Kevin Bacon visits Utah high school where 'Footloose' was filmed

Kevin Bacon's full speech as he returns to high school where ‘Footloose’ was filmed

Kevin Bacon, American actor and star of the 1984 musical Footloose, returned to Payson, Utah, on Saturday. (Credit: SixDegrees.org via Storyful)

PAYSON, Utah - Actor Kevin Bacon paid a visit over the weekend to a Utah high school where the 1984 musical "Footloose" was filmed.

Bacon’s foundation, SixDegrees.org, released footage of him giving a speech to students and fans as they gathered at Payson High School's stadium on Saturday.

"When I first heard about this Bacon-to-Payson thing I was like ‘Wow, this is crazy,’ but you were all just tireless, unrelenting, in your desire to have me return, and you talked me into it," Bacon said.

Students spent months trying to get the actor’s attention to get him to return to the school, rallying under the hashtag #BaconToPayson.

Actor Kevin Bacon visits a Utah high school where the musical "Footloose" was filmed.

Bacon confirmed his visit in March in support of SixDegrees.org, which distributes bags containing food, toiletries, and other essentials to homeless people.

The visit came as Footloose’s celebrates its 40th anniversary and before Payson High School’s planned demolition in 2025.

"Footloose" tells the story of a teen who attempts to overturn the ban on dancing in a small town.

Storyful and Kelly Hayes contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.