Handler Mark Szafran and Mayor Brian Sager announce Woodstock Willie's Groundhog Day prognostication Thursday morning. (Lawerence Synett/Tribune)
Unlike his counterpart Punxsutawney Phil in central Pennsylvania, Woodstock Willie awoke Thursday in the far northwest suburban town with a positive “prediction” 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 also celebrated 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.”
Willie wasn’t alone in predicting the early spring. Staten Island Chuck, New York City’s groundhog, also did not see his shadow.
Hundreds of residents from as far as Oregon were welcomed to the Woodstock Square — or Punxsutawney’s Gobbler’s Knob as it made over to be 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.
(PHOTOS: Residents celebrate Groundhog Day.)
Paul Anderson, of Sycamore, and Gail Wemlinger, of Kirkland, attended the annual ceremony for the first time.
“We stayed up late last night and watched the movie to get ready for this,” Anderson said. “This is so much fun. We had to do it at least once.”
Wemlinger attended the festivities in Puxsutawney, Penn., two years ago.
“These two things were on my bucket list,” she said. “Now I can say I’ve been to both.”
The film starring Murray, Andie MacDowell and Chris Elliott was filmed in the McHenry County town in 1992.
Many of the popular locations used throughout the movie are still recognizable today by plaques indicating the scenes that were filmed there. That includes the Woodstock Opera House, as well as the bed and breakfast Murray’s character called home.
Nashville resident and Grammy award winning music artist Bryan White served as a special emcee during the event. The country singer has performed several times at the opera house.
“This event is just awesome,” White said. “I’m such a big fan of the movie and seeing this in person is so cool.”
A small celebration of the movie and holiday 20 years ago has grown into a week’s worth of events that include walking tours, a chili cook-off and several movie showings.
Mark Szafran, manager of Animal Rentals Inc., the same company that provided the animals during filming, acted as handler of Woodstock Willie for the 16th consecutive year.
“This is such a fun event each year,” he said.
