Punxsutawney Phil’s Groundhog Day ceremony was first held behind closed doors in 2021. The change resulted from restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented the usual public gathering at Gobbler’s Knob.
Punxsutawney’s event normally brings large crowds to western Pennsylvania on February 2. Phil is brought from his temporary burrow, and members of the Inner Circle announce whether he saw his shadow. The traditional interpretation is six more weeks of winter after a shadow and an early spring without one.
The 2021 ceremony still took place, but without spectators on site. It was presented through remote and broadcast coverage instead of the familiar packed celebration. Public attendance returned in later years as pandemic restrictions eased.
The other dates in the choices are misleading. The celebration had already become a major public event long before 2019, while 1943 predates modern pandemic restrictions. The 2020 ceremony was held before the first closed-door edition in 2021.