The legendary 1950s science-fiction film “The Blob” was celebrated this weekend at Phoenixville’s 14th annual Blobfest. Released in 1958, “The Blob” starred a young Steve McQueen and Aneta Corsaut and was filmed locally in Phoenixville, Chester Springs and Downingtown.
The fanfare began the evening of Friday, July 12, at the Colonial Theater with the annual stage show, which this year featured the performance groups Ghoul A Go-Go and Patient Creatures, who warmed up the crowd before the hallmark Run-Out event. The Run-Out, where the audience re-enacts the famous scene from The Blob when everyone runs out of the theater onto Bridge Street, screaming for their lives as the Blob threatens to absorb them, was a sold-out success despite the rainy weather.
On Saturday, July 13, the weather improved and Bridge Street filled with vendors, children and adults in costume, as well as spectators from all over the country who came to enjoy the festival. The street fair was hosted by WPBR 103.3 radio personalities Professor Ouch and “Hot Rod” Scott Binder, who kept the ‘50s music going all day.
Binder said that he and professor Ouch have been coming to BlobFest for five years, and their favorite thing (other than The Blob) is the people. “The people make it happen, really. The whole B movie thing has been great for Blobfest all the way around, for the old theaters, for the way it used to be, the whole retro living thing. It makes people feel good because it’s really the best stuff now,” said Binder.
The Buzzards, a ‘50s three-piece band, also played live music during the street festival. Among the day’s events were the fire extinguisher parade, the costume contest, the Olde City Sideshow, and Patient Creatures storytelling at Steel City. The Colonial also showed double features throughout the day of “The Blob” and the movie “Them!”
A Scream Contest and Tin Foil Hat contest were also held during the weekend.
