PHOENIXVILLE >> Thousands of people swarmed to Phoenixville Friday night and Saturday to attend Blobfest, the annual celebration honoring the 1958 film “The Blob,” which starred a young Steve McQueen and was filmed locally.
The popular all–weekend event featured special guests, live music, unique vendors and much more.
Festivities began Friday night at the Colonial Theatre for the sold-out “Run- Out” event, which is a reenactment of the classic scene in the film. Thousands of people lined up along Bridge Street to watch the “Run- Out,” in which people run out of the theater screaming. The fun continued into the night at the Blob Ball, which featured a ’50s music cover band, The Rivers Rockabilly Trio, for the crowd to dance to.
On Saturday, the Street Fair was held in front of the theater. Dozens of vendors had tents along Bridge Street, selling their unique wares, all of which had a sci–fi or horror twist. Attendees could peruse original artwork, horror movies, costumes, toys and much more. Additionally, there was live music, a costume contest, vintage cars, a tattoo contest, fire extinguisher parade and many more zany activities for all to enjoy.
The Blob Ball returned this year at a new location, the Great American Pub. Lulu’s Boutique hosted the event and owners Keely Wrigley and Joan Moore said they were happy to bring the Ball back.
“It’s a fun night. We went the last time and it was so much fun to see everybody dressed up. We just thought it should come back,” Wrigley said. “We love a good reason to get dressed up,” Moore added.
The theme of this year’s Blobfest was “monster” and many creepy critters interacted with attendees all over Bridge Street. Adding to the fun was special guest Rico Browning, who was the monster in the 1954 classic “The Creature From The Black Lagoon.” His second time at the festival, Browning said he thought Blobfest was great. He also noted when making the movie, he did not know it would become a hit. Filmed in Wakulla Springs, Fla., Browning swam in a deep spring throughout many scenes in the movie.
“It goes to down to about 90 feet. The water is usually crystal clear. It was just a job, we did it and we went home. The way the creature swam in the movie, was the way I swam normally so I didn’t have to learn anything. I just swam the way I swim,” Browning said.
Another special guest was Paul Bunnell, a filmmaker who traveled from Los Angeles to attend Blobfest.
Bunnell’s film “The Ghastly Love of Johnny X” will be screened Sunday during the festival. The film is unique in many ways, most notably because it is the last movie shot on 35 millimeter black-and-white film.
“As we were shooting the movie finishing it up, they stopped making the (type of) film. I was able to buy the rest of the film. Kodak had it here and there in vaults and warehouses. Some came from France,” he said.
“Blobfest is fantastic. I have been a huge fan of The Blob since I was a kid and it inspired me as a filmmaker,” Brunnell said. “There’s a lot in common. It’s a small picture that was made with a lot of heart, just like ‘The Blob.’ It has these juvenile delinquents from outer space. It has 1950s sensibilities to it. It really fits into the sci–fi vibe. It’s a sci–fi musical, dark comedy, romance. It’s a little bit of everything,” Bunnell said.
As the festival continues to grow in size each year, much like The Blob itself, fans from all over the area and beyond make the voyage to Phoenixville to get a taste of the unusual festival. Philadelphia resident Jennifer Reeder enjoys attending Blobfest and said it is exciting that the movie was filmed partially in Chester Springs, where she grew up.
“I love the oddity of it. I love the fact that it is a tradition that continues on every single year and how the town gathers together for it all,” Reeder commented.
Frank Vallone from South Brunswick, N.J., came for his 1oth Blobfest. He said he enjoys being able to watch “The Blob” on the big screen and participating in the Run -Out.
“My father and I love old sci–fi movies, especially ‘The Blob.’ It’s one of our all time favorites. I’ve never been to anything like it before. Who would have thought that this low budget movie from the fifties would all of a sudden bring a small town onto the map again. It just gets bigger and bigger every year.”
Another special guest all weekend was Kris Yeaworth, son of ‘The Blob’ director Irvin “Shorty” Yeaworth. He greeted fans, answered questions about the filming of the movie and sold photos taken during the making of the film. Yeaworth, a musician, performed at Steel City after the Run- Out. He noted his song “One Night In ’57” was written as a homage to “The Blob.”
Said Yeaworth, “One of the lyrics is; ‘And fifty years later people still stand in line, to run out of the theater, being chased by that giant red slime.'”
