With Groundhog Day just around the corner, most area residents have heard of Punxsutawney Phil. But how about Jessup Giuseppe?

The inaugural Jessup Groundhog Day aims to create a new borough tradition inspired by the annual Punxsutawney celebration. Instead of the customary groundhog, however, this weekend’s event will feature another weather-prognosticating creature: Jessup Giuseppe, a living ferret sporting a top hat.

Jessup Groundhog Day kicks off Sunday, the day before Groundhog Day, with a ceremony at 8 a.m. at Station Park. Instead of looking for his shadow, Jessup Giuseppe will choose between grapes.

The celebration continues at 9 a.m. with the official after-party at Jak’s Pub and Eatery. Then at 1 p.m., the after-after-party moves to the St. Ubaldo Society Chapel.

Mike McAndrew, owner of Three Saints Barber Shop & Shave Parlor in the borough, and Matt Catanzaro, president of Jessup Groundhog Day, are the co-organizers behind the free and family-friendly event.

We caught up with McAndrew through email to find out more about Jessup’s first-ever Groundhog Day extravaganza.

1. How did you come up with the idea for the inaugural Jessup Groundhog Day?

Matt Catanzaro had always dreamed of attending the Punxsutawney event, but was never able to make it, so he mentioned it to me and said maybe we should host our own right here in town. While many people laughed at the idea at first, I was immediately on board! We discussed how this can be such a dull time of year, and how we wished there was something fun and light-hearted to do to break up the monotony until the nice spring weather breaks. And since this is Jessup’s 150th anniversary, we thought why not host an event that the entire community can take part in and share some fun. Groundhog Day falls precisely between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, so the day just made perfect sense. And besides, who doesn’t love Groundhog Day?

2. What events and activities will Jessup Groundhog Day include?

The local Jessup diners will be open for breakfast for anyone looking to eat beforehand. At the park, there will be a brass band playing live music as well as a DJ, which will be playing the theme songs that we’ve prepared for the day. In addition, hot chocolate, coffee, baked goods from Purely Sinful Sweets and other light fare will be available at our vendor areas. Top hats will be given to the kids, while supplies last. Introductions of the Founding Fathers, announcements and the reading of the official proclamations will then take place. There will be a party afterwards at Jak’s Pub and Eatery, where a special menu will be available, as well as karaoke. And after that, at 1 p.m. the St. Ubaldo Society Chapel will be open for drinks, regular menu and live entertainment.

3. Instead of a groundhog, the event’s prognosticator will be Jessup Giuseppe, a ferret in a top hat. Why did you decide to use a ferret — and can you tell us more about this stylish creature?

There’s a groundhog who resides under my front porch. Sadly, no amount of coaxing was enough to convince that little fella to participate; to say the least, he was mostly uncooperative. I’m a barber by trade, and I really need all my fingers intact! So as good fortune would have it, one of our Founding Fathers just so happens to be the caretaker of a magical, whimsical ferret, who coincidentally just happens to be able to predict weather. What are the odds?

4. Why did you choose Station Park as the location for the event?

As I like to say, because it’s in the heart of historic downtown Jessup, Pa.! Station Park is centrally located, and a well-known space for holding many community events in Jessup throughout the year, such as wine festivals, St. Ubaldo Society family events, block parties and other such events hosted by the Jessup 21st Century Association.

5. Are you hoping Jessup Groundhog Day will become a new tradition in the borough?

Absolutely! We kind of went into this completely blind, and with almost no time to plan, we executed this project in just a couple short weeks. However, in that short timespan, we’ve had newspaper, television and radio media reach out to us, as well as delegates from Punxsutawney, who’ve heard about us and offered their support. The amount of interest this project has generated in such a short time tells us that this is going to be an event that will continue to happen every year. And we’re hoping to make improvements with every upcoming year!

Bonus question: What else would you like our readers to know about Jessup Groundhog Day?

Bring your smiles, your whimsy and if you can, bring a top hat! This is a very family-friendly event — bring the kids. But dress for the weather, because it is outdoors. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, and we just want everyone to have some fun!

If you go

What: Jessup Groundhog Day

When and where: Sunday, with the ceremony at 8 a.m. at Station Park, followed by the after-party at 9 a.m. at Jak’s Pub and Eatery, then the after-after-party at the St. Ubaldo Society Chapel at 1 p.m.

Info: Visit the Jessup Groundhog Day Facebook page for the latest updates.