For the first time in 53 years, the New York Knicks are N.B.A. champions. And for the first time ever, the team will be celebrated with a parade through Lower Manhattan’s Canyon of Heroes. Here’s what to know if you’re planning to attend what could be the largest event of its kind in New York City history.
When does the parade start and what is the route?
The parade will begin at Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan and travel north along Broadway to City Hall. It is scheduled to start at 10 a.m., but officials advise arriving early as crowds will form quickly. Viewing along the route is free and open to all.
How will car and ferry traffic be affected?
Street parking will not be allowed south of Canal Street starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday; any cars there after that will be towed. As of 7 a.m. Thursday, vehicle traffic will be shut down south of Canal from the Hudson River to the East River. The F.D.R. Drive and West Side Highway will remain open. The Staten Island Ferry will run every 15 minutes from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
What’s the best way to get there?
The subway, of course, with some caveats. Starting at 4:30 a.m. Thursday, the Wall Street (4 and 5 trains) and City Hall (R, W) stations will be closed. They will reopen after the parade and City Hall ceremony. The following stations will remain open: Bowling Green (4, 5); Fulton Street (4, 5, J, Z, 2, 3); Brooklyn Bridge (4, 5, 6); Chambers Street (J, Z); Park Place (2, 3).
What’s the best time to get there?
Officials suggest arriving at least two hours early for any hope of grabbing a slim slice of sidewalk and a glimpse of the Knicks passing by. Anyone who arrives before 6 a.m. will have to wait to go through the mandatory security screening, which starts then, before claiming their spot.
Attendance at the parade will be first-come, first-served, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said on Wednesday. Once the viewing areas fill, people will either be redirected to other locations or turned away, she said.
Where can I enter the parade area?
Entry to the route will be available at more than 20 access points that are listed on the city’s official parade website, which will be updated regularly with information about Thursday’s events.
What if I live or work in the area?
People who work in buildings along the route will be allowed into those buildings with proper building identification. Those who live in the area can enter their homes with proper identification.
What will the police presence be like?
More than 10,000 officers will be deployed for the parade, including members of the heavy weapons teams and members of the transit, highway and drone units. Bomb-detecting dogs will also patrol the area.
What can’t be brought to the parade?
The following items are prohibited: bags; backpacks; glass or metal water bottles; bats and batons; bicycles and scooters; chairs; coolers; drones; pets; strollers; umbrellas; weapons.
What can be?
Plastic water bottles.
What about restrooms?
There will be no dedicated public restroom facilities, and most street-level businesses will probably be closed for the parade’s duration. Relatively nearby restroom options include the Oculus at the World Trade Center and the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.
What’s the forecast for Thursday?
As of 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, the National Weather Service was anticipating conditions to be cloudy through midmorning and then clearing gradually, with a high temperature near 86 degrees and thunderstorms possible after 2 p.m.
What if it rains?
Depending on severity of any rain, the time and date of the parade may shift. Updates will be posted on the parade website and the city’s official social media accounts.
Who can attend the City Hall ceremony after the parade?
Only those with tickets, including 600 given away by the city via a public lottery, will be allowed into the ceremony, which will feature speakers and musical performances and Mayor Zohran Mamdani presenting keys to the city to the Knicks.
Will there actually be ticker tape?
No. Ticker-tape parades have not featured ticker tape since the 1960s. Instead, there will be confetti created by shredding 2,500 pounds of recycled paper bought for $7,500 from the Wisconsin-based office-supply company Uline, according to Jessica Lappin, the president of the Downtown Alliance, a business improvement group.
Because most office buildings along the parade have windows that are sealed shut, employees of the alliance, which is in charge of showering the parade with confetti, have been going door-to-door in search of 25 sites from which to toss down the paper.
What’s involved in the cleanup?
City sanitation workers will use 650 mechanical brooms and backpack blowers to clear the what is expected to be more than 40 tons of litter from the parade route after the festivities end, Joshua Goodman, a Sanitation Department spokesman, said. This week only, those workers are allowed to wear Knicks caps as part of their official uniform.
Maia Coleman contributed reporting.
The post What to Know if You’re Going to the Knicks Parade appeared first on New York Times.
