Tired already of winter? With the Midwest now in the deep freeze, we want to know when Spring will come. One way to hear if it will be early or late is to follow Punxsutawney Phil in western Pennsylvania or Woodstock Willie in an Illinois town northwest of Chicago..
The famed 1993 movie directed by Harold Ramis from a script written by Danny Rubion and screenplay by Ramis and Rubin, is supposedly taking place in Punxsutawney, PA but was mostly filmed in Woodstock, a small town about 50 miles from Chicago, IL.
Ramis who lived in Chicago’s northern suburbs wanted a more convenient film location then Pennsylvania and liked Woodstock’s small-town square and opera house.
Groundhog Day is Feb. 2 but Woodstock activities really get into gear Feb. 1. So plan now to visit the charming square where Willie the groundhog’s prognostication takes place. Hopefully, he won’t see his shadow. If he does, it means six more weeks of winter.
You can see the whole film in the movie house down the street from the square and follow in stars Bill Murray and Andie Macdowell’s footsteps.
By the way, you do known the plot circles around the obnoxious weatherman character played by Murray, right? It is a rom com so of course everything turns out rosy but first he has to change. He gets plenty of time to do so as he wakes up every morning, stuck in Woodstock – the same place same time.
The basis for the plot goes back to Pennsylvania Dutch folk lore but may also have European agricultural roots that believe animals have an instinct for seasonal weather changes. And yes, both the PA and IL sites do consult a groundhog during the event.
Woodstock Pavilion where the band plays and prognostication takes place
The basis for the plot goes back to Pennsylvania Dutch folk lore but may also have European agricultural roots that believe animals have an instinct for seasonal weather changes. And yes, both the PA and IL sites do consult a groundhog during the event.
For Woodstock activities visit Woodstock, IL Groundhog Days – Every Day is Groundhog Day in Woodstock
For Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney events visit Punxsutawney Groundhog Club – The Home of Groundhog Day!
For more info on the movie visit Groundhog Day (1993) – IMDb