Groundhog Day 2027
Groundhog Day 2027 is on Tuesday, February 2, 2027 (in 113 days). It is celebrated every year on February 2, when a groundhog is said to predict whether winter will last six more weeks. It is not a federal holiday.
- Date
- Tuesday, February 2, 2027
- Countdown
- In 113 days
- Federal holiday
- No
- Date rule
- February 2 (fixed date)
- Possible dates
- Always February 2; only the weekday changes
- Next occurrence
- Wednesday, February 2, 2028
Groundhog Day dates by year
| Year | Date | Weekday | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | February 2, 2026 | Monday | 252 days ago |
| 2027 | February 2, 2027 | Tuesday | in 113 days |
| 2028 | February 2, 2028 | Wednesday | in 15 months |
| 2029 | February 2, 2029 | Friday | in 2 years |
| 2030 | February 2, 2030 | Saturday | in 3 years |
| 2031 | February 2, 2031 | Sunday | in 4 years |
| 2032 | February 2, 2032 | Monday | in 5 years |
| 2033 | February 2, 2033 | Wednesday | in 6 years |
| 2034 | February 2, 2034 | Thursday | in 7 years |
| 2035 | February 2, 2035 | Friday | in 8 years |
Dates are calculated from the rule shown above, not copied from a list, so they stay correct for any year. See everything else happening that month in the calendar for February 2027.
The date of Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day is fixed on February 2, so only the weekday changes. The date is roughly halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It is a folk tradition and not a public holiday, so offices, banks and schools keep their normal hours. In 2028 Groundhog Day is on Wednesday, February 2, 2028.
Punxsutawney Phil
The best-known Groundhog Day ceremony is held at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, at sunrise. The first official trip to Gobbler's Knob by the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was in 1887. According to the legend, the groundhog, Phil, is the same animal every year and lives for more than a century thanks to a special elixir. If Phil sees his shadow, winter lasts six more weeks, and if he does not, spring comes early.
Where the tradition comes from
German settlers in Pennsylvania brought a weather tradition tied to Candlemas, February 2, in the church calendar: a sunny Candlemas meant a longer winter. In Germany the animal was a badger or a hedgehog, and the settlers switched to the groundhog, which was common in Pennsylvania.
The 1993 film Groundhog Day, with Bill Murray, was set in Punxsutawney but filmed mostly in Woodstock, Illinois. Meteorologists treat the groundhog as folklore and not as a reliable forecast.
Other forecasters and the Inner Circle
Punxsutawney Phil is the most famous groundhog, but he is not the only one. Staten Island Chuck in New York City, General Beauregard Lee in Georgia and Wiarton Willie in Ontario, Canada, make their own predictions on February 2. In Punxsutawney the ceremony is run by the Inner Circle of the Groundhog Club, men in top hats and tuxedos. According to the club, Phil speaks "Groundhogese" to the Inner Circle president, and the vice president then reads the matching forecast from a scroll.
Folk weather lore
Weather sayings tied to this date exist in many countries. One version of an English rhyme says, "If Candlemas Day be fair and bright, winter will have another flight." Real groundhogs, also called woodchucks, hibernate through the winter and begin to emerge in late winter.
Frequently asked questions about Groundhog Day
When is Groundhog Day 2027?
Groundhog Day 2027 is on Tuesday, February 2, 2027.
When is Groundhog Day 2028?
Groundhog Day 2028 is on Wednesday, February 2, 2028.
Is Groundhog Day a holiday?
No. Groundhog Day is not a federal or state holiday. It is a popular tradition, and everything stays open as usual.
Where is the official Groundhog Day ceremony?
At Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, hosted by the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. Other towns hold their own ceremonies with local groundhogs.
Is the groundhog's forecast accurate?
Not reliably. Weather agencies treat it as folklore, and the groundhog's record over the years is no better than chance.