Alberta groundhog Balzac Billy dug his way out of his burrow at 8:12 a.m. He held up an ice scraper and put on ski goggles after his long-awaited stretch.
Members of the community gathered on Feb. 2 to say good morning to Balzac Billy at the 21st annual Groundhog Day celebration held at the Blue Grass Nursery and Garden Centre.
Billy’s shadow beamed down on the crowd. So, according to this local groundhog, spring is not going to come early.
Sorry, Alberta.
“It really is a mystery, and nobody knows except for Billy,” said Jennifer Cordingley, the Blue Grass Nursery marketing manager. “When they come out, what they see and what they feel, I’m sure it’s just all animal instinct.”
Free breakfast and live music started for guests at 7 a.m. and continued through until 9 a.m.
“A lot of these people are from Airdrie and Calgary and we have lots of support,” Cordingley said. “It’s a good little reunion for the Balzac community for people to come out.”
The celebration was hosted by Blue Grass Nursery, CrossIron Mills Mall, and the Airdrie Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The Groundhog Day Celebration is celebrating its 21st anniversary.
“One of the really nice things about it is how many people return year after year, not only to show up but to help out at the event,” Cordingley said.
While some families attended for the first time, this celebration has been a yearly tradition for some community members.
“I try to come every year if it’s my day off,” said Marlene Cain as she waited in the crowd for Balzac Billy’s prediction.
Originally, the celebration took place at the Balzac Community Hall. As it continued to reach more guests each year, Blue Grass offered up its space to hold the annual community event.
This year’s expected turnout was around 200 people.
Balzac Billy was discovered in 1978, making him around 45 years old. He originally grew up behind a store in Balzac.
Merle Osborne ran the store and was the first to meet Billy and start his legend. She shared stories about the special groundhog up to no good. Eventually, this grabbed radio attention, and his popularity grew as the local groundhog and star of this event.
According to local legend, if Balzac Billy wakes up and doesn’t see his shadow, Alberta will enjoy an early spring.
Although Billy predicts a longer winter, Shubenacadie Sam from Nova Scotia didn’t see his shadow. But if Billy’s prediction is correct, winter will be sticking around for a little while longer.
