Unadilla hosts Groundhog Day Celebration Saturday

Feb. 4, 2022, 1:45 p.m. ·

A stuffed groundhog standing on its back legs while a woman in a red t-shirt pets the groundhog.
One of Unadilla Bill's fans at the 2020 Groundhog Celebration. (Archive photo)

Unadilla, Nebraska hosts its annual Groundhog Celebration on Saturday, February 5th. The approximately 300-person town east of Lincoln has a parade at 2 p.m.

Bob Brandt is from Unadilla and said the event is about community and friends.

“Well it gives us a little chance to show off our community. And we’re what you’d call a friendly community and that’s what Groundhog Day is all about,” Brandt said. “It’s just [about] meeting past friends and making new friends and especially for the kids.”

Brandt said the community expects about 40 entries for the parade.

He said Unadilla has numerous businesses that serve food and drinks before and after the parade including a newly renovated bar and new meat market. Unadilla Billie is relieving Unadilla Bill as the town’s groundhog this year, after Bill served the town for more than 40 years. On Wednesday, Billie didn’t see her shadow, which suggests an early spring.