Groundhog Fun Sunday in Pennsburg Predicts Winter’s End

PENNSBURG PA – How long will winter, and its extreme cold, last? Maybe only the famous Groundhog Day star, Punxsutawney Phil, knows the answer. The Pennsburg-based Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center, however, is inviting area children and families to have fun in making their own predictions.

The Schwenkfelder, 105 Seminary St., is sponsoring its Grundsau Lodsch fer Yunge (“Groundhog Lodge For Young”) program on Sunday (Jan. 26, 2025) from 1:30-3 p.m. It features many groundhog-related activities, including learning dialect phrases, doing crafts, playing games, and enjoying snacks.

Live Pennsylvania Dutch music will be provided by Scott Reagan.

The event is free to attend and open to the public. Advance registration is requested, though, to ensure the center has enough supplies and food for all. Register by sending an e-mail to meredith@schwenkfelder.org or call Meredith Reinhart at the center, 215-679-3103 Extension 28.

Groundhog Day 2025 occurs on Feb. 2 (Sunday).

The Schwenkfelder is the regional history museum for the Upper Perkiomen Valley, and is open Tuesdays through Sundays. Admission to visit its exhibits, or conduct research in its library, is free.

Top photo by Getty Images on Unsplash+, used by Travels With The Post under license
Groundhog art by Anthony Rudderow provided by the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center

Pennsylvania’s Groundhog Tradition

“What does a sleepy, furry marmot have to do with seasonal change?,” the state Department of Community and Economic Development’s tourism website asks. Here’s its explanation:

“The story begins with Candlemas, an early Christian holiday where candles were blessed and distributed. Celebrators of the holiday eventually declared clear skies on Candlemas meant a longer winter. The Roman legions, during the conquest of the northern country, brought this tradition to the Germanic tribes.”

“(They) concluded that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, a hedgehog would cast a shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of bad weather or ‘Second Winter.’ German immigrants brought the tradition to Pennsylvania …. so how did Punxsutawney Phil emerge?”

“In 1886, a spirited group of groundhog hunters from Punxsutawney dubbed themselves “The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.” One member was an editor of Punxsutawney’s newspaper. Using his ink, he proclaimed Punxsutawney Phil, the local groundhog, to be the one and only weather prognosticating groundhog. He issued this proclamation on Candlemas, and yes, Groundhog Day.”

“Phil’s fame spread, and newspapers from around the globe began to report his Gobbler’s Knob prediction.” In most years “up to 30,000 in attendance, and millions watching on television or streaming on the internet,” see the event live.