Philadelphia goes the distance with RockyFest week dedicated to ‘Rocky’ movies

Category: (Self-Study) Lifestyle/Entertainment

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Rocky Balboa fans went the distance—by bus, on 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.

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

RockyFest officially opened on December 3, when the second cast of the Rocky statue was unveiled at the top of the Rocky steps—where the original was featured in Rocky III—and remained there through December 31.

Dozens of students ran up the steps to kick off the event.

Patricia Todisco, a visitor from New York City, said she is a huge Rocky fan. Even though it’s a fictional story, the movie has inspired her in life and deepened her love for Philadelphia as a city.

Azra Hayer traveled from England to see her daughter who’s studying in the city. She said that when foreign visitors think of Philadelphia, they think of Rocky. But she hopes the festival will show everyone that there’s a lot more to the city.

Eli Shaika runs Rowhome Coffee, a café located in the Kensington area of Philadelphia where the film was shot. He feels that the people of Philadelphia resonate with Rocky and have adopted the character’s underdog mentality.

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

RockyFest events include a mural unveiling, movie marathons, RockyU discussions on the enduring appeal of Stallone’s most famous character, look-alike contests and even a bus tour.

This article was provided by The Associated Press.

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[Students running the museum steps and celebrating under the Rocky statue]

Kathryn Ott Lovell (interview): “It’s not just about the film. It’s about the very real people, both past and present, who share these traits. That’s the spirit of Philadelphia, resilient, determined, always pushing forward, no matter the challenge. The Rocky films have done more than just entertain us. They have inspired us, turning Philadelphia into a symbol of perseverance it is today.”

[Visitors outside the museum steps]

Patricia Todisco (interview): “I came to Philly from New York City today because it’s Rocky Day. And I I’m just I’ve been a Rocky fan for over 40 years. I grew up with Rocky. I watched all the movies. I come to Philly all the time. I bring my action figure from the 80s as well. You know, it’s just, he’s the ultimate underdog. And he has taught me that no matter how often life will get you down and it’s going to, there’s no wa y out of that, you keep moving forward, you keep punching, you keep going, you never give up.”

[Benjamin Franklin Parkway]

Azra Hayer (interview): “People don’t know a lot about Philly, but this is one thing they associate with this town. And then you explain to people there’s so much more. There is so much more here. It is quite funny. I mean, I’m not a fan of sport, but the film is and has a fantastic message.”

[Rocky shop with merchandises]

[Riders on Rocky bus tour around the city]

[One of the stops during the bus tour, outside a pizza shop featured in the movie]

[Restaurant in Kensington, one of the neighborhoods in Philadelphia where the movie was filmed]

Eli Shaika (interview): “Before the Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2017, Rocky really was what everybody kind of tied themselves to. It had not seen a championship or a champion since the Rocky movies were made. So, they kind of tied themselves and embraced the underdog spirit. And I think that that just always kind of resonated with everybody from Philadelphia. And, you know, how can you not root for Rocky?”

[Street in Kensington]

[First statue at the bottom of the museum step]

This script was provided by The Associated Press.