Rocky Meat Market Challenge (Photo: Tyler Thrasher/FOX29)
PHILADELPHIA - Dust off the fedora and tape up your knuckles—Philadelphia is celebrating half a century of the Italian Stallion.
Reading Terminal Market hosted the "Meat Market Challenge" on Saturday, inviting fans to channel their inner underdog to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic film "Rocky."
WATCH: FOX 29 boxes like Rocky with the iconic slab of beef
Recreating an iconic scene
The backstory:
The outdoor event, which took over Filbert Street from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., allowed fans to physically step into the cinematic training montage by throwing punches at slabs of frozen meat.
The photo op required a $20 donation, with all proceeds going to fill the Reading Terminal Market Pantry for Sharing Excess, a nonprofit providing hunger relief to local Philadelphians. As an added bonus, the first 50 participants to take a swing received a free Reading Terminal Market beanie.
Lookalike contests and market specials
The other side:
The celebration extended well beyond the hanging meat. Guests were encouraged to dress the part, and the day culminated in a Rocky lookalike contest where the winner took home a $250 gift card to the market.
Local vendors also got in on the action, offering Rocky-themed merchant specials and selling Rocky-inspired apparel. A DJ kept the energy high while attendees met and posed for photos with the market's own champion mascot, Philbert.
The Source: This article was written using information provided by the Philadelphia Visitor Center.