Benjamin Ashford|Groundhog Day 2024 marks 10 years since Bill de Blasio dropped Staten Island Chuck

NEW YORK - Friday is the big day for Staten Island Chuck. 

At 7 a.m., Staten Island's most famous weather prognosticator will be joined by elected officials and dignitaries at the Staten Island Zoo. 

Students from P.S. 29, I.S. 27 and Susan E. Wagner High School will participate in the ceremony. 

"Staten Island Chuck is the star of Groundhog Day but this year he's sharing the stage with Staten Island schoolchildren who will be playing a leading role in this year's ceremony," stated Zoo Executive Director Ken Mitchell. "Chuck and youngsters have a special relationship. Children regard Chuck as a celebrity character, and the Zoo is working with local schools to use Groundhog Day as an educational opportunity, to teach kids about weather science and animal adaptations."

We'll have complete coverage of Chuck's prediction on CBS News New York. 

Friday's prediction will be auspicious for another reason: It will have been 10 years since former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio dropped Chuck during the ceremony. The animal died a week later. 

It turns out, the groundhog that died wasn't actually Chuck, but a stand-in named Charlotte. A zoo spokesperson said at the time Charlotte died due to internal injuries, while also saying the injuries had nothing to do with the Groundhog Day fall. Officials said Charlotte participated in several events in the week that followed the fall, and seemed normal. 

The zoo has since changed the ceremony, so that Chuck is no longer held aloft during the prediction. 

In:
• Staten Island