that for a tired old gimmick,' PETA President Ingrid Newkirk said in the release. Despite PETA's opposition, the Groundhog Day tradition dates back to 1887, and thousands flock to the central Pennsylvania borough to celebrate.
