The rodent was pulled from his stump by members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle, top-hat- and tuxedo-wearing businessmen who carry out the tradition.

Each Feb. 2, thousands of people descend on Punxsutawney, a town of about 6,100 people about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, to celebrate what essentially had been a German superstition.

The Germans believed that if a hibernating animal cast a shadow on Feb. 2 - the Christian holiday of Candlemas - winter would last another six weeks. If no shadow was seen, legend said spring would come early.

Since 1887, Phil has seen his shadow 97 times, hasn't seen it 15 times, and there are no records for nine years, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

An estimated 30,000 people gathered for this year's festivities - about twice the number of people who attended last year, said Marlene Lellock, director of Punxsutawney's Chamber of Commerce.

The turnout was particularly large because Groundhog Day fell on a Saturday this year, she said. The event was last held on a Saturday in 2002.

Fireworks burst overhead and high school students wearing colorful shirts danced onstage as part of the celebration at Gobbler's Knob, the natural amphitheater where the ceremony takes place. Three couples also got engaged onstage.

Organizers introduced exchange students from Germany, Brazil, Thailand, China and Iceland to the crowd and led revelers in singing "Happy Birthday" for people born Feb. 2.

Dan Whitcomb, who traveled from Boston and wore a top hat and tuxedo similar those of Phil's handlers, joined two friends - one also dressed as a handler and the other costumed as Punxsutawney Phil.

"We wanted to see the great Puxsutawney Phil, and we're tired of winter," he said.

Some members of the crowd held signs, including one that read, "Scotland Loves Phil." Another carried a political message, with the names Obama and Clinton crossed out and "Phil For President" written in.