After 25 years, Blobfest in Phoenixville has become a staple event in the community, writes Virginia Lindak for The Daily Local News.

The festival draws in thousands of people to pay homage to the 1958 film The Blob, which was filmed in Chester County.  

This year’s festival runs from Friday, July 12 to Sunday, July 14. 

The quirky sci-fi festival also has a tremendous impact on the Phoenixville small business community. The town underwent a revitalization in the 1990s, and since then, businesses in the area have steadily grown, boasting a variety of small shops and restaurants for visitors and residents.  

“The Colonial Theatre and Blobfest have had a tremendous economic impact on our entire revitalization as a community. For businesses within the borough, Blobfest is an incredible injection of new people coming into the community who are attracted by this extraordinary movie that has become a cult classic,” Phoenixville Mayor Peter Urscheler said. 

The Colonial Theatre was the first attraction to bring people to the Phoenixville community, when it reopened in 1999. Between the theatre and Blobfest, the small businesses in the area are thriving, as the festival is one of their biggest weekends for sales. 

“Communities need spaces and events like this,” Urscheler said. “They need neutral spaces where people can gather and get to know each other. 

Read more about Blobfest’s history and return to Phoenixville at The Daily Local News. 

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