Groundhog Day is on Friday, February 2nd and that means all eyes will be on the province’s weather-predicting groundhog, Wiarton Willie. Every year Ontarians wait to see if he will cast a shadow, foretelling six more weeks of winter or if he’ll show no shadow, therefore bringing an early spring.

People from all over Ontario gather for the Wiarton Willie Festival and Prediction Morning and here’s what’s on tap for this year’s festivities.

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The 2024 Wiarton Willie Festival is held on February 2nd in the community of Wiarton located in South Bruce Peninsula. People from far and wide gather for Prediction Morning, held at the Wiarton Arena Parking Lot this year.

There will be free breakfast sandwiches and hot beverages available to kick off the morning followed by fireworks at 7:00 AM and of course, Willie’s official prediction which is scheduled for 8:07 AM.

Following the prediction of either more winter or an early spring will be a public free skate at Wiarton Arena from 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Can’t make it to Wiarton but want to see Willie’s prediction first hand? Rogers TV will be streaming the event and you can watch it here.

The fun doesn’t end at Prediction Morning, however. The public is invited back to the Wiarton Arena from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday, February 3rd.

The Festival of Events will run on Saturday including a gaming trailer, rock climbing wall, axe throwing, photo booth, human foosball and a trackless train.

Other events being held over the weekend throughout the town of Wiarton can be found here. A euchre tournament, vendors market, casino night and a pool tournament are just a few of the activities.

Whether you’re hoping for a little more winter or can’t wait for the warm weather, make sure to tune in or head over to Wiarton and see what Willie predicts on Groundhog Day!

Wiarton Willie Festival and Prediction Morning

When: Friday, February 2nd, 2024 starting at 7:00 AM
Where: Wiarton Arena, 526 Taylor St, Wiarton, ON
Cost: Free

Taylor Lucas

Regional Editor – Taylor is a Toronto-based journalist with a passion for story-telling. Whether chasing a story, writing, or editing she brings a creative spin to the media world and has a blast doing it. Taylor brings years of journalism experience in sports, local/national news, and entertainment. In her spare time, you can typically find Taylor trying out a new restaurant or cocktail bar, cooking, golfing or binge-watching true crime documentaries.

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