PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (WTAJ) — Groundhog Day is just around the corner and with the thousands of people making the trek to Gobbler’s Knob, it’s important to note other sites that commemorate the groundhog festivities.

One of those can be found downtown and it is a mural full of passion and creativity. The mural highlights Punxsutawney Phil as well as the weather capital of the world. Kelly Porada created the mural several years ago and still looks back fondly on the work.

“So I did this in 2019,” Kelly Porada the artist behind the mural said. “I had people from Punxsy come to me and ask me if I would be interested and I’m like definitely. I’d do anything for Punxsy you know and we had some different ideas. I did up a couple of sketches and we finalized on this.”

The painting took about two and a half weeks to complete but it’s now a centerpiece in the town. It can be found in front of the Medicine Shop on West Mahoning St. 

“I love Punxsy, I really do. I’m blessed to live here in Punxsy. I’m blessed to be a part of everything. I’ve done quite a bit of things here in Punxsy and it’s great to be able to keep doing things,” Porada said. 

There were challenges in completing it but one of the rewarding parts of the project is the number of people that visit and take photos. 

“The challenges, of course, being up high but as you work your way across you just kinda, I’m so nervous until I get to do the project, and then it just flows,” Porada said.

One of her favorite things is seeing the reactions of people seeing the mural. But she says it’s also a blessing just to be able to do it. 

“I’m tickled, I feel blessed very blessed to be a part of it. To be a part of Punxsy because it’s a good town,” Porada said.

Porada is hoping this is not the last mural she will create. Porada is also the artist behind 13 of 40 Phantastic Phil statues that are scattered around Punxsutawney. 

You can learn more about some of Phantastic Phils here.

“We hope to have some mural projects in the future and I think that would even bring more people to Punxsy,” Porada said.