SUN PRAIRIE – To borrow a phrase from Emily Dickinson, “a light exists in spring not present on the year at any other period” – and, if you trust Jimmy the Groundhog, that light is coming early.
The famous weather-predicting groundhog did not see his shadow at sunrise during the 78th annual Groundhog Day Prognostication in downtown Sun Prairie, which per tradition means we are due for an early spring. Jimmy’s forecast was relayed by Mayor Steve Stocker at about 7:11 a.m. to hundreds of people who gathered in Cannery Square.
A crowd of hundreds is ready to hear Jimmy the Groundhog’s weather prediction at sunrise during the 78th annual Groundhog Day Prognostication on Feb. 2, 2026, in Cannery Square in downtown Sun Prairie.
The event is the capstone of the city’s annual Frozen Fest, which featured a series of events running from Jan. 28 to Feb. 2. Other fun activities held throughout the self-proclaimed “Groundhog Capital of the World” during Frozen Fest included a puzzle contest, the Hibernation Hustle 5K, a sled dog demonstration and an ice-carving demonstration.
Jimmy’s prediction looks pretty prescient, at least in the short-term forecast. According to the National Weather Service Green Bay, temperatures across Wisconsin will raise considerably from the recent bitter cold, with Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday seeing highs in the low to mid-20s.
Jimmy takes some time to take pictures with his fans after delivering his weather prediction during the 78th annual Groundhog Day Prognostication on Feb. 2, 2026, in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.
Tim Langton is a digital planning editor for the Appleton Post-Crescent and the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Groundhog Day in Sun Prairie results are in. Is it spring, or winter?