Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager, left, and Grammy award winning country music artist Bryan White wake up Woodstock Willie for his annual prognostication. (Lawerence Synett/Tribune)

Unlike his counterpart Punxsutawney Phil in central Pennsylvania, Woodstock Willie awoke Thursday with good news for residents of the Chicagoland area — spring is just around the corner.

The year-old groundhog did not see his shadow during the city’s annual Groundhog Day prognostication, which celebrates 20 years since the Bill Murray movie “Groundhog Day” was filmed in Woodstock.

“Our announcement was a little bit better than Punxsutawney (Phil),” Mayor Brian Sager said. “We’re thrilled for an early spring.”

Hundreds of residents from as far as Oregon were welcomed to the Woodstock Square, or Gobbler’s Knob as it is know in the movie, by Richard Henzel — the voice on the clock radio in the Harold Ramis film about a weatherman forced to relive the same day over and over again.

Willie wasn’t alone in predicting the early spring. Staten Island Chuck, New York City’s groundhog, also did not see his shadow.

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