{{Short description|Groundhog Day groundhog in Alberta, Canada}} '''Balzac Billy''' is the '''Prairie Prognosticator''', a groundhog-costumed mascot who prognosticates weather on Groundhog Day.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.edmontonsun.com/2012/02/02/balzac-billys-legacy-casts-a-long-shadow-2|title=Balzac Billy's legacy casts a long shadow|last=Griwkowsky|first=Catherine|date=2012-02-02|work=Edmonton Sun|publisher=Sun Media|accessdate=2013-02-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddeeradvocate.com/news/balzac-billy-the-groundhog-to-forecast-albertas-spring/|title=Watch: Balzac Billy the groundhog to forecast Alberta's spring|date=2018-02-01|website=Red Deer Advocate|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-29}}</ref> He lives in Balzac, Alberta, 8 km north of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Maclean |first1=Rachel |title=The wacky, wonderful and surprisingly accurate tradition of Balzac Billy |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/balzac-billy-groundhog-day-2017-1.3963616 |website=cbc.ca |publisher=CBC/Radio-Canada |access-date=2 February 2022}}</ref> According to the legend of Groundhog Day, the groundhog's behavior is a way of forecasting the weather. If the groundhog sees his shadow, it means that winter will continue for six more weeks.
Balzac Billy was created by Calgary radio station CFAC's program director Jim Kunkel in the late 1970s. Kunkel sat down with three of CFAC's radio announcers (Paul Dunphy, Jimmy Hughes and Robin Ingram) to come up with a western groundhog. After trying out a few names Kunkel came up with ''Balzac Billy'', and the prairie prognosticator was born. Dunphy produced and Hughes voiced the first Balzac Billy "live at the scene" radio hits to be played on CFAC's Ned Corrigall morning show (two versions were produced, one for the mascot seeing his shadow and one for a cloudy day). Balzac Billy (representing a Richardson Ground Squirrel) was added because groundhogs are not native to Southern Alberta, and the mascot is a favourite local prognosticator on Groundhog Day.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=paulweatherdude |date=2019-02-02 |title=The groundhogs have spoken. Will Calgary see an early spring? |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4890634/groundhog-day-2019-calgary/ |access-date=2019-09-24 |website=Global News |language=en}}</ref>
In 2019 and 2025, Balzac Billy predicted an early spring.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Melgar |first1=Alejandro |title= Alberta’s groundhog ‘Balzac Billy’ predicts early spring |url=https://calgary.citynews.ca/2025/02/02/albertas-groundhog-balzac-billy-predicts-early-spring/ |website=calgary.citynews.ca |publisher=Rogers Media |access-date=2 February 2025}}</ref> In 2023, 2024, and 2026 the mascot predicted six more weeks of winter.<ref>{{cite web |last=O'Neil |first=Kieran |date=2023-02-02 |title=The Alberta 'groundhog' Balzac Billy just predicted having a long winter |url=https://curiocity.com/the-alberta-groundhog-balzac-billy-just-predicted-having-a-long-winter/ |access-date=2 February 2023 |website=Curiocity}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Heintz |first1=Lauryn |date=2024-02-02 |title=Alberta's Balzac Billy predicts six more weeks of winter |url=https://calgary.citynews.ca/2024/02/02/balzac-billy-2024-prediction/ |access-date=2 February 2024 |website=calgary.citynews.ca |publisher=Rogers Media}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Melgar |first1=Alejandro |date=2026-02-02 |title=Alberta’s ‘Balzac Billy’ predicts more winter for 2026|url=https://calgary.citynews.ca/2026/02/02/albertas-balzac-billy-predicts-more-winter-for-2026/ |access-date=2 February 2026 |website=calgary.citynews.ca |publisher=Rogers Media}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website|https://balzac-billy.com/}}
{{Groundhog Day}}
Category:Holiday characters Category:Canadian mascots Category:Fictional characters from Alberta Category:Groundhog Day