Early spring or dark, cold winter?
Either way, it’s a party in Punxsutawney.
The countdown is on for Groundhog Day at Gobbler’s Knob.
The age-old question of whether Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow will be revealed early Friday in front of a crowd of thousands from near and far.
Here are five things to know about the holiday.
Phil saw his shadow last year
In 2023, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow — predicting six more weeks of winter — and he ended up being wrong.
On average, Phil has predicted winter more often than an early spring. From 1898 until 2023, he saw his shadow a total of 105 times, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.
The holiday has Christian roots
Candlemas Day on Feb. 2, when Christians would take their candles to the church to have them blessed for their household for the remaining winter, is associated with the origins of Groundhog Day.
Though there isn’t a mention of an animal, much less a groundhog, Candlemas Day was introduced to Germany, where an animal was also introduced to the lore. But German lore references a hedgehog seeing its shadow.
Why Punxsutawney?
Germans settled in Punxsutawney, and they started celebrating Groundhog Day in the late 1880s by picnicking, hunting — and eating groundhogs.
The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was organized in 1899, and it cares for Phil near the town’s library, where there’s a window into his burrow.
Movie spiked interest
The movie “Groundhog Day,” starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell, was released in 1993, and it caused a resurgence in attendees at Gobbler’s Knob.
Two years after it came out, event organizers voiced concern about rowdy crowds drinking all night, people climbing trees and others stripping to their underwear, according to the Associated Press.
Alcohol is now prohibited at the site.
Most events are sold out
Though anyone can make the trek to Gobbler’s Knob for free, either by bus or foot, the events surrounding the holiday are almost all sold out.
The annual Groundhog Banquet, Dueling Pianos, Lunch with Phil at The Eagles and the Groundhog Ball are among the sold out events. VIP parking passes are also sold out.
The Gobbler’s Knob grounds open at 3 a.m. Friday, and guests can either drive up to the grounds with a parking permit, buy a bus pass from either Barclay Square, Aldi or Walmart or walk about 2 miles from town via Woodland Avenue.
Megan Swift is a TribLive reporter covering trending news in Western Pennsylvania. A Murrysville native, she joined the Trib full time in 2023 after serving as editor-in-chief of The Daily Collegian at Penn State. She previously worked as a Jim Borden Scholarship intern at the Trib for three summers. She can be reached at mswift@triblive.com.