Philadelphia ready to go the distance with RockyFest week dedicated to 'Rocky' movies

[December 03, 2024]  By DAN GELSTON

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Rocky Balboa fans are ready to go the distance — by bus, by ice skates, by 72 steps — to honor Philly’s favorite fictional fighter almost 50 years after the first movie launched the enduring series of an underdog boxer persevering despite the odds.

Yo, Adrian, Philly finally did it!

The city Rocky called home at last has a week dedicated to the box office heavyweight champion of the world a year after the inaugural Rocky Day was held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps.

It’s Rocky, so of course there’s a sequel.

This year, it’s RockyFest.

The Rocky Bus Tour served as Round 1 over the weekend before the festival truly laced up its gloves for Tuesday’s kickoff event — on Dec. 3, the 1976 release date of “Rocky” — with area elementary school students running the Rocky steps.

From there, Rocky is feted with a mural unveiling, movie marathons, RockyU discussions on the enduring appeal of Sylvester Stallone’s most famous character, look-alike contests and even a bus tour. The tour weaves Rocky fanatics through the city and includes stops at Adrian and Paulie’s fictional graves (not far from the real one for former Phillies announcer Harry Kalas), the Italian Market where Rocky trained, and the exterior site of Mighty Mick’s Gym.

“If no one has seen the movie,” tour guide Adam Clements said before a recent trip, “there will be spoilers.”

Rocky fans can even recreate Rocky and Adrian’s first date at a local ice rink.

It seems almost as improbable as Rocky Balboa lasting 15 rounds with champion Apollo Creed that it took so long for Philadelphia to properly honor “Rocky” and the other eight movies in the series (including three “Creed” films).

Whether natives like it or not, Rocky is as much a part of the fabric of the city as the Founding Fathers and the Liberty Bell.

Before most fans chug their first raw eggs of the day, the Rocky statue at the base of the museum steps already boasts a line that often snakes around the corner for most of the day. Movie clips are played ad nauseam — usually Adrian imploring Rocky to win — on the big screen at sporting events. The strains of “Gonna Fly Now” stir ahead of kickoff for all Eagles games. Rocky’s faithful followers run a 50-kilometer race each year that follows his trumped-up training route in a grueling tribute to their mythical champ.

Fans gather near a press conference where cast members Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone and Tessa Thompson are promoting their film "Creed" outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

There’s even a merchandise stand at the steps that sells “Italian Stallion” robes and plush Clubber Lang dolls a short run from where Paul Cézanne and Claude Monet’s works hang in the museum.

Choose your favorite canvas, there’s a little something for everyone.

While Stallone and “Creed” star Michael B. Jordan have made previous promotional stops at the Rocky steps, no actors were expected to attend this year's events.

The 78-year-old Stallone did appear last year at a rain-soaked Rocky Day and credited the city for the character's success as much as anything the weathered fighter achieved on the big screen.

“I've been around the world,” Stallone said. “But for some reason, these 72 steps inspire me, excite me. It's like you get to the top, you feel inspired, you feel special, hopeful, happy. Most of all, proud of yourself. To all of you, who, believe it or not are real-life Rockys, because you live your life on your own terms, you try and do the best you can and you just keep punching.”

The 1976 film won a best picture Oscar and in 2020 finished tied for No. 2 in The AP Top 25 favorite sports movies poll.

The Philadelphia Visitors Center hatched RockyFest — which runs through Dec. 8 — in part for an overdue appreciation of the series as well as connecting locals and tourists to movie sites beyond the bronze statue.

“For years, there were tourists coming every single day to get their photo at the Rocky statue and there was nothing here officially to greet them," said Maita Soukup, of the Philadelphia Visitor's Center. ”There were no maps, no signage, no sort of visitor services infrastructure here at the Rocky statue and steps, even though it was such a big tourist attraction. That's why we wanted to open a visitor's center here. In the process of the city pursing that, Sly Stallone reached out to us and was like, let's do this in partnership.”

Just like Rocky, if the first festival is successful, expect II and III and IV and more.

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