Winter prediction event gets greener

Snohomish Slew, the city of Snohomish’s traditional amphibian forecaster, is getting some help from his friends for this year’s installment of the GroundFrog Day celebration — the West Coast answer to Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pa.

Webbly, the Aquasox mascot, and OxyGene, a Community Transit character, will join in the midwinter festivities Saturday at Snohomish’s Ferguson Park, which is a new location for the ceremony.

A variety of activities for families will be provided both before and after the noon-hour prediction regarding when the Northwest might see the end of winter. They include music by JD, the DJ of the band Catch the Beat, which has been a GroundFrog Day regular; water rescue equipment presentations by Snohomish County Search and Rescue members, vendors offering free “Keeping It Green” information and more.

The “green” theme is new to the GroundFrog event, Snohomish Chamber of Commerce manager Pam Osborne said, because “the Chamber will be more actively promoting ‘green’ in 2008. We annually sponsor a citywide Clean Up Day and we are looking to involve our business community in ‘green’ practices.

“We decided to move the event because we are expecting a much larger crowd because of the weekend date,” Osborne said. Previous GroundFrog days were on Fridays, and took place at the Avenue A gazebo. “The downtown Avenue A location just does not provide enough room for both the GroundFrog Day ceremony and the focus on ‘green’ activities.”

Children who attend can expect music and games designed just for them, Search and Rescue members will let them get up-close and personal with their equipment, and the Fire Department should also have a rig for the kids to see, Osborne said.

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