ALTON - The region’s resident spring prognosticator, Murray the Groundhog, will forecast the spring tourism season at 9 a.m., Friday, Feb. 2 at the Alton Regional CVB Visitor Center, 200 Piasa St., Alton. The public is invited to attend.
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TreeHouse Wildlife Center’s permanent resident groundhog, Murray, will make his third annual Groundhog Day forecast with the help of area mayors and residents.
“We enlisted the help of Murray to assist us in forecasting the weather,” Brett Stawar, President and CEO of the Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau, said. “We are teased regularly about our inability to forecast what kind of weather visitors will have, so we thought we would try to get our information first-hand from a more informed source!”
Alton Mayor Brant Walker, Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick and other area leaders will be on hand to authenticate Murray’s prediction.
According to legend, if a groundhog sees its shadow on Feb. 2, there will be six more weeks of bad weather. If the day is cloudy and the groundhog doesn’t see its shadow, it is taken as a sign of spring.
An informal meet and greet with Murray, TreeHouse officials and local mayors will be held immediately following Murray’s prediction.
