How to watch Groundhog Day 2023: live stream Punxsutawney Phil and his shadow for free now

By Daniel Pateman
last updated

Live stream PA’s annual famous rodent meteorologist

Watch Groundhog Day 2023
(Image: © visitpa.com)

Watch Groundhog Day 2023 live stream

You can watch Groundhog day 2023 for free live on the visitPA (opens in new tab) website now with free coverage of the whole event online from 6am ET. Alternatively, both FOX and NBC will run a shorter broadcast of Punxsutawney Phil's weather-prediction for 2023 from 7.15am ET. The show is underway in true Punxsutawney style as they build up the fun and await the verdict from Phil himself.

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Date and Time: February 2 from 6am ET / 3am PT (11am GMT)
Watch Free: visitPA website
Use ExpressVPN to stream 100% risk-free from anywhere

Wondering whether to retire your SAD lamp and Trapper Hat till next year? Luckily for us, Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog meteorological oracle, will be called upon once again for his prophetic, weather-predicting abilities. This year marks Phil’s 137th engagement at Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania, where the Groundhog Club continue their annual, crowd-pleasing tradition of using a whistle pig to gauge the end of winter. And, due to its popularity, you can watch Groundhog Day 2023 live online and free from anywhere.

To the uninitiated, Groundhog Day brings to mind the eponymous 1993 time loop comedy movie, with Bill Murray as a misanthropic weatherman reliving a belter of a bad day. If you want to watch that Groundhog Day then we've got information on that too.

But the day itself, commemorated across North America, dates back more than 130 years, and derives from the superstition of Pennsylvania’s German settlers. They reasoned that, if a groundhog emerged from its burrrow and cast a shadow on February 2, then winter would persist for six more weeks; but if the day was cloudy, it heralded an early Spring.

Groundhog Day attracts huge numbers of people, many arriving from across the country in the pre-dawn dark to enjoy early AM fireworks, music and entertainment at Gobbler's Knob park. Then, shortly after daybreak, the fabled Phil is coaxed from his hutch by a group of men in top hats and a rapt audience await to discover his seasonal prognostication.

This annual event is heaps of fun. And what’s more, you could stream it completely free. Find out how with the following guide, which details how to watch Groundhog Day 2023 online from anywhere.

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How to watch Groundhog Day online live for FREE

There are number of ways you can enjoy a live stream of Groundhog Day 2023.

Cable is your first port of call, with both FOX and NBC covering Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction on February 2 at around 7.15am ET / 4.15am PT.

Local residents in Pennsylvania can tune in to PCN (on channels 74 and 1127 for Comcast subscribers or channels 9 and 509 for Verizon FIOS members) for the full event, with a live broadcast beginning at 6am ET and ending at 7.30am ET. You can check here to see what other cable providers in the area carry PCN (opens in new tab).

Alternatively, there are some great free live streams too. You can connect to PCN Online (opens in new tab) from 6am ET / 11am GMT / 10pm AEDT and watch the whole event – although international viewers may require a VPN. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania tourist board visitPA (opens in new tab) will also be hosting a live stream of the event.

How to watch Groundhog Day 2023 live in the US without cable and for FREE

If you don’t have cable, you can also watch coverage of the Groundhog Day events on FOX and NBC through OTT platforms Sling TV and FuboTV.

Sling TV (opens in new tab)

Sling TV (opens in new tab) has both channels as part of its Sling Blue lineup. They aren’t available in all market areas though, so check here (opens in new tab) first to ensure you can receive these networks in your area.

A Sling Blue plan is $40 a month – although new members currently get 50% off the cost of the first month (opens in new tab) – and it offers access to over 40 news, sports, and entertainment channels. Membership also includes 50 hours DVR functionality and the ability to stream to three devices simultaneously.

FuboTV (opens in new tab)

Alternatively, there's FuboTV (opens in new tab), the comprehensive cable-alternative. Its entry-level Pro plan costs a steeper $74.99, but it offers way more variety with over 100 channels. Plus, you can try it free for 7 days first (opens in new tab) if you’ve not used the service before.

How to watch Groundhog Day 2023 live from outside your country

Although visitPA.com (opens in new tab) should provide a free, regionally unrestricted stream of Groundhog Day 2023, if you’re out of the country, it’s possible that you won’t be able to watch your usual content from abroad due to licensing restrictions.

Luckily, the best VPN let you alter your IP address, to make you appear to be connecting from back home and meaning you could stream Groundhog Day celebrations live from anywhere. Additionally, having a VPN provides invaluable protection from cybercriminals and government snooping.

Use a VPN to watch Groundhog Day 2023 live online from anywhere.

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We've put all the major VPNs through their paces and we rate ExpressVPN as our top pick, thanks to its speed, ease of use and strong security features. It's also compatible with just about any streaming device out there, including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation, as well as Android and Apple mobiles.

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Can I watch Groundhog Day 2023 live online in Canada?

While Groundhog Day events are popular in Canada too – they have their own marmot VIPs like Balzac Billy – the American event doesn’t appear to have gotten cable or OTT coverage in the Great White North.

The solution? Head over to visitPA (opens in new tab). If you find yourself geo-blocked you could try a VPN (opens in new tab). This neat piece software will let you connect to your home services from any country in the world, and so stream Groundhog Day 2023 from anywhere.

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Can I watch Groundhog Day 2023 live online in the UK?

Unfortunately, there’s no broadcaster or streaming service covering the Groundhog Day 2023 festivities in the UK either (although you might find clips of Punxsutawney Phil’s big reveal on YouTube in the days following the event).

Like we say, though, you should be able to watch online for free on the visitPA (opens in new tab) website.

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Can I watch Groundhog Day 2023 live online in Australia?

Sadly, there’s no indication that this unique North American tradition will be available to stream in Australia.

You should still be able to watch online for free on the visitPA (opens in new tab) website but you could try a VPN (opens in new tab) if you find yourself geo-blocked.

Daniel Pateman
Daniel Pateman

Daniel Pateman is a freelance writer, producing articles across the cultural spectrum for magazines like Aesthetica, Photomonitor, The Brooklyn Rail and This is Tomorrow. He also provides text-writing services to individual curators and artists worldwide, and has had work published internationally. His favourite film genre is horror (bring on Scream 5!) and he never tires of listening to Absolute 80s on the radio.

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