Wiarton Willie 2022 Festival and Prediction Morning
South Bruce Peninsula is home to Canada's most famous weather prognosticating groundhog Wiarton Willie!
Each year on Feb 2nd people from around the world eagerly await to see if Wiarton Willie will see his shadow indicating 6 more weeks of winter, or not see his shadow, predicting an early spring.
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Prediction morning February 2nd |
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The Wiarton Willie Festival will celebrate its 66th anniversary on February 2nd, 2022. Due to concerns over the spread of the Covid-19 Omicron variant and in consideration of public health and safety, the Town has changed the format of the 2022 Wiarton Willie Prediction morning event to adhere to provincial regulations. The prediction will proceed at 8:07 am on February 2nd, 2022, via “live feed” with no public attendance. Links to the live feed will be provided closer to the event. |
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Our 2022 Platinum and Gold sponsor |
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We are pleased to welcome Bruce Power as our Platinum and Gold sponsor. As a leader in Canada’s nuclear industry, Bruce Power provides Ontario families and businesses with reliable, carbon-free electricity and life-saving medical isotopes. Our electricity production is crucial in the fight against climate change and the transition to a robust, Net Zero economy. Bruce Power’s Life-Extension Program will extend the life of its nuclear fleet, creating and sustaining over 20,000 highly-skilled jobs annually, driving the province’s economy, especially in the Clean Energy Frontier region of Grey, Bruce and Huron counties.
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Our 2022 Friends sponsors |
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Festival events |
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If you are hosting an event during the Wiarton Willie Festival Weekend and you would like to be included on our website or in the program please fill out the application and return it to Town Hall. The Wiarton Willie Town Festival events scheduled for February 5, 2022, are cancelled.
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History and past predictions |
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Where does Willie live? |
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You can visit Wiarton Willie from May until September in his home in Bluewater Park. |
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Willie's Kid Zone |
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Downloadable Colouring Pages Puzzles |
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Willie's Statue |
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Willie became so famous that in 1995 a statue made from stone donated by Adair Quarry and sculpting donated by Dave Robinson. A beautiful white limestone statue called "Willie Emerging" was unveiled in Bluewater Park on February 3, 1996 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Wiarton Willie prognostications.. The statue located in Bluewater Park in Wiarton is a perfect opportunity for a photo op. The statue is a 'must see' for most tourists visiting the Town of South Bruce Peninsula.
The Wiarton Willie statue started out as a single piece of dolomite limestone weighing approximately 7 tonnes. The stone donated Arriscraft Corporation/Adair Quarry in Hope Bay, 20 kms north of Wiarton. Arriscraft Corporation has provided stone for buildings such as Canada's Embassy in Washington, the locks of the Rideau Canal and the Peacekeeper Monument in Ottawa. Dave Robinson, an artist from the area, apprenticed in marble carving in Carrera Italy and has several works on display in Toronto and Ottawa. Robinson donated his time and talent to sculpt the image of the weather-forecasting groundhog. Robinson began the work in the summer of 1995. The statue is statue life-like and natural looking with some minimal stylization. Robinson left the statue roughly carved so the crystals in the stone help to keep the look close to that of the albino groundhog. The completed statue weighs approximately 4.5 tonnes.
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