FRENCH CREEK, W.Va. –French Creek Freddie, the groundhog in Upshur County, will emerge from his burrow Monday to see whether he sees his shadow or not in honor of Groundhog Day
The West Virginia Wildlife Center will celebrate its 49th annual Groundhog Celebration with this yearly prediction. If he sees his shadow, it means six more weeks of winter; if he doesn’t, it signals an early spring.
The ceremony will begin around 9:30 a.m. at the center’s amphitheater and will include a performance by the French Creek Elementary School choir.
The center’s director, Mark Biller, said the tradition began with former director Bill Vanscoy.
“It started with a reporter calling into Bill Vanscoy, the day before Groundhogs Day, and there asking if the groundhog saw his shadow, then after he said he seen his shadow, the reporter went out and sent it out the Associated Press then people from all over the country asking about Freddie’s prediction,” Biller said.
Freddie is expected to come out of his burrow around 10 a.m., and Governor Patrick Morrisey will be on hand to announce his prediction.
Biller said Freddie is more than 50% accurate in his predictions.
“We’re getting numbers around 65% accuracy,” he said.
He said the celebration is usually quite large, drawing 500 to 600 people last year.
While the event shows whether we can expect more winter or an early spring, it’s also a great opportunity to learn about groundhogs.
Biller said groundhogs typically live about seven years and are true hibernators, entering a coma-like state for several months. He also said their core temperature can drop to 37 degrees Fahrenheit.
He said this is around the time groundhogs typically wake from hibernation, so Freddie’s sleep isn’t being disturbed.
“The groundhogs really wake up around this time anyway, they might be out for a couple of weeks and then go back to sleep for a couple of weeks, so it’s really about when they really come out,” Biller said.
After the ceremony event goers can enjoy hot chocolate, cookies, biscuit and gravy at the gift shop, take photos with Freddie and join a “wood chucking” contest.
The celebration is free and open to the public.