Balzac Billy predicts early spring for Alberta
Posted February 2, 2023 9:01 am.
The Groundhog Day tradition continues Thursday, and Alberta’s Balzac Billy bucked the trend from other groundhogs as he did not see his shadow, predicting an early spring.
In the event, which was also live-streamed on Facebook, the “Prairie Prognosticator,” who is a man-sized groundhog mascot, appeared just after 8 a.m.
After doing a set of squats, the oversized rodent grabbed a shovel, then dropped it on the ground. Afterwards, he picked up a bouquet of flowers, with cheers erupting due to an early spring.
The 20th annual event put on by the Balzac Business Community Association was hosted at the Blue Grass Nursery and Garden Centre in Calgary.
Billy, along with Ontario’s Wiarton Willie, went against a trend that saw other rodents across North America predict six more weeks of winter.
This includes the famous Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania, U.S., who saw his shadow, and Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam.
Next up: Punxsutawney Phil! Like Shubenacadie Sam, Pennsylvania's #1 groundhog saw his shadow this morning – meaning a late spring!
????: AP pic.twitter.com/PlzFyAp3Lr
— Breakfast Television (@breakfasttv) February 2, 2023
Meanwhile, in Quebec, organizers broke the news this morning to the crowd gathered in Val d’Espoir, saying nine-year-old Fred la Marmotte had been found dead the night before.
In the groundhog’s place, organizers pulled a stuffed toy from a small wooded hut and handed it to a child, who then called for six more weeks of winter.
-With files from The Canadian Press
