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Rocky, you went the distance. You went 50 years …
Welkom bij Een zwaar seizoen, a ticker-tape party for the Sylvester Stallone-starring beloved movie franchise that cemented Philadelphia’s enduring legacy as America’s favorite underdog.
This eight-week, citywide celebration — running from September 29, 2026 through December 3, 2026 — coincides with the 50th anniversary of the first Rocky movie, the 1976 Academy Award winner for Best Picture.
Rocky Season puts Philly on the global marquee through a series of high-profile events ranging in scope from the practical (bus tours and fitness runs) to the theatrical (meat-punching challenges and lookalike contests).
Fittingly, the iconic steps outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art continue to set the stage for everything. The original Rocky statue was recently moved atop those 72 stone steps that Rocky ran up in under 12 seconds.
Here’s our complete guide to Rocky Season 2026 in Philadelphia.
Rocky Bus Tour — Photo courtesy Philadelphia Visitor Center
Rocky Season officially began with the much-anticipated release of The Steps: A Memoir by Sylvester Stallone. The book is now available for purchase at the Parkway Visitor Center and Rocky Shop, located at the base of the steps in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
While Rocky tells the tale of a fictional boxer (loosely based on real Philly boxing champion Joe Frazier), there are a slew of events happening that bring his silver-screen story to life. Here is a quick sampling of the best things to check out in and around Philadelphia in honor of the movie’s 50th anniversary:
Deze nieuwe community athletic event marks the 55th anniversary of “The Fight of the Century,” the bout where hometown champ Joe Frazier beat Muhammad Ali.
Runners, walkers and wheelchair participants compete and honor Frazier’s childhood disability.
Note: After putting in the miles, visit the Joe Frazier statue, relocated to the base of the museum steps, which has his left hook — yes, the same devastating one that knocked Muhammad Ali down in 1971 — immortalized in bronze.
The Philadelphia Visitor Center brings back its bus tours tracing Rocky’s famed runs through Philadelphia, including stops at iconic sites like the Zuid 9e straat Italian Market, Pat's Koning van de Steaks en Laurel Hill Begraafplaats, as well as some parts of The Boxers’ Trail.
— Photo courtesy Philadelphia Visitor Center
Get ready to spar with raw slabs of beef, just like in the original Rocky movie!
Reading Terminal Market gastheren a special photo opportunity for carnivorous fans, with proceeds donated to Sharing Excess, a hunger relief organization.
Also: Grab your gray sweats and stay for the Rocky lookalike contest outside the market on Filbert Street.
How fast can you run up those 72 stone steps outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA)? Rocky made the trek in under 12 seconds!
Deze public fitness and civic celebration invites people to gather at the PMA Apron, the terrace area at the base of the steps, and go the distance.
- Foto door J. Fusco voor Visit Philadelphia
Join city officials and special guests when Creative Philadelphia officially rededicates the Rocky statue (first unveiled in 1982) at its permanent home atop the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps.
- Foto door Visit Philadelphia
Choose from three course maps — a 10-miler, a 5K (3.1 miles) or half marathon (13.1 miles) — and find your inner Eye of the Tiger.
Some 40,000 runners from all 50 states and 75 countries are expected to take to the streets, with a gleaming gold medal waiting for you at the finish line.
Everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving tradition returns to the Expocentrum Groot Philadelphia, adding a new Rocky-themed twist for 2026.
Butkus, the boxer’s loyal bullmastiff, visits the Therapy Dog Ambassador Booth as lookalike dogs honor the breed.
The Broad Street Bullies pay tribute to Rocky by rolling out a special ticket package for their nationally televised home game against the New York Islanders.
Bonus: Fans can participate in a postgame “open ice” skate that recreates Rocky and Adrian’s first date.
Wait, we aren’t done yet. Everyone loves a sequel, right?
Het origineel Rocky film, which first premiered in 1976, gets re-released in select theaters for a limited time (November 7-11, 2026).
Need more Rocky? A new movie called I Play Rocky — starring Anthony Ippolito as a young Sylvester Stallone, directed by Academy Award winner Peter Farrelly — hits the big screen for a limited opening (November 6, 2026).
Lastly, go even deeper into the Rocky legacy by attending a book signing and Q&A session at Laurel Hill Begraafplaats met The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Mike Sielski. His new book, Going the Distance: Stallone, Philly and the Story of Rocky, tells behind-the-scenes stories from the movie while serving as a love letter to Philadelphia (November 12, 2026).
Laurel Hill — Photo courtesy Philadelphia Visitor Center
Philadelphia carries an unbroken bond to Rocky Balboa. Love him or hate him, he embodies the fighting spirit of our city and our people.
Tourism experts estimate that 4 million people visit the Rocky Steps and Rocky Statue every year, which is higher than the Statue of Liberty in New York. Bekijk onze gids to visiting the Rocky Steps and Rocky Statue.
Or chart your own course for seeing the most iconic Philly sites featured in all the Rocky movies, plus its popular spin-off franchise Geloofsbelijdenis.
Ben je op zoek naar een verblijf in Philly en wil je een zorgeloze aanbieding vinden?
Til uw reis naar Philadelphia naar een hoger niveau met de Visit Philly Overnight Package, waarbij u bij een verblijf van één of twee nachten gratis kunt parkeren bij bijna 40 deelnemende hotels.
Dat kan oplopen tot $140 voor een verblijf van twee nachten in Center City Philadelphia. Waarom zou je meer betalen?
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