“We don’t trust a groundhog in the South. We use a possum instead.” – Terry Turk

Next week on Feb. 2, or Groundhog Day, while much of the country fixes its eyes on a groundhog in Pennsylvania, North Alabama turns to Sardis City, where spring’s fate rests with a possum named Sam, a whiskey barrel, and a wagon train rumbling along Highway 431.

Sand Mountain Sam, a North Alabama institution since 1993, will make his annual Groundhog Day appearance, continuing a decades-old tradition that blends folklore, pageantry, bluegrass music, and unapologetic hillbilly flair. The event, organized by Bama Bucks owner Terry Turk in partnership with WQSB radio, has grown from a radio stunt into a nationally recognized spectacle complete with possum queens, mule-drawn wagons, and crowds numbering in the thousands.

A possum with a pedigree

Sam’s origins trace back to WQSB radio, which launched the tradition as a Southern spin on Punxsutawney Phil. But when wildlife officials stepped in years ago, citing the lack of proper permits, the future of the possum forecast looked uncertain.

That’s when Turk stepped in.

With a USDA permit, a captive wildlife display license, and what he admits may be a stubborn streak, Turk agreed to legally house the possum and host the event at Bama Bucks, his wild game restaurant and exotic animal farm tucked off the beaten path in Sardis City.

“If we were going to do it,” Turk said, “it had to be big. Otherwise, I didn’t want any part of it.”

The first year was modest. The second year, despite a 100 percent chance of rain and a downpour that didn’t let up, nearly 800 people showed up anyway. By the following year, attendance had doubled, bluegrass bands traveled in from Tennessee and Kentucky, a spoon player and hambone performer shared the stage, and even a saxophone-playing Bigfoot known internationally as “Sasquatch” made an appearance.

“It kind of got out of hand,” Turk said, laughing. “But in a good way.”

Possum Week and the wagon train

The celebration officially begins the weekend before Feb. 2 with what Turk calls “Possum Week” at Bama Bucks. Staff trade uniforms for overalls, plaid shirts, straw hats, and corncob pipes. Bluegrass bands fill the restaurant, and Sam makes early appearances for photos before being tucked in for the big day.

On the morning of Feb. 2, participants will gather at Bama Bucks before departing at 7 a.m. in a police-escorted wagon train bound for the WQSB radio station in Albertville. The nearly seven-mile ride takes about an hour and 20 minutes and includes horses, wagons, and a carriage reserved for the Possum Queen.

Sam himself rides in a mule-drawn wagon, nestled inside a whiskey barrel, in keeping with tradition.

When the convoy arrives, a mountain man carrying a ceremonial staff known as the “communicate stick” awakens Sam by tapping the barrel. Sam is lifted out, and the official proclamation is read, announcing whether North Alabama can expect an early spring or a longer winter.

“There’s a senior possum queen, a junior possum queen, and a possum tot,” Turk said. “And no, they don’t just pick anybody. They’re pretty selective.”

From radio bit to international attention

Sand Mountain Sam’s fame now stretches far beyond Marshall County. The event has been featured on national and international outlets, where Sam has been framed as Phil’s rebellious Southern rival.

“They said there’s a little possum down in Alabama that says Phil ain’t right,” Turk said. “So now it’s kind of a civil war.”

Despite the rainstorms, blown-over tents, and unpredictable February weather, the event continues to grow.

“That’s what makes it funny,” Turk said. “You never know if it’s going to snow, be hot, or pour down rain. But it’s a weather event. The weather is part of it.”

The Bama Bucks backstory

Bama Bucks itself is something of a legend. The destination restaurant and wildlife farm features exotic animals, camel rides, and gourmet wild game prepared by Chef John Salmon. Turk built the restaurant after being turned down by three banks that didn’t believe a wild game steakhouse off the beaten path could survive.

Fourteen months after opening, COVID shut it down for more than three months. Today, Bama Bucks regularly sees three- to four-hour waits and serves up to 900 guests a day.

“I’m convinced now you can build a restaurant anywhere if people can find you,” Turk said. “Google Maps changed everything.”

A hillbilly holiday with heart

For Turk, Sand Mountain Sam is about more than laughs and headlines. It’s about community, tradition, and not taking yourself too seriously.

“It’s a real hillbilly event,” he said proudly. “And we have a blast doing it.”

As for whether Sam will see his shadow this year, Turk says only one thing is guaranteed.

“People are going to show up,” he said. “Rain or shine.”