Event Calendar

Legend has it that on this morning if a groundhog can see its shadow there will be six more weeks of winter. If it cannot see its shadow, spring is on the way. Since a groundhog hibernates for the winter, its coming out of the ground is a natural sign of spring. Germans who immigrated to Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s began keeping an eye on the groundhog. Due to the groundhog population, the rodent made a handy agent for this particular weather superstition.

The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL), the highest level of professional football in the United States. The game culminates a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. Normally, roman numerals are used to identify each game. The day on which the Super Bowl is played, now considered by some an unofficial American national holiday, is called "Super Bowl Sunday". It is the second-largest day for U.S. food consumption, after Thanksgiving. In addition, the Super Bowl has frequently been the most-watched American television broadcast of the year.

February’s full Moon is traditionally called the Full Snow Moon because usually the heaviest snows fall in February.Hunting becomes very difficult, and so some Native American tribes called this the Hunger Moon. Full moon is a lunar phase that occurs when the geocentric apparent longitudes of the Sun and Moon differ by 180 degrees; the Moon is then in opposition with the Sun. At this time, as seen by viewers on Earth, the hemisphere of the Moon that is facing the earth (the near side) is fully illuminated by the Sun and appears round. Only during a full moon is the opposite hemisphere of the Moon, which is not visible from Earth (the far side), completely unilluminated. As a lunar month is about 29.531, the period between full moons can be either 29 or 30 days.

Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14. It is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages when the tradition of courtly love flourished. The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of valentines. Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline and the figure of the winged Cupid.

Also knows as Washington's Birthday, Presidents Day is celebrated on the third Monday of February. Washington's Birthday was originally implemented by the federal government of the United States in 1880 in the District of Columbia and expanded in 1885 to include all federal offices. As the first federal holiday to honor an American citizen, the holiday was celebrated on Washington's actual birthday, February 22. On January 1, 1971, the federal holiday was shifted to the third Monday in February by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. In the late 1980s, with a push from advertisers, the term "President's Day" began its public appearance. The theme has expanded the focus of the holiday to honor another President born in February like Abraham Lincoln, and often other Presidents of the United States.

This “unofficial” National holiday is a day set aside to give extra attention to and pamper your pets that you love every day. Did you know that most households in the United States have at least one pet? Our pets give us so much. They give us unconditional love and many health benefits which include stress relief and lower blood pressure. Our pets give us these benefits without asking for anything in return. So today, it is our turn to pay them back by getting them an extra-special treat, a new toy, taking them for an extra long walk or just spending some extra special time with them. Whatever you decide to do, be sure to spoil and appreciate your pets!

Also known as "Fat Tuesday," this pre-Lenten festival is celebrated in Roman Catholic countries and communities. In a strict sense, Mardi Gras is celebrated by the French as the last of the three days of Shrovetide and is a time of preparation immediately before Ash Wednesday and the start of the fast of Lent. Mardi Gras is thus the last opportunity for merrymaking and indulgence in food and drink. Mardi Gras is marked by spectacular parades featuring floats, pageants, elaborate costumes, masked balls, and people dancing in the streets. The most famous modern Mardi Gras festivities are those held in New Orleans, Louisiana; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Nice, France; and Cologne, Germany. The first American Mardi Gras was celebrated near modern-day New Orleans on March 3, 1699. The official colors of Mardi Gras are purple, green and gold (representing justice, faith and power).