The folk tradition of Groundhog Day was popularized by the Pennsylvania Dutch who brought their cultural folklore to the U.S. from southern Germany. The celebration is linked to the ancient European Candlemas, a Christian holiday where candles were blessed and distributed on the 2nd of February (Beaulne 2002, 83). German folklore associated Candlemas with the coming of spring, which was supposedly forecast by badgers seeing their shadows (Capper 2016, 258). As German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania, they brought this tradition with them, but the badger was replaced by the more populous groundhog, which was found in abundance in the region (Potter 2008, 17). 

 

The first official Groundhog Day in the United States was celebrated in Punxsutawney in 1886; Punxsutawney Phil has been the official groundhog weather oracle since the holiday’s beginning (Potter 2008, 17). The first official trek to Gobbler's Knob, the location where Phil makes his prediction, occurred the following year in 1887 and has since been an annual tradition. While Groundhog Day's weather predictions are more for entertainment than meteorological accuracy, the tradition has persisted and become a beloved part of American culture. Groundhog Day has become a significant tourism draw for Punxsutawney, PA. The influx of visitors and media attention has resulted in a considerable economic impact, with local businesses benefiting greatly from the annual celebration (Capper 2016, 259).