Everything you need to know about the NY Liberty parade: Streets, transit, celebrations

Hannah Frishberg

Published Oct 23, 2024

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The New York Liberty pose after the win over Minnesota Lynx in Game Five of the WNBA Finals at the Barclays Center.

Elsa/Getty Images

Hannah Frishberg

Published Oct 23, 2024

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Six floats, four double-decker buses and some 2,500 participants will take part in Thursday’s celebration of the New York Liberty’s WNBA championship title victory.

That’s a lot of people, a lot of excitement and a lot of logistics to think about just days after the Liberty’s 67-62 win over the Minnesota Lynx clinched the team its first championship in its nearly 30-year history.

Several roads will be closed and mass transit routes will be affected for the giant celebration. The city sanitation department is also gearing up for the aftermath with 13 collection trucks, 36 mechanical brooms, another 133 hand brooms, 130 backpack blowers and more than 350 workers at the ready.

Here’s everything to know about the celebrating the Liberty — and for getting around the area:

Where and when will it be?

The parade will take place Thursday morning along the “Canyon of Heroes,” the stretch of Broadway between Battery Place and City Hall in Manhattan's Financial District. It will begin at Battery Place and West Street, with the formation area extending east to Thames Street, before heading east to Broadway, north to Chambers Street, east to Centre Street and finally north to Lafayette and Worth.

The parade kicks off at 10 a.m., but the city recommends arriving at Broadway by 9 a.m. to secure a viewing spot.

Spectators can view the parade from Morris Street to Park Row on Broadway's east side and from Battery Place to Chambers Street on Broadway's west side. There will be accessible viewing at Zuccotti Park.

The area around City Hall will be closed to spectators.

The route planned for Thursday's ticker tape parade to celebrate the New York Liberty.

City Hall

How much does it cost?

The event is free and open to all.

Should I drive? (Please, please don’t.)

City officials advise spectators against driving, as there will be no parking in the area.

A traffic detour is set to begin at 9 a.m. and Broadway will be closed to cars for the duration of the event. Several other area streets will also be closed, according to the Downtown Alliance:

State Street Between Battery Place and Bridge Street
Battery Place between West Thames Street and Broadway
3rd Place between Battery Place and Little West Street
2nd Place between Battery Place and Little West Street
Little West Street between Morris Street and Battery Place
West Street between Morris Street and Battery Place
Morris Street between West Street and Washington Street

What about walking?

There will be pedestrian crossings at Broadway and Exchange Alley, Cedar Street, Cortlandt Street, Vesey Street, Chambers Street and Reade Street, plus one crossing on Reade and Centre.

Dispersal points are set to be on Centre Street north of Chambers Street, Lafayette Street between Duane and Worth, and Broadway between Worth and Canal.

How will mass transit be affected?

Straphangers should note that trains will skip the City Hall R/W station. The Bowling Green 4/5 station directly north of the National Museum of the American Indian will be reserved for passengers using accessibility accommodations and west side exits on Centre Street for the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall 4/5/6 station will be closed.

Additionally, many MTA buses may be re-routed due to street closures.

Anything else of note?

Backpacks are allowed, and there will be no checkpoints along the route.

What happens after the parade?

There will be a ticketed ceremony at City Hall from noon to 1 p.m., during which Mayor Eric Adams will give the team the Key to the City. In the evening, the members of the public who snatched up free tickets early will attend a free championship celebration from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. However, tickets are no longer available for either event.

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