According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, then spring will come early; if it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks. Punxsutawney held its first Groundhog Day in the United States in the 1800s. The first official trek to Gobbler’s Knob near, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, was made on February 2, 1887. Movies, advertisements, cartoons and other media have portrayed the legendary role of the groundhog in popular culture. The term “Groundhog Day” is a phrase that is some- times used to express if the same events or actions occur repetitively for a period of time. Groundhog Day, already a widely recognized and popular tradition, received widespread attention as a result of the 1993 film “Groundhog Day.” Gazette
