Lucy predicts 6 more weeks of winter on “Lobster-hog Day”
There will be six more weeks of winter, says Lucy the LobSTAR.
Lucy made the prediction after much coaxing and cheering from the crowd gathered on the waterfront in North
East Point on Cape Sable Island for Lucy’s third Groundhog Day prediction.
“We understand we might be the only Lobster-hog Day in the world,” said Donna Hatt, chairperson of the South Shore Tourism Cooperative. "Are we having weather issues? No. Is there snow on the ground? No. Is there ice in our harbour? No. Is there lobster to be eaten? Yes.”
But not Lucy, of course.
Hatt said the world is watching, noting that even Bill Murray, star of the movie
1993 movie Groundhog Day “chimed in on an article that just ran in New York identifying Lucy the lobster as one of the most unique lobster hog experiences in North America.” That story ran in the Wall Street Journal.
With chants of Go Lucy, Go Lucy, the six-pound crustacean, estimated to be 24 years old, took her time making her way to her weather predicting lobster trap.
"Wakey, wakey honey," said Hatt, giving Lucy a pet. “See her eyes are moving… look at those legs move. She’s feeling it. We need some music."
But when Lucy turned away from the lobster trap Hatt exclaimed, "She’s turning away. No, Lucy, no!”
Eventually Lucy made it to her perch with a little help from Hatt. “Your adoring public wants to know if we have six more weeks of winter… I think we see a shadow… Well done Lucy, we have six more weeks of winter.”
Lucy’s Groundhog Day prediction is a lead-off to the third annual Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl.
“The entire month of February you get to eat lobster rolls, sorry Lucy, you get to eat lobster dishes, sorry Lucy… because we love lobster,” said Hatt.
The popularity of the festival has grown annually – from some 60 events in year one, to more than 100 in year two. This year the event is boasting more than 150 lobster and lobster-related events, experiences and overnight packages, luring lobster-lovers to Nova Scotia and the South Shore in February, a time of the year many don’t typically think about travelling, says Hatt.
A survey of listed businesses who participated in last year’s Lobster Crawl indicated for the majority, revenues were up due to events.
“It’s a great time to head South, to the south shore here in Nova Scotia," she says.
The Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl festival got an extra boost this year with the government of Nova Scotia officially proclaiming the province’s first ‘Nova Scotia Lobster Day’ to take place on the final Friday in February, Feb. 28.
The proclamation is particularly meaningful to the Municipality of Barrington, the Lobster Capital of Canada.
“We are very excited that the Province has declared the final Friday in February as Nova Scotia Lobster Day. The lobster industry is the backbone of our Municipality and plays a vital role in our economy” says Suzy Atwood, Director of Marketing & Tourism Development, Municipality of the District of Barrington.
In 2019 Tourism Nova Scotia won the Explore Canada Industry Award of Excellence for the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl Media campaign.
For information on Lobster Crawl events visit lobstercrawl.ca
Meanwhile, Nova Scotia's weather predicting groundhog was also on the same page as Lucy. Shubenacadie Sam predicted six more weeks of winte at Shubenacadie Wildlife Park. He came out of his burrow and saw his shadow. Nova Scotia's time zone gives Sam the honour of being the first groundhog to make a prediction in North America each year.
Lucy the Lobster, however, is in a lobster category all of her own.