Boulder’s own top-hat wearing marmot meteorologist emerges from his burrow (sometimes by canoe, skis or zip line!) to “predict” what’s ahead and share fun facts about Groundhog Day, wildlife science, seasonal patterns, and how changing environments influence our marmot neighbors.
Flatiron Freddy is back to forecast the season!
Join the fun!
When: Monday, Feb. 2 at 7:30 a.m. for treats and 8 a.m. for the show
Where: Chautauqua Ranger Cottage, 900 Baseline Rd., Boulder
Livestream: 2026 Flatiron Freddy Celebration
Background
Open Space and Mountain Parks' Flatiron Freddy event on Groundhog Day is a quirky, uniquely Boulder tradition that has happened for more than 13 years. In the early 2010s, Flatiron Freddy existed peacefully as a deceased, stuffed yellow-bellied marmot – a close relative to the groundhog – in Boulder's Flagstaff Nature Center, where stuffed animal mounts are typically stored until the spring. One winter Freddy was inadvertently left out, and his fur was damaged and was about to be removed from the center. Rangers felt he deserved more.
Since then, Freddy has become part of an annual Boulder Groundhog Day tradition. In recent years, Freddy has made his way out of his burrow each year in various ways, such as skiing down a trail, driving a car out of his burrow, and even by zip line in a canoe. It’s up to Rangers to interpret Freddy’s weather forecast.