BUFFALO, N.Y. – After four years of fun, Buffalo Mack is taking a serious shot at Punxsutawney Phil. Each year, the Buffalo Inner Circle has invited the city to embrace winter and watch as a man in a groundhog suit becomes first in the nation to issue a prognostication of winter. In 2018, the team from Buffalo Groundhog Day is bringing in a real live, groundhog or Marmota monax, to help predict the weather. The first real groundhog to predict the weather in the history of Buffalo.
Local celebrity and animal expert Jarod Miller and a live groundhog will be the featured guests of the fifth annual Buffalo Groundhog Day celebration noon-7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27 at Flying Bison Brewing Company, 840 Seneca St. Presale tickets are $30 and available at buffalogroundhogday.com Each ticket includes a commemorative Buffalo Groundhog Day mug, live entertainment from two local bands, three beer tickets and a coupon worth $5 at one food trucks participating in a food truck rodeo. Sponsorships are available. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Hawk Creek Wildlife Center and other local animal organizations.
Since its inception, The Buffalo Groundhog Day Society has donated more than $5,000 to Buffalo C.A.R.E.S. and the Buffalo Zoo. As per tradition, at the event, members of Buffalo’s Inner Circle, wearing their official regalia, will awaken Buffalo Mack and his new live groundhog partner from hibernation, to look for their shadows as the first groundhogs to predict the weather for the next six weeks.
“There is a lot of support for Buffalo Mack. This year, businesses have jumped on board and sponsored the event because they believe in it,” said Adam Hernandez, Inner Circle founding member. “Our goal is to raise money for the animals of Western New York, especially the animals in search of shelter and special care during the cold winter months. At the same time we all know that Buffalo is the toughest city in the world, and we know winter better than anyone. If Punxsutawney is the ‘Weather Capital’ of the world, Buffalo is certainly the Winter Capital of the world. Here in Buffalo we don’t fear the winter, we embrace it.”
After a disappointing trip to Punxsutawney in 2013 a group of friends from Buffalo decided that the nation was in need of a better Groundhog Day celebration. They rented a groundhog costume and headed out on the town. Buffalo Mack, the costumed groundhog began to gain a following as a result of a series of oddball Youtube videos and the group soon realized that they could put their notoriety to good use by holding an annual party and donating the proceeds to local charities. In 2016, The Buffalo Groundhog Day Society incorporated as nonprofit organization in New York State.
For More information contact: Andrew Kowalewski | 716-597-1550 | InnerCircle@BuffaloGroundhogDay.com
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