For the inhabitants of the marmot day, it is one of the most exciting events of the year. Although high -quality hard coal is mined near the city, the town is famous for this holiday. The most famous resident of Punxsutawney is Punxsutawney Phil, i.e. Świszcz, who predicts the imminent arrival of spring or long winter. Every year, on February 2, Świszcz’s Day is celebrated in the town. There is a special ceremony, whose main star is the already mentioned American marmot Phil. And as befits a star, the rodent lives throughout the year in real luxury, in a heated mink in a tree trunk, as well as in the terrarium of the municipal library, surrounded by the care of members of the Świstak club.
Świstak Day 2025. People go to Punxsutawney from all over the country, not only for a weather forecast. This is how the Świstak Day is celebrated
The ceremony starts early in the morning, before dawn. People come from all over the country and even from abroad to take part in the event. Lots of people also follow them on the web. There is an amazing atmosphere here, everyone is excited, sing, dance and wait for the moment when Phil comes out of his burrow. The tradition of that day dates back to February 2, 1887, when the marmot Phil came out of his winter hideout to “predict” the weather for the coming weeks.
– According to the custom, if the animal sees his shadow, you are scared and bound to the burrow, the inhabitants of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania have another six weeks of winter as in a bank. However, if it stays outside, spring is just around the corner. Sizing? At a time when there were no scientific meteorological forecasts, superstitions were often relying – in Europe, for example, the waking of bears was observed. Well, superstition, but subsequent incarnations of Phil in 2/3 of cases are right … – explained Dr. Tomasz Pudłowski: Americanist and media expert, in the magazine “Travel”.
For many inhabitants of Punxsutawney, the marmot day is not only a prophecy of the weather, but also an opportunity to celebrate and integrate. Various accompanying events, such as parades, concerts, exhibitions and festivities, are already taking place a few days earlier.
Wistak Day in pop culture. Where to watch the movie?
The “Świstak Day” in pop culture is about repeatability. The term appeared in everyday use along with the popularity of the film with Bill Murray. It’s about experiencing the same way every day. The painting was created in 1993 and made Punxsutawney to the whole world. However, the film about the recurring day of the weather presenter, was almost entirely shot in Woodstock, Illinois. It is thanks to this comedy in Poland that we are talking about the marmot’s day, not the Świszcz Day. All because of discrepancies in the translation of the film. “Wistak Day” could be seen on the Netflix platform for free.
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