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‘Rocky’ celebrations will close roads throughout Philadelphia this weekend

Philly is celebrating Rocky Balboa with a Guinness World Record and a 5K race this weekend.

The “second casting” Rocky statue, at the top of the steps at the Philadelphia Art Museum Jan. 7, 2026. The recast of the statue by A. Thomas Schomberg for the 1982 movie Rocky III was done in 2006 and purchased by Sylvester Stallone at auction, who loaned it to the city in 2024 for the first RockyFest
The “second casting” Rocky statue, at the top of the steps at the Philadelphia Art Museum Jan. 7, 2026. The recast of the statue by A. Thomas Schomberg for the 1982 movie Rocky III was done in 2006 and purchased by Sylvester Stallone at auction, who loaned it to the city in 2024 for the first RockyFestRead moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer

The month-long 50th anniversary celebrations of Rocky continue this weekend with a rededication of the iconic Philadelphia Museum of Art statue and a 5K race.

The Philadelphia Visitors Center is organizing a slate of events, from Sept. 29 to Dec. 4, to honor Rocky Balboa’s cultural impact on the city’s tourism. Friday will see the statue rededication atop the Art Museum steps, where fans will gather to attempt a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people dressed as Rocky Balboa.

Saturday will bring the Rocky Run, which consists of a 5K, a 10-mile walk or run, and an Italian Stallion half marathon along Fairmount Park roads.

Road closures will pop up in these event areas, creating traffic delays and no-parking zones that should be avoided. Any vehicles still parked in no-parking zones during these events will be courtesy towed.

Friday, Nov. 13

On Friday, a slate of Rocky Balboa celebrations will takeover the weekend, starting with full day of activities at Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Rocky events at Philadelphia Museum of Art

  1. 1 p.m. — Rocky Returns Home: Statue rededication event

  2. 3:15 p.m. — Free “Tiny Steps” Rocky concert by the Philly Pops

  3. 4 p.m. — Rocky Guinness World Record

The following streets will be closed noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13:

  1. Eakins Oval in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Additionally to allow setup for the Rocky Run 5K, 10 Mile, and 13.1 Italian Stallion Challenge taking place on Saturday, the following streets will be closed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13:

  1. 2200 Benjamin Franklin Parkway (inner lanes) between 22nd Street and Binswanger Triangle

Saturday, Nov. 14

Rocky Run 5K and 10 Mile Run/Walk

The Rocky Run 5K, 10 Mile, and 13.1 Italian Stallion Challenge will take place from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, starting at the Art Museum steps.

The following streets will be closed beginning at 3 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14:

  1. 2200-2400 Benjamin Franklin Parkway between 22nd Street and Eakins Oval

  2. Spring Garden Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and 24th Street

  3. MLK Drive between Eakins Oval and Falls Bridge

The following streets will be closed beginning at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14:

  1. Kelly Drive between Eakins Oval and Brewery Hill Drive

  2. Sedgley Drive between Kelly Drive and Poplar Drive

  3. Lemon Hill Drive between Sedgley Drive and Kelly Drive

The following streets will be closed beginning at 4 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14:

  1. Strawberry Mansion Bridge

  2. Sweet Briar Drive between Lansdowne Drive and MLK Drive

  3. Greenland Drive between Strawberry Mansion Bridge and Chamounix Drive

  4. Ford Road between Chamounix Drive and Greenland Drive

  5. Chamounix Drive between Belmont Mansion Drive and Greenland Drive

  6. Landsdowne Drive between Sweetbria Drive and Girard Avenue Bridge

  7. Girard Avenue Bridge (Eastbound lanes) between Lansdown Drive and Brewery Hill Drive

All streets (with the exception of Eakins Oval and MLK Drive) are scheduled to reopen by 2 p.m. on Saturday. Eakins Oval will be fully open to traffic by 3 p.m. MLK Drive will remain closed as part of its regular weekend closure for recreation.

SEPTA Bus Routes 7, 32, 38, 43, 48 and 49 will be detoured from their normal routes from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14.