In case you didn’t know, popular folklore says that when the groundhog awakens from his long winter’s sleep and emerges from hibernation into the daylight and sees his own shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, it means that spring is near. Fact or fiction? The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is all set to answer that for you with a fun family event on Saturday, January 28.
Although Groundhog Day is traditionally celebrated on February 2, the Museum has chosen to honor the humble marmota monax a few days early with this activity, called Groundhog Fun Day. The event will take place from 11am to 4pm at the museum, located at 1 Wade Oval Drive in Cleveland’s University Circle. It will feature live animals, crafts and demonstrations, with the groundhog and other hibernating critters taking the spotlight. The museum’s own groundhog mascot, Lake Erie Eddie, will make an appearance, and artwork by Eddie will be put on display and made available for purchase.
Other highlights include a tunnel which children can crawl through to see their shadows, groundhog mask-making, face painting and an exciting treasure hunt.
The event is free of charge with museum admission, which ranges from $7 to $10. For more information, please visit cmnh.org.
