In a few days, the most famous woodchuck in the world will be plucked from a stump before people from nearly every part of the world. He will choose a scroll and the world will learn if six more weeks of winter are in store or if it will be an early spring. But, even with year upon year of coverage of the event, some questions are still left unanswered by the Prognosticator of Prognosticators.
GantDaily will be posting from Gobbler’s Knob on Feb. 2, but even then, Punxsutawney Phil and his closest friends, the Inner Circle, will not be as accessible as they are in a video made by Clearfield-based Harmony Multimedia.
As the only documentary on Phil ever to be officially sanctioned by the Inner Circle, “The Life and Times of Punxsutawney Phil” takes Phil aficionados and Phil newbies alike on a journey through fun facts.
“This video is unique,” said Brandon Giuffre, president of Harmony Multimedia. “It touches on everything from the event itself to the history and origin of Groundhog Day. It also consists of exclusive video content you won’t find anywhere else in the world.”
To prepare GantDaily readers for Groundhog Day, we, along with Harmony, are giving away DVDs of the documentary to those who sign up for our Daily Inbox Delivery. (If you’re not signed up yet, visit Member Services. If you are, click on any GantDaily story, then scroll to the bottom of the page. Click “E-Mail This Story,” and refer a friend to receive the Daily Inbox Delivery. But, make sure you include the e-mail address getit@gantnews.com as a recipient to be entered to win a DVD.)
With the DVD, viewers will find out all kinds of thinks about the history of the event from the Groundhog Royal Couple executions of 1953 to how we came to look at a small, brown animal to forecast weather. Scenes also include insight on Phil’s secret to being over 100 years old and why no women are members of the Inner Circle.
If you aren’t one of those to pick up a video, remember that it is still available to order online to make sure you’re ready for GantDaily’s posts from Gobbler’s Knob.
As for Phil’s prediction this year, both Giuffre and Jim Boyles, also of Harmony, said they’re predicting six more weeks of winter.
“We really haven’t had much of a winter yet,” said Boyles.
GantDaily will provide not just Phil’s prediction on Groundhog day, but we will also post a link to VisitPA.com’s live Web cams of Phil’s prediction. Go there now and find what to do in Punxsutawney from eating to attractions.