Monday, June 15th, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced, within an hour of their game 5 victory in Texas, that a ticker-tape parade would happen to honor the Knicks for winning the championship after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals with a score of 94-90. He will also present the New York Knicks with keys to the city.
This will be the Knicks’ third championship in franchise history, with their previous wins coming in 1970 and 1973.
“The Knicks have been waiting more than 50 years for this moment, through near misses, heartbreaks, and hope that every year could be our year; the city never stopped believing in them,” Mamdani said in a statement. The Mayor noted that the Knicks extravaganza “may well be the largest parade in New York City”
The victory secured a day full of confetti, floats, and full-on celebration for the New Yorkers and Knicks fans across the US. This will be the first official ticker-tape parade in Knicks history because they didn’t get one after their 1970 or 1973 wins.
The parade and key ceremony will be held on Thursday, June 18th, starting at 10:00 am at Battery Park, traveling north along Broadway through the Canyon of Heroes before concluding at City Hall. The City Hall and municipal buildings across the city will be illuminated in blue and orange on the night of Thursday, June 18, in recognition of the victory.
Crowds will start forming at the crack of dawn, so try to snag a spot near Bowling Green or the intersections around Wall Street, but be prepared to stand your ground shoulder to shoulder with thousands of your close blue-and-orange-clad friends.
Immediately following the parade, the Mayor will host a championship celebration and Key to the City ceremony on the City Hall Plaza. Officials are anticipating exceptionally massive crowds. Fans are strongly advised to arrive very early to secure viewing spots along Broadway and to utilize pubic transportation to avoid heavy street closures.
Make sure to wear comfortable sneakers, sunscreen, plenty of water to stay hydrated, and every Knicks merch you own.
