The casket at Tuesday's Groundhog Day festivities turned funeral for the defunct Wiarton Willie held the wrong body. Organizers chose a more suitable stand-in for the public viewing as Willie's body was somewhat worse for wear after his demise in his winter den.

Willie died Sunday night but news of the groundhog's death didn't come out until Tuesday when Wiarton residents were ready for the annual party, waiting to hear when Spring would arrive.

Organizers say they decided to keep the news quiet so as not to dampen the festivities. According to Wiarton Willie's official website, Willie "..asked only that we withhold this information until February 2nd so that it would not spoil the festivities which he loved so dearly."

Searching for Phil's shadow

Apparently, Willie gave his weather prediction a bit early. In his will, organizers say he forecasted an early spring. They now say they are searching for Willie's son in the hope that he will assume his father's predicting duties in the upcoming years.

Punxsutawney Phil, the weather rodent of choice in Pennsylvania, did not see his shadow this morning. According to folklore in that area, that also means spring is right around the corner.

If the groundhog sees his shadow, he calls for six more weeks of hard winter. If he doesn't, he predicts an early spring.

According to the keepers of Punxsutawney Phil -- the groundhog behind the large, older festival in Pennsylvania -- Groundhog Day is based on this Scottish couplet:

If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year.

In the early 1880s, some residents of Punxsutawney decided to celebrate Candlemas Day by going to the woods in search of a groundhog.