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Gobbler,s Knob
Gobbler,s Knob
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Monday, August 12, 2013
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update Phil Phest
Phil Phest 2013 was a great success!
Thank you to all those that came out and supported the event. The weather was beautiful and we had a great crowd. There were over 25 teams in the Yard Game Tournament. Pure Cane Sugar, the Beagle Brothers, and Lounge Lizards performed fabulous music throughout the event.
Phil received the Elixir of Life, giving him 7 more years of life and longevity!
Did you miss the event but would still like the commemorative Phil Phest Pack?
Get one today! The pack includes: Phil T-shirt, Koozie, Poster, Ticket, and event wrist band!
new entrance to ground park
New Gobblers Knob Arch
What do you get when you take a pile of stone, concrete and steel and add a considerable amount of conceptualization, commitment, cooperation and generosity of the people of Punxsutawney? Well in Punxsy you get the beautiful and impressive new entrance arch to Gobbler's Knob. When the subject of improvements to Gobbler's Knob was broached at a meeting one of the questions was, "Why improve the entrance?" I think the answer exposes one of the real reasons the Inner Circle of the Groundhog Club exists. The answer is to give visitors to the Knob a sense that they are coming to a special place.
The arch is a symbol of altruism, a desire to do something for others without benefit to one's self and it echoes the real purpose for the celebration of Groundhog Day. It is hard to explain the rationale for putting on an event like Groundhog Day let alone the year- long activities and work that support and promote the legend of Punxsutawney Phil. After all, we aren't curing disease or making a sweeping cultural change, there is no personal benefit except for a brief moment of notoriety which is mostly local. So what gives? We put on a party in the middle of winter to give us all a respite from the tedium of winter and maybe a little break for the weight of what we see in the news. The rest of the year is mostly to lay the groundwork for the next Groundhog Day. And whether it is February 2nd or any other day of the year we want visitors to Gobbler's Knob to know we appreciate their attendance, thus the arch.
So if you come up to the Knob and happen to meet any Inner Circle members make sure to say "Hi" we love to meet you. If you are lucky enough to meet "Fair Weatherman" or "Shingle Shaker" give them an extra Atta boy for the commitment they showed during the planning and construction of the new entrance. If you see any of the wonderful local people who contributed money or expertise for the arch tell them "thanks" for their part in making Gobbler's Knob a little more special for your visit. Most of all understand we are doing this for you and please have a great time.
Phil's Shadow
The arch is a symbol of altruism, a desire to do something for others without benefit to one's self and it echoes the real purpose for the celebration of Groundhog Day. It is hard to explain the rationale for putting on an event like Groundhog Day let alone the year- long activities and work that support and promote the legend of Punxsutawney Phil. After all, we aren't curing disease or making a sweeping cultural change, there is no personal benefit except for a brief moment of notoriety which is mostly local. So what gives? We put on a party in the middle of winter to give us all a respite from the tedium of winter and maybe a little break for the weight of what we see in the news. The rest of the year is mostly to lay the groundwork for the next Groundhog Day. And whether it is February 2nd or any other day of the year we want visitors to Gobbler's Knob to know we appreciate their attendance, thus the arch.
So if you come up to the Knob and happen to meet any Inner Circle members make sure to say "Hi" we love to meet you. If you are lucky enough to meet "Fair Weatherman" or "Shingle Shaker" give them an extra Atta boy for the commitment they showed during the planning and construction of the new entrance. If you see any of the wonderful local people who contributed money or expertise for the arch tell them "thanks" for their part in making Gobbler's Knob a little more special for your visit. Most of all understand we are doing this for you and please have a great time.
Phil's Shadow
Saturday, July 27, 2013
groundhog info
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Phil phest and The annual Groundhog Pinic
Here it is Groundhoggers! The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle would like to announce two great upcoming events: The 2nd Annual Phil Phest and the 115th Annual Groundhog Picnic.
Groundhog News
Phil Phest and the Annual Groundhog Picnic!
Here it is Groundhoggers! The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle would like to announce two great upcoming events: The 2nd Annual Phil Phest and the 115th Annual Groundhog Picnic.
The sound of music in the air, delicious food, yard games being played, and most importantly, Punxsutawney Phil receiving the Elixir of Life! What more could anyone ask for on a beautiful summer day at Gobbler’s Knob? Mark your calendars for August 10, 2013 and prepare for an event that combines tradition, live music, and fun in the sun- The 2nd Annual Phil Phest! The event is open to those 21and older and runs from 1pm to 9pm with the Inner Circle administering the Elixir of Life to Phil at 4pm. In accordance with the Legend, with each sip of Elixir, Phil receives 7 more years of life and longevity. “We moved the date up to August this year hoping to catch some of the great summer weather as we are anticipating a great crowd, awesome music, and a good time!” stated The Rainmaker, A.J. Dereume, Committee Head of Phil Phest.
There will be 3 bands performing throughout the afternoon and evening: Pure Cane Sugar, The Beagle Brothers, and Joe Pascuzzo. Food will be available for purchase from two great local vendors: Laska’s Pizza and Villella’s Meats. The Inner Circle will be providing complementary beer for those 21 years of age and older. Yard Games will be available to play with a “Corn Hole” Tournament beginning at 2pm. The winners will receive a custom set of 2013 Phil Phest custom corn-hole boards.
Ticket Prices are $15 in advance and $20 at the gate. Bring a valid ID; this event is for patrons 21 and older.
The traditional 115th Annual Groundhog Club Picnic and Outing is going to be held September 7th 2013. “After a one year hiatus, the picnic is back. It’s bigger and better than ever”, stated the Big Windmaker; Tom Uberti. All patrons 21 years old and older are invited to come. Tickets are $20. There will be complementary food, beverages, and a lot of fun! The food is being catered by IUP’s Aramark Food Services. Having the Groundhog Picnic catered is a first for the Groundhog Club. The members of the Inner Circle are looking forward to this aspect because it will give them the ability to mingle and enjoy the company of the attendees.
The menu includes hot dogs, hamburgers, kielbasa, and corn on the cob for lunch and a New York Strip Steak with redskin potatoes and all the trimmings, including dessert will be served for dinner.
Big Screen TV’s will be located in the building to watch football games and yard games will be set up if you wish to participate. The Annual Groundhog Picnic is a great piece of Groundhog Club and Punxsutawney history.
facts on groundhog day
Punxsutawney Present Weather | 5-day Forecast
n 1723, the Delaware Indians settled Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania as a campsite halfway between the Allegheny and the Susquehanna Rivers. The town is 90 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, at the intersection of Route 36 and Route 119. The Delawares considered groundhogs honorable ancestors. According to the original creation beliefs of the Delaware Indians, their forebears began life as animals in "Mother Earth" and emerged centuries later to hunt and live as men.
- The name Punxsutawney comes from the Indian name for the location
"ponksad-uteney" which means "the town of the sandflies."
The name woodchuck comes from the Indian legend of "Wojak,
the groundhog" considered by them to be their ancestral grandfather.
The earliest American reference to Groundhog Day can be found at the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center at Franklin and Marshall College:
- February 4, 1841 - from Morgantown, Berks County (Pennsylvania) storekeeper James Morris' diary..."Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate."
If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Winter has another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Winter will not come again.
From Scotland:
If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,
There'll be two winters in the year.
From Germany:
For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,
So far will the snow swirl until May.
For as the snow blows on Candlemas Day,
So far will the sun shine before May.
And from America:
If the sun shines on Groundhog Day;
Half the fuel and half the hay.
If the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, an animal would cast a shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of Winter. Germans watched a badger for the shadow. In Pennsylvania, the groundhog, upon waking from mid-Winter hibernation, was selected as the replacement.Pennsylvania's official celebration of Groundhog Day began on February 2nd, 1886 with a proclamation in The Punxsutawney Spirit by the newspaper's editor, Clymer Freas: "Today is groundhog day and up to the time of going to press the beast has not seen its shadow." The groundhog was given the name "Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary'' and his hometown thus called the "Weather Capital of the World.'' His debut performance: no shadow - early Spring.
The legendary first trip to Gobbler's Knob was made the following year.
ince the 1993 release of the film Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray as a TV weatherman (who wakes up and it's Groundhog Day over and over again!) and Andie MacDowell as his puzzled producer, attendance at the real event has expanded. In 1997, there were 35,000 visitors in Punxsutawney, five times the Jefferson County town's 6,700 population.The Groundhog Day festivities on February 2, 1992 were joined by Bill Murray studying for his role in the movie. Then, Columbia Pictures set out to recreate the Punxsutawney Groundhog Day down to the smallest detail. There were, however, many changes made.
Columbia Pictures decided to film the movie in a location more accessible to a major metropolitan center. The highways in and around Punxsutawney were few, so Woodstock, Illinois was chosen as the site. Unfortunately, Woodstock's landscape doesn't have Pennsylvania's scenic rolling hills. Nevertheless, adjustments were made for the production. The actual Gobbler's Knob is a wooded hill with a beautiful view; the Gobbler's Knob in the movie is moved to the town square. The Punxsutawney Gobbler's Knob was recreated to scale in Woodstock's town square based on detailed notes and videos the crew made on it's visit to Punxsutawney. [Photo: © Columbia Pictures]
The movie's script was changed to include the elaborate ceremony of the Inner Circle on Groundhog Day. The original groundhog cast for the movie was considered to be too small.
he groundhog, also known as a woodchuck (Marmota monax), is a member of the squirrel family. Groundhogs in the wild eat succulent green plants, such as dandelion, clover, and grasses.According to handlers John Griffiths and Ben Hughes, Phil weighs 15 pounds and thrives on dog food and ice cream in his climate-controlled home at the Punxsutawney Library.
© Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce
Phil's Winter prognostications have been correct only 39% of the time.
| 1887 | Shadow; first official trip to Gobbler's Knob. |
| 1888 | Shadow (Six more weeks of Winter!) |
| 1889 | no record |
| 1890 | NO Shadow (early Spring!) [Birthdate: Charles Correll ("Andy" on radio's Amos & Andy)] |
| 1891 | no record |
| 1892 | no record |
| 1893 | no record |
| 1894 | no record |
| 1895 | no record |
| 1896 | no record |
| 1897 | no record |
| 1898 | Shadow |
| 1899 | no record |
| 1900 | Shadow |
| 1901 | Shadow [Birthdate: Jascha Heifetz, violinist] |
| 1902 | NO Shadow |
| 1903 | Shadow |
| 1904 | Shadow |
| 1905 | Shadow [Birthdate: Ayn Rand, novelist-philosopher] |
| 1906 | Shadow [Birthdate: Gale Gordon, actor] |
| 1907 | Shadow |
| 1908 | Shadow [Birthdate: Clarence "Buster" Crabbe, Olympic swimmer/actor] |
| 1909 | Shadow |
| 1910 | Shadow |
| 1911 | Shadow |
| 1912 | Shadow [Birthdate: Burton Lane, Broadway composer] |
| 1913 | Shadow at 8:08 AM; first newspaper photo of Groundhog Day by John Frampton. |
| 1914 | Shadow at 9:34 AM |
| 1915 | Shadow at 11:45 AM; named Wiley William Woodchuck! |
| 1916 | Shadow at 9:07 AM; first movie film of Groundhog Day ceremony (17.5mm Birtac). |
| 1917 | Shadow |
| 1918 | Shadow; 18 degrees below zero. |
| 1919 | Shadow [Birthdate: Forrest Tucker, actor] |
| 1920 | Shadow |
| 1921 | Shadow at 7:17 AM |
| 1922 | Shadow at 7:11 AM; Groundhog Holiday Dance. |
| 1923 | Shadow [Birthdate: Liz Smith, gossip columnist] |
| 1924 | Shadow at 7:13 AM |
| 1925 | Shadow at 8:13 AM; [Birthdate: Elaine Stritch, actress] |
| 1926 | Shadow at 9:17 AM |
| 1927 | Shadow at 8:35 AM; [Birthdate: Stan Getz, jazz saxophonist] |
| 1928 | Shadow at 10:00 AM; program with Punx'y Rotary Club on KDKA Radio. |
| 1929 | Shadow |
| 1930 | Shadow at 7:11 AM |
| 1931 | Shadow at 12:27 PM |
| 1932 | Shadow at 9:11 AM |
| 1933 | Shadow |
| 1934 | NO Shadow. |
| 1935 | Shadow at 9:11 AM |
| 1936 | Shadow at 10:27 AM |
| 1937 | Shadow at 9:09 AM; early morning encounter with a skunk! [Birthdate: Tom Smothers, comedian] |
| 1938 | Shadow at 9:05 AM; "darkest shadow in history" (The Spirit, Feb. 2, 1938) |
| 1939 | Shadow at 9:10 AM |
| 1940 | Shadow at 9:00 AM |
| 1941 | Shadow at 4:25 PM |
| 1942 | Partial Shadow at 7:40 AM; "War clouds have blacked out parts of the shadow." (The Spirit, Feb. 2, 1942) [Birthdate: Graham Nash, guitarist, singer] |
| 1943 | Groundhog did not appear; relied on Quarryville's prediction - NO Shadow |
| 1944 | Shadow at 9:10 AM |
| 1945 | Shadow at 9:00 AM |
| 1946 | Shadow at 7:52 AM |
| 1947 | Shadow at 7:37 AM; first newspaper photo of Groundhog Club at Gobbler's Knob [Birthdate: Farrah Fawcett, actress, model] |
| 1948 | Shadow at 8:46 AM; [Birthdate: Jessica Savitch, NBC news anchor] |
| 1949 | Shadow at 7:32 AM; [Birthdate: Brent Spiner, actor] |
| 1950 | NO Shadow |
| 1951 | Shadow at 8:41 AM |
| 1952 | Shadow at 7:52 AM; on NBC's Today Show on Monday, February 4 |
| 1953 | Shadow at 7:38 AM; [Birthdate: Penny Pulz, LPGA golfer] |
| 1954 | Shadow at 8:03 AM; [Birthdate: Christie Brinkley, Cover Girl model] |
| 1955 | Shadow at 8:51 AM; 4" of snow on Groundhog Day; [Birthdate: Kim Zimmer, soap opera actress] |
| 1956 | Shadow at 8:33 AM |
| 1957 | Shadow at 7:47 AM |
| 1958 | Shadow at 8:27 AM; [Birthdate: Holly Hunter, actress] |
| 1959 | Shadow at 8:23 AM |
| 1960 | Shadow at 7:33 AM; forecasts extremely bad weather on the Today show. |
| 1961 | Shadow at 7:41 AM; 25 below zero. |
| 1962 | Shadow at 7:29 AM; [Birthdate: Garth Brooks, singer] |
| 1963 | Shadow at 7:41 AM |
| 1964 | Shadow at 7:35 AM |
| 1965 | Shadow at 7:58 AM |
| 1966 | Shadow at 7:21 AM |
| 1967 | Shadow at 7:25 AM |
| 1968 | Shadow at 7:29 AM |
| 1969 | Shadow at 7:29 AM |
| 1970 | NO Shadow |
| 1971 | Shadow at 7:29 AM; 14 below zero. |
| 1972 | Shadow at 7:30 AM |
| 1973 | Shadow at 7:29 AM |
| 1974 | Shadow at 7:28 AM |
| 1975 | NO Shadow |
| 1976 | Shadow at 7:29 AM |
| 1977 | Shadow at 7:27; in midst of the energy crisis. [Birthdate: Shakira, singer] |
| 1978 | Shadow at 7:28 AM |
| 1979 | Shadow at 7:28 AM |
| 1980 | Shadow at 7:29 AM |
| 1981 | Shadow at 7:27 AM |
| 1982 | Shadow at 7:26 AM; coldest January this Century. |
| 1983 | NO Shadow; predicted an early Spring after a mild El Nino Winter. |
| 1984 | Shadow at 7:04 AM |
| 1985 | Shadow at 7:28 AM |
| 1986 | NO Shadow; visited President Reagan at the White House in March. |
| 1987 | Shadow at 7:29 AM |
| 1988 | NO Shadow |
| 1989 | Shadow |
| 1990 | NO Shadow |
| 1991 | Shadow |
| 1992 | Shadow |
| 1993 | Shadow; the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray is released. |
| 1994 | Shadow at 7:28 AM |
| 1995 | NO Shadow; afternoon guest on the "Oprah Winfrey" TV Show. |
| 1996 | Shadow at 7:21 AM |
| 1997 | NO Shadow; 35,000 watched at Gobbler's Knob |
| 1998 | Shadow at 7:20 AM; predicting six more weeks of a mild El Nino Winter! |
| 1999 | NO Shadow at 7:23 AM; 37º rain |
| 2000 | Shadow at 7:28 AM; 12º overcast skies with flurries |
| 2001 | Shadow at 7:27 AM; 28º cloudy skies with light snow |
| 2002 | Shadow at 7:25 AM; 19º mist with a record 38,000 visitors driven to Gobbler's Knob by bus for security. |
| 2003 | Shadow at 7:27 AM; 30º overcast skies with PA Governor Ed Rendell attending the ceremony. |
| 2004 | Shadow at 7:27 AM; 17º clear skies with snow on the ground, crowd boos the forecast! |
| 2005 | Shadow at 7:31 AM; 14º clear skies with a wind chill of 3ºF. |
| 2006 | Shadow at 7:23 AM; 36º overcast skies with the crowd cheering the Steelers in Super Bowl XL. |
| 2007 | NO Shadow at 7:28 AM; 26º overcast skies with light snow and mist under a Full Moon. |
| 2008 | Shadow at 7:27 AM; 28º fog and mist with the crowd booing six more weeks of Winter. |
| 2009 | Shadow at 7:30 AM; 29º overcast skies as the crowd cheers the Steelers' Super Bowl XLIII victory. |
| 2010 | Shadow at 7:23 AM; 15º hazy sun and a visit from actor Stephen Tobolowsky (Ned Ryerson). Animal rights group PETA demands Punxsy Phil be replaced by a robot. LOL! |
| 2011 | NO Shadow at 7:25 AM; 34º with rain, snow, and ice covering Gobbler's Knob. The crowd cheers for Spring and Super Bowl XLV with the Steelers! |
| 2012 | Shadow at 7:24 AM; 30º overcast skies with PA Governor Tom Corbett attending the ceremony. |
| 2013 | NO Shadow at 7:28 AM; 8º overcast skies with a Saturday crowd of more than 30,000. |
ground history
Today, the marmot meteorologist saw his shadow, foretelling six more weeks of winter. But just how accurate is Groundhog Day?
Flipping through the history books, it seems Punxsutawney Phil has spotted his shadow 99 out of 114 times. That would mean poor Pennsylvania rarely gets an early spring. However, according to the
Like most TV weathermen, Punxsutawney Phil is more about style than science. Each Groundhog Day, people gather at Gobbler's Knob in Pennsylvania to await a winter weather prediction from America's favorite furry forecaster.
Stormfax Almanac, the groundhog is only right 39 percent of the time – a failing grade in school terms. (PETA wants to replace him with a robot groundhog, maybe that would help his chances.)
But can you blame him? Most professional weathermen, armed with high-tech satellite imagery and advanced computer models, wouldn't dare guess six weeks into the future. Their accuracy drops quickly even three days out.
In 2008, "Freakonomics" co-author Stephen J. Dubnerlinked to a report on the precision of TV forecasters: "For next day predicting (one day out), all stations met their 'within three degrees' goal. For two days out, all but one was within three degrees. But for three days out and beyond, none of the forecasters met their three-degree benchmark, and in fact get linearly worse each day."
Then again, maybe Punxsutawney Phil is more like the Farmers' Almanac. It predicts temperature trends for an entire year. How accurate is it? Pretty good – if you compare the Almanac to its TV counterparts. (But that's not saying much.) A survey by the Weather Underground shows varying reports on the annual guide – ranging from 50 to 80 percent accuracy. Better than a groundhog, but not enough to bet the farm on, say most experts.
"The results of my forecast verifications and those done by several others indicate that there is little reason to believe the Old Farmer's Almanac claim of 80% accuracy," writes a Weather Underground blogger. "Unless the Almanac posts some scientific evidence to the contrary, I won't believe their forecasts are any better than flipping a coin."
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Which do you trust more: TV meteorologists, the Farmers' Almanac, or Punxsutawney Phil? Let us know in the comments. And follow us on Twitter for more sci-tech news and explainers.
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