Willie says six more weeks of winter

HEIDI SCHULZ Hi-Liter/MCN

Festivities were held from Feb. 1-5 in Woodstock to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of the Groundhog Day movie that featured Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. Almost two dozen activities were planned during the run of the event including the early Thursday morning reading of the prognostication by the groundhog known as Woodstock Willie. Clockwise from top left: Goundhog handler Mark Szafran holds Woodstock Willie up for the crowd after the reading of the prognostication; the crowds grows as the Die Musikmeisters play some polka tunes; Carol Klinger of Norwood Park gets her photo taken with Woodstock Willie; cheers went up from the crowd even though Willie claimed to see his shadow and six more weeks of winter were predicted; a long line formed to wait for photos with the locally famous Woodstock Willie. For future event information visit woodstockgroundhog.org.