Groundhog Day: Tom Skilling shares early spring prediction, declares Woodstock ‘magical’ and ‘gorgeous’

A massive crowd gathered Friday morning on the Woodstock Square to witness an unseasonably warm Groundhog Day prognostication: an early spring!

With the big day landing on a Friday this year, with relatively mild weather and with WGN-TV meteorologist Tom Skilling as the star attraction – after the groundhog, of course – the crowd was especially large and jovial, singing along to “In Heaven There Ain’t No Beer” and other favorites from the Groundhog Day polka band that starting playing as the sun came up.

Skilling told the crowd that after about 55 years of weather reporting – he’s retiring at the end of the month – he’s finally gotten some forecasting tips from Woodstock Willie.

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Ed Jacobi and Mike Knauf of Die Musik Meisters entertain the crowd Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, during the annual Groundhog Day Prognostication on the Woodstock Square. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver)

Then someone joked, “Let’s get the real weatherman out here” before Willie was brought out and hoisted overhead by his handler, Mark Szafran, as those in attendance roared with approval.

Skilling had high praise for Willie, calling him “the world’s most famous groundhog.”

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Hadley Wadlington said it was her first time attending the prognostication.

“I was really happy I saw the groundhog,” Wadlington said.

She added that she liked the call of an early spring, but she expects we’ll have more winter.

Attendee Lisa Ray, who said she had been to the event before, was “all for the early spring.”

“I think it’s a lot of fun,” Ray said.

Throngs turned out despite a fake Facebook account apparently putting out a false report that the festivities had been canceled.

“We took care of it really quickly,” Woodstock Mayor Mike Turner said of the post.

He added that he didn’t recall that happening in previous years.

“We’re still here,” Groundhog Days Committee member Melissa McMahon said.

Last year, the prognosticator of seasons saw his shadow, giving us six more weeks of winter. This year, we have hope of an early spring.

[ The secret life of Woodstock Willie ]

After much buildup Friday, Skilling delivered the “forecast,” capping off a career at WGN that lasted over four decades.

He announced that Willie had not seen his shadow.

Turner encouraged the crowd to come back to Woodstock “throughout the year.” Although the city of Woodstock previously had declared Feb. 2 to be Groundhog Day, Turner announced to the crowd that Friday also was Tom Skilling Day in Woodstock.

Friday’s festivities included a “Drink to World Peace” shortly after the prognostication and a sold-out Groundhog Days breakfast at the Moose Lodge.

Die Musikmeisters serenaded the attendees at the event while they enjoyed eggs, pancakes, potatoes and other breakfast foods.

One of the breakfast participants, Debra Cromie, said it was her first time at the festivities and she came because of Skilling.

“It’s so cool,” Cromie said.

Skilling spoke to the breakfast attendees, telling them that he “shall never forget this.”

“Thank you for the honor of joining you,” Skilling said.

Skilling spent the night before prognostication at the Cherry Tree Inn – where Bill Murray’s character stayed in “Groundhog Day,” the movie famously filmed in Woodstock – and joked that he slept so well that he was taking the mattress with him.

He also called downtown Woodstock “magical.”

“This community is gorgeous,” Skilling said. “If it hadn’t been in a movie, it should have been.”

Later Friday, there were two showings of the 1993 “Groundhog Day” film at the Woodstock theater (known as the Alpine Theater in the film), one at noon and one at 7 p.m. Those interested still can catch the movie Saturday and Sunday.

Dozens of attendees participated in a walking tour featuring Bob Hudgins, the location manager for the film, which kicked off at 10 a.m. Friday at the Woodstock Opera House and made its way through the Square and surrounding areas.

Hudgins told the crowd how they came to pick Woodstock for filming after they looked at about 60 different towns.

Hudgins said the weather posed a challenge during filming, noting that he did not expect to make snow each morning.

The public also can tour the Cherry Tree Inn, where Phil Connors stayed in the film, and the Opera House, which was the Pennsylvanian Hotel in the movie. The public also can tour the Old Courthouse from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The festival kicked off Thursday night with Groundhog Storytime at Makity Make inside the Old Courthouse on the Square, although Woodstock Willie was resting up for his season debut.

Lisa Rossi of the Woodstock Public Library read two groundhog stories to the attendees, and the library provided a groundhog-themed craft for the kids to complete or take home.

The groundhog made his first appearance of the weekend shortly after, at the Welcoming of the Groundhog on Thursday evening, upstairs at the Old Courthouse.

The Woodstock Community Choir performed Woodstock Willie Song Book songs at the Welcoming of the Groundhog event.

The songs performed included “Take Me Out to the Tree Stump” to the tune of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and other songs welcoming spring to the tune of holiday carols.