By Ryan Stacy
For classic sci-fi and horror buffs, among the most memorable moments in 1958's The Blob is when a terrified crowd runs screaming from a movie theater to escape the oozing monster. The real-life location of that scene—Phoenixville, Pennsylvania—began honoring its role in the film in the year 2000 with the town's first Blobfest, complete with a fan re-enactment of the mayhem at the Colonial Theatre, where it was originally shot. The tradition continued annually until, like everything else, Blobfest was derailed by COVID-19 two years ago. An online version of the festival was offered in 2020 and 2021, but fans were understandably longing for the return of the real thing.
This year, Blobfest is reportedly back, live and in person. Organizers say the excitement is evident, with hundreds of fans from all over "Blob-nobbing" in the streets. Along with the commemorative fleeing of the Colonial, this year's festival goers have enjoyed three days of fun that's included a tin foil hat contest, a street parade, Blob-inspired food and merch—and of course, a screening of the movie that put Phoenixville on the cinematic map.