Over 1 million fans expected to line streets during historic Knicks parade on Thursday

NEW YORK CITY - New York City is gearing up for what could be the biggest parade in its history. At least 1 million fans are expected to descend on Lower Manhattan on Thursday morning for a historic ticker-tape parade to celebrate the Knicks' NBA Championship title.

City workers are currently putting the finishing touches on the risers outside City Hall, where the parade will conclude with a special ceremony. 

Parade route and schedule

Timeline:

The celebration will make its way through the iconic Canyon of Heroes, following the traditional path of New York's greatest champions.

• Start time: The parade officially kicks off at 10 a.m. Thursday.
• Route: The procession will begin near Battery Park, travel north up the Canyon of Heroes and conclude at City Hall.
• When to arrive: The Mayor's office is strongly urging fans to arrive at least two hours early to secure a viewing spot.

City Hall ceremony

What we know:

Following the parade, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will host a special ceremony at City Hall to present MVP Jalen Brunson and the rest of the Knicks roster with the Keys to the City.

Access to this highly anticipated ceremony is strictly limited, but the city is giving away 600 free tickets to lucky fans.

The sweepstakes closes at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 17. Fans can enter the lottery online.

Security

Dig deeper:

With over a million attendees expected, security will be tight along the entirety of the parade route. The NYPD has already begun staging the area, distributing barricades and establishing crowd-control measures.

More than 10,000 officers will be deployed at the parade, according to a NYPD spokesperson, who says there will be "assets you see and assets you don’t see."

Heavy weapons, K9s, explosive detection, transportation, transit, and highway teams will also have a presence along the route.

Transportation

Local perspective:

Getting into Lower Manhattan will require some planning, as normal routines will be heavily disrupted.

• Staten Island Ferry: Service will be noticeably increased on Thursday to accommodate the crowds. Boats will depart every 15 minutes during peak travel windows: 7 to 9 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m.
• Street closures: South of Canal Street will be shut down to vehicular traffic from the Hudson River to the East River starting at 7 a.m. Thursday.

Fans are encouraged to wear their best Knicks gear, plan their travel routes in advance and prepare for a historic, crowded and unforgettable celebration in the heart of New York City.

How to watch

What you can do:

FOX 5 NY will air and stream live coverage beginning at 10 a.m. ET and continuing coverage until the event's end, at approximately 2 p.m.

You can watch the full parade on Channel 9 over-the-air, on the FOX5NY.com live page or on the FOX LOCAL mobile app.