Groundhog Day in NJ to be without Milltown Mel, again
MILLTOWN – The borough's traditional Groundhog Day event has been canceled for the second consecutive year.
Milltown Mel will not take part in this year’s festivities, according to the event organizers, because of an unspecified state regulation. The event was canceled in 2022 after the borough’s weather-predicting groundhog died before the event.
"The new groundhog we originally scheduled to have made his debut is currently not allowed to be here according to a state of New Jersey statute," event organizers wrote on Facebook. "We have been trying to find a replacement that the state will approve of, but we could not make it happen in time for this year. We will certainly let you know if we are successful for the future as soon as we can, but in the meantime please have a great Groundhog Day and listen to Phil and all his cousins!"
An enthusiastic crowd traditionally gathers early on Feb. 2 outside the Joyce Kilmer American Legion Post 25 to help the Wranglers rouse Mel from his sleep to hear his much-anticipated prediction.
The tradition was started by former borough residents Jerry and Kathy Guthlein, who are the former owners of Bronson and Guthlein Funeral Home. The current owner of the funeral home, John McNamara, along with the Wranglers, have been carrying on the tradition.
In a 2015 interview with MyCentralJersey.com, Jerry Guthlein said the couple are fans of the movie “Groundhog Day,” the movie in which actor Bill Murray’s character keeps experiencing the same events, and after visiting Punxsutawney Phil they were hooked.
The Groundhog Day event was originally held on the grounds of the funeral home but was later relocated to accommodate the crowd.
The last time the in-person event was held was in 2020. In 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a note was posted on Mel’s website with his prediction.
Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com
Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Milltown Mel canceled for Groundhog Day 2023 celebrations
