Just before midnight on Saturday, the New York Knicks won the NBA championship for the first time in more than 50 years, transforming the city into an orange and blue utopia all weekend.
While New Yorkers were still celebrating — loudly, and sometimes getting rowdy — Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted a simple message to X: “Parade. Thursday. Manhattan.”
The Knicks have won two other championships — in 1970 and 1973 — but they never had a ticker-tape parade. (Blame a former mayor.) Their rabid, championship-starved fanbase is sure to come out in force to celebrate MVP Jalen Brunson, hoop hero OG Anunoby and Wemby-slayer Karl-Anthony Towns — no matter how hot it’s expected to be.
We have a few more details on the ticker-tape parade now. Here’s our guide on how to party with the team.
Jump to …
- When and where is the parade?
- Wait, what’s a ticker-tape parade?
- Where can I watch the parade in person?
- Security restrictions: What not to bring
- Can I watch from the buildings next to the parade?
- Where can I watch the parade remotely?
- What will happen at the parade?
- Have the Knicks ever had a ticker-tape parade before?
When and where is the parade?
The Knicks’ ticker-tape parade is set to begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 18, near Battery Park. It will march north through Lower Manhattan’s “Canyon of Heroes” — the chunk of Broadway adjacent to the Wall Street Bull that’s historically used for New York’s ticker-tape parades — and end at City Hall. The route is adorned with plaques commemorating every ticker-tape parade in the city’s history.
Wait, what’s a ticker-tape parade?
A ticker-tape parade is a uniquely New York celebration named originally for the flurry of stock ticker paper tape that rained from office building windows in the Financial District. (Now, we just use confetti.)
The first such parade commemorated the arrival of the Statue of Liberty in 1886. Most recently, the city celebrated Gotham FC’s 2025 win in the National Women’s Soccer League. In 2024, the New York Liberty celebrated their first WNBA championship with their own parade.
Where can I watch the parade in person?
You can show up anywhere along the parade route to watch the festivities. Stake out your territory early Thursday morning — or maybe even Wednesday night — for a good spot: It’s expected to be packed from Battery Park to City Hall.
Mamdani has said this may be the largest parade in New York City history. If you’re a local high school student, though, you might have to miss the party for a state science exam.
Security restrictions: What not to bring
We’ve reached out to the NYPD for details on what security measures will be in place for the parade that may restrict what viewers can bring. We will update this article when we know more.
Can I watch from the buildings next to the parade?
Unless you’re lucky enough to work in one of those office buildings, no. There are no public viewing areas in the many windows lining the Canyon of Heroes, according to the Downtown Alliance, the business group in the Financial District. The public will have to squeeze onto the sidewalks, side streets and plazas along the route.
Where can I watch the parade remotely?
We’ve reached out to City Hall and several local TV stations for more details on where the parade will be broadcast. We’ll update this article when we know more.
What will happen at the parade?
The Knicks are expected to ride through the Canyon of Heroes, and the mayor will present the team with the keys to the city around noon. Performances and speeches will follow. City Hall, Brooklyn Borough Hall and the David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building will be lit up orange and blue.
Construction on the stage and press viewing platforms at City Hall Plaza began Monday, and officials met throughout the day for preparation. They’re bracing for major crowds: After the New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1994 following a 54-year drought, an estimated 1.5 million fans flocked to Lower Manhattan.
When the New York Mets won the World Series in 1986, their first since the 1969 win, more than 2 million people came to celebrate the other orange and blue team.
Have the Knicks ever had a ticker-tape parade before?
As The City Reporter wrote earlier this week, the team has never been celebrated with a ticker-tape parade, even though they took home NBA championships in 1970 and 1973. That’s because former Mayor John Lindsay discontinued the tradition in his second term in favor of more informal receptions.
Additional reporting by Katie Honan.
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The post Your Guide to the Knicks’ Historic Ticker-Tape Parade appeared first on The City Reporter.
