City officials have announced plans for a ticker-tape parade to honor the Knicks’ championship victory.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the parade will take place Thursday, June 18, beginning at 10 a.m.
“Through near misses, heartbreak and a hope that every year could be our year, this city never stopped believing in the Knicks,” Mamdani said in a statement Saturday night. “Now it’s time for our city to celebrate together.”
The parade will travel through Lower Manhattan’s Canyon of Heroes, home to plaques commemorating every ticker-tape parade honoree over the past 140 years. Honorees include figures and events ranging from the 100th anniversary of George Washington’s presidency to the New York Yankees’ 27 World Series championships and the end of World War II.
The first ticker-tape parade was held in 1886 to celebrate the dedication of the Statue of Liberty. The tradition gets its name from ticker tape — paper ribbons once used to print stock market data by telegraph — that paradegoers tossed from office windows like confetti.
The parade will conclude with a ceremony at City Hall, where the Knicks will receive the Key to the City.
As part of the celebration, City Hall and other government buildings, including the David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building and Brooklyn Borough Hall, will be illuminated in blue and orange.
Free City Hall reception tickets available
The parade is free to attend along the route.
In addition, Mamdani said 600 free tickets to the City Hall reception will be distributed through an NBA lottery. A total of 300 winners will receive two tickets each.
This will be the Knicks’ first ticker-tape parade. The franchise’s championship teams in 1970 and 1973 were honored with City Hall receptions but did not receive ticker-tape parades.
Traffic and road closures expected
The parade will begin at Battery Park at 10 a.m., travel north along Broadway through the Canyon of Heroes and end at City Hall.
Large crowds are expected, and fans are encouraged to arrive early.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said police will increase their presence throughout the area to help manage crowds and ensure public safety.
Drivers should expect significant traffic delays throughout Lower Manhattan.
Road closure schedule
Subway service and station closures
Beginning at 4:30 a.m. Thursday, the following stations will close and reopen after the parade and City Hall ceremony:
Closed stations
Stations remaining open
Parade route access points
The following intersections will serve as access points to the parade route:
Viewing pens along the route will open at 6 a.m. Thursday.
All attendees will be screened before entering. Bags will not be permitted in or around the parade route.
Prohibited items
The following items are not allowed:
Plastic water bottles will be permitted.
City Hall reception details
The City Hall reception will begin at noon following the parade.
The city is distributing 600 free tickets through an NBA lottery, with 300 winners receiving two tickets each.
The lottery closes Wednesday at 11 a.m., and winners will be notified later that day. To enter the sweepstakes, click here.
How to watch the parade live
Major New York City television stations, including Fox 5, My9, CBS 2, NBC 4 and ABC 7, will begin coverage around 9:30 a.m.
Livestreams will also be available through the FOX 5 YouTube channel and the NYC.gov page.
For the first time, a New York sports championship parade will also be available on national streaming platforms, including:
Forecast for parade day
Thursday is expected to be mostly cloudy with a high near 85 degrees.
The National Weather Service forecasts a 50% chance of showers around 2 p.m. While the parade should be finished by then, crowds may still be gathered at City Hall for the team’s reception.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Knicks championship parade: Route, road closures, subway changes and how to watch
Reporting by Alexandra Rivera, New York Connect Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Alexandra Rivera, New York Connect Team | USA TODAY Network
