Located 79 mi/128 km northeast of Pittsburgh, the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, is the home of Punxsutawney Phil, the nation's revered groundhog.
Each year on Groundhog Day (2 February), weather-watchers flock to Gobbler's Knob in Sportsman's Park. At dawn, they try to coax Phil out of his hole and see if he will cast a shadow. If he does, legend has it that six more weeks of wintry conditions will follow. If not, winter will soon be over. The event has taken place since 1887, when German settlers arrived in Punxsutawney and started the tradition.
If you aren't able to visit on the big day, don't fret: You can still admire one of the town's many 6-ft/1.8-m statues of Phil, or better yet, visit him and his groundhog pals in person at the Groundhog Zoo at Punxsutawney Memorial Library.
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