ALTON - Murray the groundhog will not be out to see his shadow this year in Alton but should return in 2023. Because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau has canceled this year’s Groundhog Day gathering in Alton with hopes of resuming it in 2023.
Stephanie Tate, marketing and communications director for Great Rivers & Routes, said with the strong winter storm predicted for Wednesday and Thursday, it is probably a blessing the event was canceled for this year.
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“We weren’t going to do it regardless of the weather, but it was mostly because of the COVID-19 Pandemic,” she said about the Groundhog Day cancellation. “We have a lot of kids who come and we really wanted to keep it safe for everybody. We are of course encouraging people to go to Tree House to see the groundhogs and we are looking forward to having something fun next year.”
“The Groundhog Day event is so popular,” she added. “People just love it. I can’t tell you how many phone calls we have had asking about it, so the interest is still there even though we haven’t had it now for two straight years. It is very nice how people have shown how much they liked it and want it to come back.”
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