Your weekly guide to the events and happenings in and around Boyertown, PA

What to do? Where to go? Here is your one stop list of community events, music, arts, food, business specials, and historic events for Boyertown and beyond…

As a Boyertown graduate, a real estate agent at Glocker Realty, and also a proud member of Building a Better Boyertown, I have had the joy of watching our little town grow. I enjoy having any part in helping our community to move forward. I hope this weekly blog will help shine a light on all the great things happening in and around Boyertown, PA

Here is what’s going down during the week of 2/4/2021 – 2/10/2021

Six More Weeks of What? (A groundhog story)

Every year, on the morning of February 2^nd,there is one question on the tongue of many people “Did Phil see his shadow?” Wait a minute…who is this Phil guy? Why would you care if he saw his shadow? Well, if you are from Pennsylvania, I’m pretty sure you know who Punxsutawney Phil is. He is PA’s most famous Groundhog who has been predicting whether or not we will have an early spring, for well over a century now. You might ask, “How in the world would a groundhog predict the weather?” or “Why in the world does a groundhog predict the weather?” To get some answers to this strange tradition, let’s go back to the beginning.

This idea goes back to the ancient Christian tradition of Candlemas, when clergy would bless and distribute candles needed for winter. The candles represented how long and cold the winter would be. Germans expanded on this concept by selecting an animal—the hedgehog—as a means of predicting weather. They thought that if the sun came out on Candlemas, a hedgehog would cast its shadow, predicting snow all the way into May. When German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania, they brought this custom with them. Since there were no hedgehogs to be found in PA, they turned to the groundhog to take its place.

So, the groundhog, also called woodchuck or whistle pig, became the beacon of weather predicting throughout the northeast. As they wobble out of their borrows, after months of hibernating, it is thought that if the see their shadow, winter has not ended, and they go back in to sleep until March. The truth is, they come out periodically to mate in February and come out for good in March.

On February 2, 1886, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, this myth grew into something more when local newspaper editor, Clymer Freas, wrote: “Today is Groundhog Day and up to the time of going to press the beast has not seen its shadow.” Exactly one year later, townspeople made the first trip to Gobbler’s Knob, the hill where the famous groundhog emerges from, and declared Phil Americas only true weather-forecasting groundhog. The crowds grew as the years went on, but the 1993 release of the movie Groundhog Day brought the popularity of Punxsutawney and its famous groundhog to the next level.

Punxsutawney, PA, and Gobbler’s Knob has now emerged into a 3-day festival with crowds of around 40,000 people, all to celebrate the 135-year-old “Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather-Prophet Extraordinary.” On the morning of the Groundhog Day, at approximately 6:30am, Phil comes out of his burrow. With the “Inner Circle” club members dressed in top hat and tux, to give Phil the respect that he deserves, and thousands of onlookers, Phil speaks in “Groundhogese,” a language only understood by the Inner Circle’s current president, and tells him whether he saw his shadow (6 more weeks of winter) or did not see his shadow (early spring). This year Phil saw his shadow and declared six more weeks of winter.

Are you wondering how accurate Phil’s predictions are? Well, he is only correct around 40% of the time. So, who knows what the weather will bring over the coming weeks? If you want to hit the slopes a few more times this year, then hope that good ol’ Phil is right. If you are looking forward to the scent of flowers and the sound of birds chirping, then hope that Phil got it wrong. Either way, it is a fun tradition that I hope keeps February 2^nd a special day in PA for many centuries to come.

EAT LOCAL WIN BIG! – During the month of February Building A Better Boyertown is supporting their restaurants members by offering a big reward to you! You can win a $20 gift card to each of the restaurants listed below…

Grind Restaurant, The Other Farm, Carmellos Pizza, Firefly Cafe, Jukebox Cafe, Iezzi’s on Third, Barrel & Ale, The Grill Shop, Brakeman’s Cafe, Durango’s, Gramia’s, Saville’s Diner, Washington Grille & Pub, CD’s Place

That’s 14 restaurants! To enter to win, you just need to make a purchase from any of the participating restaurants between February 1-28, 2021. Take a photo of your receipt and email it to receipts@boyertownpa.org along with your name. It’s that easy! the winner will be randomly selected on 3/1/2021.

VALENTINE’S GIVEAWAY! – Valentine’s Day is coming, and Glocker Realty and Insurance could have your whole night planned out for you for FREE, if you win our February giveaway!! Winner receives a $50 gift card to the Grind Restaurant AND candy from The Peppermint Stick Candy Store. How do you win? From Feb 5th to the 12th, like Glocker Realty and Insurance Facebook, like the February giveaway post on Facebook, and drop a picture of something or someone you love in the comments! The winner will be chosen February 12th. Don’t miss your chance to win!

Red and White Hearts Valentines Day Card (7)

THE CAST AT GLOCKER livestreaming every Wednesday at 6PM at Glocker Realty & Insurance on Facebook or YouTube. Hosts Matt Green & Jeff Frederick bring you news, events and conversation for Boyertown and the surrounding communities. Join us live and be part of the conversation! See all of the previous episodes here…https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRX-OhAU0fyYBPkQdZxPxdg/videos