Sports

Celebrate Good Times, Hawks Stanley Cup Win

City of Chicago provides details and tips on Friday's parade celebrating the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Chicago Blackhawks have been celebrating their 2013 Stanley Cup Championship all week. Friday, fans will celebrate the team at a parade and rally Friday in downtown Chicago.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is urging fans to celebrate responsibility by respecting the city and each other.

The city provided details and tips if you are heading out to the parade Friday:

Rally

  • The rally starts at 11 a.m. in Hutchinson Field in Grant Park following a parade along Washington Street, starting at Des Plaines Street and going to Wabash Street.
  • There will be two public entrances to the rally, located at Jackson and Michigan and Congress and Michigan.
  • A jumbotron will be positioned at the side of the stage for enhanced viewing of the program and team, and additional jumbotrons will be set up on Columbus at Balbo and at Congress to accommodate the crowd.
  • Fans are encouraged to use public transportation due to the large crowds expected to attend.
  • Streets along the parade route will be shut down by 8 a.m.
  • Backpacks or large bags must be screened.
  • Coolers are not allowed into the rally.  Closed water bottles will be allowed into the rally, water fountains will be onsite, and water will also be available from onsite vendors during the rally at Hutchinson Field.
  • There is a zero tolerance policy for drinking alcohol in public.

Parade route

  • Double-decker buses featuring the team and front office personnel will ride to the rally beginning at approximately 10:30 a.m. from the United Center.
  • The official parade route will begin at Des Plaines Street and Washington Street and proceed east until Wabash Street.  Fans who want to catch the downtown parade are encouraged to see them along this route.
  • From there the motorcade will proceed east to Michigan Avenue; travel north to Randolph Street and east along Randolph to Columbus Drive.
  • Fans may also attend the parade route along Columbus Drive, between Monroe Street and Balbo Street, heading south.

Public transportation

  • Officials are encouraging fans to use public transportation.
  • The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will offer additional service to customers traveling into the Loop on Friday.  Riders are advised to allow plenty of travel time due to street closures, traffic congestion and reroutes.
  • CTA’s Red and Blue subway lines and Brown, Green, Pink and Orange elevated lines are the best option for Blackhawks fans heading downtown for the parade and rally.
  • Additional service will be provided on all eight-rail lines following the morning rush period through midday. Detailed service information is available at www.transitchicago.com.
  • Metra will be adding service on most of its lines and offering a special one-day only $5 unlimited ride ticket to accommodate Chicago Blackhawks fans attending the downtown parade and rally.
  • Riders should be aware that morning and evening rush hour trains, as well as trains immediately before and after the event, are likely to be very full. Trains may depart early if they reach capacity so riders are advised to allow adequate time to arrive at the station and board the train.
  • Due to the event, bikes and alcohol will be banned from all trains on Friday.
  • Metra also will be adding security and increasing its police presence on trains and stations Friday.


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