Philly’s first-ever RockyFest is a knockout nod to the ‘Rocky’ film franchise

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In celebration of Rocky Day — a city tradition honoring the “Rocky” film franchise that began in 2023 — Philadelphia is hosting its first-ever RockyFest.

WHYY “Morning Edition” host Jennifer Lynn jogged the “Rocky steps” at the Philadelphia Museum of Art to meet up with Kathryn Ott Lovell. The president and CEO of the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation is leading this tribute to the Italian Stallion and his story of resilience, 48 years following the 1976 debut of “Rocky.”

RockyFest 2024 runs from Dec. 3 through Dec. 8.

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Jennifer Lynn: Yo, Kathryn!

Kathryn Ott Lovell: Yo, Jennifer, you did it! [referring to Jennifer scaling the Rocky Steps]

JL:  Because “all I want to do is go the distance,” I want to get the blow-by-blow of RockyFest, starting with what happens today: Rocky Day.

KL: Oh, today there’s going to be a really exciting unveiling of a special surprise right here at the top of the steps. We’ll be doing tours all day and lots of fun stuff for people to experience Rocky Day in Philadelphia, which I think is a holiday second only to the Fourth of July here in Philly.

JL: Well, this festival includes a lot of things, and I love this idea of special date nights because “Rocky” is truly a love story. You’ll have a special night at the Penn Ice Rink. Remember Rocky and Adrian and the first date scene at an ice rink in Philadelphia?

KL: I do. I totally agree with you. I think “Rocky” is a quintessential love story, and ice skating was where Rocky and Adrian had their first date. The Penn Ice Rink, in its very 1970s brutalist style of architecture, is very reminiscent of that scene in the film where Adrian is skating and Rocky is jogging alongside her, and they’re just getting to know each other for the very first time.

Adrian: Aren’t you skating?
Rocky: I ain’t skated since I was 15. You know, that’s when I started fighting. I was 15. Skating’s bad for the ankles, you know?
Adrian: Yeah.
Rocky: You’re a pretty good skater, aren’t you?

JL: And there is a beautifully sweet and funny scene at the Philadelphia Zoo where Rocky proposes to Adrian. Now, this is “Rocky II.” I’m advancing a little bit, but how cool, you’re having a date night at the zoo.

KL: We’re having a date night at the zoo. “Rocky II” is actually my favorite “Rocky” film, really, because it is the culmination of that love story.

Rocky: I was wondering, if you wouldn’t mind marrying me very much.
Adrian: What’d you say?
Rocky: If you wouldn’t mind marrying me too much.
Adrian: Yes, I’d like to marry you.
Rocky: Yeah?
Adrian: Yes.
Rocky: Yeah?
Adrian: Yes.

JL: And WHYY has a little part in all of this. We’re so thrilled by the success of the podcast “The Statue,” produced with Monument Lab’s Paul Farber. He’s going to offer a talk about the iconic Rocky statue and Rocky-related real-life stories. That’s going to be a great lecture.

KL: It is going to be great. Actually, the sculptor of the statue himself, Thomas Schomberg, is going to be coming in for that to talk about what the statue meant to him and his legacy. And at the end of that lecture, folks will get a certificate that they completed Rocky U, Rocky University by Dr. Paul Farber.

JL: There’s a “Rocky”-themed bus tour. I mean, that’s going to be wonderful — to go to some of the scenes of Philadelphia that were really the sets for the original “Rocky.”

KL: Yeah, when folks watch the “Rocky” movie and they see Rocky do that jog through what people think is South Philly, it’s not. I mean, that jog that he does is actually miles and miles throughout the city and then just cut down, thanks to film editing. So, the “Rocky” tour actually travels to all of those locations: South Philadelphia, North Philadelphia, Kensington, East Fairmount Park and Laurel Hill Cemetery, where we know there’s still a grave to Adrian Balboa, a fake grave, but a grave that is visited and beloved by “Rocky” fans. So, this bus tour will be 90 minutes, and it will take you all over the city to see some of those amazing filming locations from the original “Rocky” films.

JL: And there were nine “Rocky”-themed movies, all of which can be seen during a movie marathon. Plus, there’s a “Yo Yo Yo” to dog lovers! I don’t know if people remember Butkus, the dog Rocky really adored at the pet shop where Adrian worked.

Rocky: Hey Butkus! Hey! Butkus! Give me a kiss! C’mere!
Adrian: To keep you company when you run.
Rocky: *howling, playing with Butkus* Come on and meet the family!

JL: So, you’ve created a “Yappy Hour” in honor of folks who love Butkus and their own dogs.

KL: That’s right, it’s a Southpaw’s Yappy Hour at the Cherry Street Pier. People should come and bring their furry friends. And we actually will have an “impupinator” — a real, live Bullmastiff — who will be impersonating Butkus, so that folks can get their picture with a Butkus from the film. It’s going to be a great time for people to express their love of “Rocky” to their wonderful animal friends.

JL: I love the story about how Sylvester Stallone wrote and starred in “Rocky.” Will Stallone make a cameo during RockyFest, like a Philadelphia love letter to his fans?

KL: Who knows? Last year, he did make an appearance for the first Rocky Day. We found out just about a week before that he was thinking about coming. He is an incredibly busy guy with a big schedule of exciting things happening in his life. He might come. He might not. But regardless, we’ll be here celebrating this incredible film that he wrote almost 50 years ago.

JL: Kathryn Ott Lovell, a big “yo yo yo” to you before we get into the season of ho ho hos. Thank you so much.

KL: Thanks, Jennifer.