Everyone knows about the traditional season predictor; Punxsutawney Phil. A tradition more unknown to the people of Montgomery County is Harleysville’s own groundhog sensation, Harleysville Hank.   

Harleysville Hank is a Mennonite-organized event that takes place at Harlysville’s Mennonite Heritage Center, as each year on Groundhog Day local citizens gather at the barn and wait for Hank to appear. While waiting, they can enjoy breakfast food, sweets, and coffee provided by the Heritage Center. While eating food and enjoying the crisp early morning weather, a couple of representatives of the Heritage Center will peer their heads out of the barn and face the crowd, before they bring out Hank they read poems, and sing songs with the lyrics changed to focus around Hank, even at some points hinting at being superior to Phil. 

By now the suspense is immense and the crowd gets impatient, as the hosts realize this they begin to chant “Hank! Hank! Hank!” as the crowd joins in. When they bring out Hank he is met with a world of applause and they show the stuffed animal groundhog to the people, shining in the golden morning sun. Hank then whispers to one of the men his prediction for the new season and they exclaim it to the world. This year Hank predicted directly against Phil’s, claiming we will get an early spring rather than an extended winter, only time will tell. 

Harleysville Hank may seem like an oddity to the general public, as he may not be as popular as Punxsutawney Phil. Hank is a cherished Tradition, celebrated each year by the people who attend. The event was warm and kind and more than anything brings the community together.