For the first time in nearly three years, Oxford’s Groundhog Day Festival will feature a real, live, honest-to-goodness, furry, weather-predicting marmot.
And the community has Oxford Leader reporter and village resident Teri Stiles to thank for it.
After reading this editor’s column last week complaining about the festival’s continued lack of a real groundhog since Noah’s death in April 2002, the tenacious Stiles hopped on the internet, made a few phone calls and found not one, but two groundhogs living at the Howell Nature Center (www.howellnaturecenter.org).
The center is home to the famous ‘Woody the Woodchuck,? who’s spent the last seven years predicting when spring will come for Howell, and his lesser-known apprentice ‘Harley,? who has agreed to appear in Oxford Feb. 2.
Abandoned by his mother as a baby hog, Harley was rescued by a well-meaning lady when he was six-weeks-old and brought to the Howell Nature Center to be cared for and eventually released back into the wild.
But Harley, now two years old, became ‘too tame? and ‘too friendly? to return to the wild, so he became an ‘educational animal,? spending his days hanging out in the spacious woodchuck exhibit in the Wild Wonders Wildlife Park at the center.
Over the last year, Woody has been training Harley in the ancient arts and mystic secrets of weather-prognostication. The little guy basically serves as Woody’s understudy.
But Harley’s day in the sun ? so to speak ? has finally arrived as he will be the star attraction of the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce Groundhog Day Festival when he appears in Centennial Park from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2
The Oxford Public Library Friends and T& C Federal Credit Union have generously agreed to cover Harley’s appearance fee and travel expenses as well as finance a special assembly at Oxford Elementary featuring other wild creatures from the Howell Nature Center.
‘We’re pleased to help sponsor such a wonderful and educational community event,? said Friends President C.J. Carnacchio. ‘We welcome Harley as Noah’s long-awaited successor and hope he predicts an early spring.?
Noah ? better known as ‘Noah the One-eyed Groundhog? ? served as Oxford’s very own weather-predicting marmot from 1999 to 2002.
T & C Federal Credit Union’s sponsorship of the groundhog is a gift to one of the latest communities to join its family. The credit union is opening an Oxford branch in February inside the Oxford Marketplace.
But the Groundhog Day fun doesn’t end with Harley. This year’s festival is a four-day, fun-filled extravaganza with something for the whole family.
Here’s the schedule:
n February 2 ? Kickoff ceremony in Centennial Park (9:30 to 10:30 a.m.) featuring the weather prediction from groundhog Harley, of the Howell Conference and Nature Center, and official proclamation presented by Oxford Chamber President Dale Johnson. Fumbelina the Clown will make a special appearance in the park. Plans for a petting farm complete with fuzzy animals are in the works. First and second-graders from local schools will be invited to enjoy the fun as well as the general public. Following the kickoff, a naturalist from the Howell Nature Center will host an assembly for third-graders at Oxford Elementary featuring other wild creatures from the center.
n February 3 ? Enjoy a ‘Soup Stroll? in Centennial Park from 5 to 7 p.m. Delicious, piping-hot soup donated by local restaurants will be available for $2 a cup with a portion of the proceeds going to Oxford/Orion FISH. Enjoy your soup while watching ice and wood carvers create masterpieces right before your very eyes.
n February 4 ? Shine up your dancin? socks for an ‘Oldies But Goodies? Community Sock Hop from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Oxford Veterans Memorial Civic Center in downtown Oxford. Dance the night away in your favorite pair of socks and bring along an extra pair to donate to FISH. Help keep a needy person’s feet warm and toasty this winter. Families are more than welcome to attend the dance.
n February 5 ? Start the day with a ‘Groundhog Daze 5K Fun Walk/Run? beginning at 10 a.m. More details to be announced. Later in the day trade in your running shoes for bowling shoes and participate in the Third Annual Groundhog Daze Bowling Tournament at Collier Lanes from 1 to 3 p.m. Get a four-person team together, think up a name and sign up today. There’s a $50 per team entry fee which includes two games, shoe rental, two slices of pizza and pop. Teams will compete for the hand-carved, travelling groundhog trophy created by local chain-saw carver Gary Elzerman.
For more information about any of the above events call the Chamber of Commerce at (248) 628-0410. The Howell Nature Center is located at 1005 Triangle Lake Road in Howell. For more information about it call (517) 546-0249 or log on to www.howellnaturecenter.org.

munities to join its family. The credit union is opening an Oxford branch in February inside the Oxford Marketplace.
But the Groundhog Day fun doesn’t end with Harley. This year’s festival is a four-day, fun-filled extravaganza with something for the whole family.
Here’s the schedule:
n February 2 ? Kickoff ceremony in Centennial Park (9:30 to 10:30 a.m.) featuring the weather prediction from groundhog Harley, of the Howell Conference and Nature Center, and official proclamation presented by Oxford Chamber President Dale Johnson. Fumbelina the Clown will make a special appearance in the park. Plans for a petting farm complete with fuzzy animals are in the works. First and second-graders from local schools will be invited to enjoy the fun as well as the general public. Following the kickoff, a naturalist from the Howell Nature Center will host an assembly for third-grader at Oxford Elementary featuring other wild creatures from the center.
n February 3 ? Enjoy a ‘Soup Stroll? in Centennial Park from 5 to 7 p.m. Delicious, piping-hot soup donated by local restaurants will be available for $2 a cup with a portion of the proceeds going to Oxford/Orion FISH. Enjoy your soup while watching ice and wood carvers create masterpieces right before your very eyes.
n February 4 ? Shine up your dancin? socks for an ‘Oldies But Goodies? Community Sock Hop from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Oxford Veterans Memorial Civic Center in downtown Oxford. Dance the night away in your favorite pair of socks and bring along an extra pair to donate to FISH. Help keep a needy person’s feet warm and toasty this winter. Families are more than welcome to attend the dance.
n February 5 ? Start the day with a ‘Groundhog Daze 5K Fun Walk/Run? beginning at 10 a.m. More details to be announced. Later in the day trade in your running shoes for bowling shoes and participate in the Third Annual Groundhog Bowling Tournament at Collier Lanes from 1 to 3 p.m. Get a four-person team together, think up a name and sign up today. There’s a $50 per team entry fee which includes two games, shoe rental, two slices of pizza and pop. Teams will compete for the hand-carved, travelling groundhog trophy created by local chain-saw carver Gary Elzerman.
For more information about any of the above events call the Chamber of Commerce at (248) 628-0410.