PUNXSUTAWNEY — In case you haven’t been paying attention, Groundhog Day is coming like a freight train and Tom Dunkel, Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle president, said he’s excited about this year’s trek to Gobbler’s Knob following last year’s large crowd of 50,000.
Dunkel said this year, Groundhog Day is on a Monday, which is still the weekend, and he anticipated the crowd to be about the same as it was last year.
“Based on interest and internet traffic and ticket sales, people are reaching out to Marcy (Galando, executive director),” Dunkel said, adding that temperatures falling below zero mean only the bravest will attend Phil’s prognostication.
Dunkel said that he wants everyone to know that despite the cold temperatures, Groundhog Day will carry on and they will still have a great time up on Gobbler’s Knob on Feb. 2.
“We have a large bonfire for people to gather around and keep warm,” Dunkel said. “We have Hogspitality Village, where people can purchase tickets to go in to keep warm, and our souvenir area, and we will have warming tents for people to go and the emergency management team will be erecting a tent, so if people get cold they can go into the tent to get warmed up.”
Dunkel said in regards to getting to and from the Knob, they added two more bus pickups and drop-off areas.
“We used to have five; now we have seven,” Dunkel said, adding that it will increase their speed by 20 percent.
He said they isolated the circle that the buses take.
“They go to the Knob, then the park, Walmart and Gobbler’s Knob,” Dunkel said. “The people getting back to the high school and Aldi’s stop will take an alternate bus that will be parked real close to the downtown park by the Presbyterian Church.”
Dunkel said that you will get off the bus and step off and get onto the secondary bus.
“The busing company, Tri County Transportation, felt that the change of making two loops will really quicken the amount of time we can get people off of the Knob,” Dunkel said.
He said he is still overwhelmed when they make the trek to Phil’s stump, translate Phil’s prognostication with the cane and choose the right scroll for Dan McGinley, vice president, to read for all to see and hear around the world.
Dunkel said he hopes everyone will have a good time this year at the Knob and throughout the town and surrounding area.
For more information, including a schedule of events for the weekend, visit groundhog.org.
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