City celebrates 20th anniversary of 'Groundhog Day'
It's been more than 20 years since the movie “Groundhog Day” was filmed in Woodstock, but the town hasn't forgotten.
“In 1992, something astonishing happened in the historic city of Woodstock, Illinois,” according to the Groundhog Day website. “People came to town and roped off the picturesque city square, moved all sorts of equipment into the park and started playing the Pennsylvania Polka over and over and over again.”
The movie that was released in 1993, starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell, has retained its popularity, and “Groundhog Day” has become a catchphrase for repetitive situations. The film was added to the United States National Film Registry in 2006 as being deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
To understand the significance of the movie, and the holiday, look no further than the city of Woodstock, which began its Groundhog Days festival Jan. 27 and continues celebrating through Sunday, Feb. 3.
The busiest day will be Saturday, Feb. 2, with a variety of activities scheduled, including groundhog Woodstock Willie's prognostication on the Woodstock Square at 7 a.m.
If getting up early on a weekend isn't your style, other activities include the Awakening of the Groundhog at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, at the Woodstock Opera House; or a Groundhog Day dinner dance at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, at the Woodstock Moose Lodge.
New this year is Groundhog Day Bowling from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, at Wayne's Lanes, 109 E. Church St., Woodstock. For $10, bowlers can play two games and enjoy breakfast or lunch.
The weekend continues with free showings of the film, a chili cook-off, walking tours of the filming sites, groundhog storytelling by Jim May, and a bags tourney.
For a complete schedule of events, visit woodstockgroundhog.org or call (815) 334-2620.
If you go
What: Woodstock Groundhog Days festival, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 1993 film “Groundhog Day”
Thursday, Jan. 31
6 p.m. Awakening of the Groundhog, Woodstock Opera House
6:30 p.m. Groundhog Trivia, Stage Left Cafe
Friday, Feb. 1
6 p.m. to midnight Groundhog Day dinner dance, Woodstock Moose Lodge
Saturday, Feb. 2
7 a.m. Groundhog Prognostication, Woodstock Square
7:30 a.m. Groundhog Day breakfast, Woodstock VFW
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Groundhog Bowling, Wayne's Lanes
10 a.m. Free showing of “Groundhog Day” movie, Woodstock Theater
10 a.m. Jim May's Groundhog Tales, Home State Bank
Noon Groundhog Day Chili Cook-off, Woodstock Opera House
1 p.m. Woodstock Rotary Bags Tourney, Ortmann's Red Iron Tavern
1:30 p.m. Walking Tour of Filming Sites, meet at opera house
3:30 p.m. Groundhog Day Symposium, Stage Left Cafe
6 to 11 p.m. District 200 Education Foundation Benefit, Donley's Steakhouse
Sunday, Feb. 3
10 a.m. Free showing of “Groundhog Day” movie, Woodstock Theater
12:30 p.m. Walking Tour of Filming Sites, meet at opera house
Details:<a href="http://www.woodstockgroundhog.org">woodstockgroundhog.org</a>; (815) 334-2620