Devoted fans of the "Rocky" franchise stunned Philadelphia planners in December when the city held its first Rocky Day outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Sylvester Stallone, the writer and star of the classic films, was greeted by.thousands of people – including some from distant countries – who had come to celebrate boxing's greatest fictional hero.

They took pictures in front of the Rocky statue at the foot of the museum's iconic steps and bought merchandise from the new Rocky Shop, a shipping container adjoined to the nearby visitor center. The success of Rocky Day so far exceeded the city's expectations that there are now plans taking shape for a larger Rocky festival later this year, one that likely will become an annual tradition.