Groundhog Days: Tom Skilling joins Woodstock Willie this year, and other things to know about the festival

On Friday, Woodstock Willie, the groundhog who serves as the city’s de facto mascot, will tell us how much more winter is in store.

Last year, the furry prognosticator of seasons condemned us to six more weeks of winter but called an early spring the year before.

The groundhog will be making his 2024 festival debut Thursday night at the Welcoming of the Groundhog at the Event Center, which opened last year inside the Old Courthouse Center on the Square.

Feb. 2 was declared Groundhog Day in Woodstock with a proclamation read at the Jan. 16 City Council meeting. Woodstock Willie — the mascot, not the animal — was in attendance, and the proclamation notes, “the city of Woodstock is dedicated to doing things over and over until they are done right.”

This year, Groundhog Days event coordinators also did some cross-market hyping with the help of the Windy City Bulls, who for one game this month became the Windy City Willies — with a Bennie and Willie dual bobblehead, to boot.

Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming festivities.

A special weather expert appearance

Woodstock Willie will have some competition this year from the most famous weather forecaster in Chicago: WGN meteorologist Tom Skilling will appear this year at the big reveal, translating Willie’s climatic insights from “Groundhogese.”

Skilling’s appearance is also noteworthy in that it comes just weeks before he retires at the end of February after decades at WGN-TV. It’s Skilling’s first appearance at the festival, said Melissa McMahon, who serves on the city’s Groundhog Days Committee and is also a city council member.

Skilling spoke on WGN Monday about meeting Woodstock Willie ahead of the big event.

“Well, you know how I feel about a member of the rodent family giving us a news forecast,” Skilling joked with on-air colleagues. “But I’m going to meet him face-to-face this coming Friday up there. … But he’s very nice, I must say.”

Where does Groundhog Day come from?

Groundhog Day comes from “a German legend that says if a furry rodent casts a shadow on Feb. 2, winter continues,” according to The Associated Press.

In Woodstock, festivities began with a prognostication and breakfast in 1995, two years after the “Groundhog Day” film was released. The movie starring Bill Murray was, of course, filmed in Woodstock, with the town playing the role of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

Catching the big weather reveal

Those who want to witness the prognostication firsthand can park in lots in and around downtown Woodstock. Alternatively, people can take Metra to the Woodstock station and walk to Woodstock Square, although they might miss out on prognostication.

According to the Metra schedule, the first train of the day arrives at 7:06 a.m., one minute before the revelation of whether we’ll have an early spring. A map of parking can be found at woodstockgroundhog.org/directions-parking.

The prognostication will take place at about 7:07 a.m. at the Square. A polka band is due to begin playing at 6:45 a.m. McMahon recommends getting to the event before then.

The fun doesn’t end there

After the groundhog tells us what’s coming, those interested can “Drink to World Peace” at Public House at 7:30 a.m. A walking tour of “Groundhog Day” filming sites will start at the Opera House at 10 a.m., and people can watch the movie at the Woodstock theater at noon or 7 p.m. There also will be an opportunity to view sketches and memorabilia at the Woodstock Public Library from 3 to 5 p.m. Finally, there will be a dinner dance at 6 p.m. and Cocktails with Wille at 7:30 p.m. at Stage Left Cafe.

Tickets to a 7:30 a.m. breakfast are sold out.

The day before Willie’s weather report, you can also catch Groundhog storytime at the public library at 5:15 p.m. Thursday, and a free Welcoming of the Groundhog, with a performance by the Woodstock Community Choir, at a new location this year, the Event Center at the Courthouse Center on the Square.

Groundhog Trivia and more screenings of the film will also take place Thursday evening.

Additional tours are also available, including of the Old Courthouse and the Cherry Tree Inn Bed and Breakfast.

For a complete listing of related events, go to woodstockgroundhog.org.