Get Ready for Hoodie-Hoo Day

Well, that groundhog in Pennsylvania had its day. Didn't work — again. Since then, we've had a brief false Spring, some frost and now wind and rain. We can't passively wait for the season to change. We must demand it. So, Pionole Patch is organizing a call to action.

Sunday is, as best as as we can tell, the 20th Annual Hoodie-Hoo Day. For the uninitiated, which likely is everyone reading this, it's a a holiday of sorts to accelerate the climatic calendar. The main event for Hoodie-Hoo Day is at noon, when people go outside, wave their arms over their heads and chant, "Hoodie-Hoo." It's hoped that the hue and cry will shoo winter away.

Pinole Patch will be the somewhat official local sponsor of this year. We realize that some, if not all of you, have never heard of Hoodie-Hoo Day. You have no idea how to prepare for it. So, we're providing the following FAQ , which we've invented out of the thin, humid air because nobody has submitted a Q yet.

When and where can I participate in Hoodie-Hoo Day? Come to Fernandez Park sometime before noon on Sunday. We'll gather near the playground.

Should I bring a lawn chair or a sleeping bag the night before to ensure I get a good spot? No. That should not be necessary. You should be able to sleep until 11:30 or so on Sunday.

What should I wear? Well, check the weather report, but a hoodie seems appropriate for Hoodie-Hoo Day. Pants are recommended, too.

Is this for real? Only if some people show up.

I'm a little nervous. When noon arrives how should I pronounce "Hoodie-Hoo"? Umm...however you like.

Is there a Hoodie-Hoo Eve event? Not yet. Maybe next year if this experiment works.

Is this some kind of religious or Druid thing? It is if you want it to be. It's not if you don't want it to be.

Should I bring a pitchfork, a torch or both? Easy there, we don't want anyone to get hurt.

Among those who are supposed to know, rain is forecast for most of this week. It's too late — or too early — to change that. But rain is forecast for early next week, too. Maybe with our collective voices we can push the clouds away and pull temperatures up a little bit. If it works, we can put that groundhog in its place, which is in the ground.

If you can't be in Fernandez Park at noon Sunday, you're welcome to make the Hoodie-Hoo shout wherever you happen to be. It's time to stop complaining about the weather and do something about it.

We only learned about this day because savvy Pinole Patch columnist Donna Wagner told us about some people who invented 80 new holidays. Hoodie-Hoo Day is a "copyrighted holiday," according to its creators at Wellcat.