Temperatures are expected to cool slightly Friday after a sweltering week in Boston, but it’s still going to be a hot one, so Mayor Michelle Wu reminded fans to stay hydrated.
The celebrations began Monday night after Boston blew out the Dallas Mavericks, 106-88, in Game 5 at TD Garden to win their NBA-record 18th title.
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Read on for everything you need to before Friday, including the route, road closures, safety information, and more.
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Celtics parade in Boston: What you need to know
- Date and time: Friday, June 21 beginning at 11 a.m.
- Location: The parade route will run from in front of TD Garden on Causeway Street, past City Hall Plaza and the Boston Common on Tremont Street, and end on Boylston Street by the Hynes Convention Center.
- Events: The Celtics players and staff will not give speeches along the parade route. Instead, they’ll host a pre-parade event at TD Garden before getting on the duck boats.
- Forecast: The temperature is expected to be in the mid-80s. Keep up with the latest forecast here.
- Getting there: Wu urged residents to take public transit on Friday as the MBTA will be increasing service on all transit lines. Parking on certain streets in the West End, Downtown, and Back Bay will be closed just after midnight on Friday morning, Wu said.
- Road closures: Streets along the parade route will be shut down to traffic starting at 9 a.m. Friday morning, Wu said. A list of closed street is available on the city’s website.
When is the Celtics parade?
The duck boats will depart from TD Garden Friday at 11 a.m. — the usual start time for the dozen other parades Boston Duck Tours has held between February of 2002 and February 2019 for the Patriots (six), Red Sox (four), Bruins (one), and Celtics (one).
Ed Davis, the former Boston Police Commissioner in the middle of the Title Town parade run that included the Celtics’ 2008 rolling rally, said that a morning start is a hedge against adult-beverage-fueled unruliness.
“From a police perspective, having something in the morning, it’s less likely to have violence associated with it because of alcohol consumption and things like that, so it just makes it a safer time,” said Davis.
Insider tip: Stake out your spot early. It’s best to get there a few hours before the parade begins if you want to get close to the action.
What is the route for the Celtics parade?
The parade will run from in front of TD Garden on Causeway Street, following Staniford Street to Cambridge Street, which turns into Tremont Street, and then along Boylston Street until the duck boats reach the Hynes Convention Center.
Here’s the full route:
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What’s the weather forecast for the Celtics parade?
According to Globe meteorologist Ken Mahan, this week’s heat wave is expected to lift just in time for Friday’s victory parade. The forecast is calling for partly cloudy skies with highs in the mid-80s and a heat index — how it actually feels outside — of 87. The humidity, however, may be high, making it feel extra warm and muggy.
Be sure to drink plenty of water, and pack your sunscreen if you’re planning to camp out along the route.
The city’s Office of Emergency Management will have misting tents ats City Hall Plaza and the Boston Common to help fans cool off.
Check out the full forecast here.
Celtics parade rules and safety information
The celebrations on Monday night were relatively tame, as police arrested eight people, mostly for disorderly conduct. Boston police commissioner Michael Cox said there were no other major security or safety issues reported, which he hopes will be the case Friday as well.
“For the most part it was a good crowd,” Cox told the Globe Tuesday. “It’s always a little much when you have that many people, sometimes not everyone listens, but for the most part all our fans did well last night, hopefully they’ll continue to do well going into this. . . . We just want people to celebrate responsibly.”
Mayor Michelle Wu said Tuesday that fans should expect a heavy presence of police — including both uniformed and plainclothes officers — and first responders outside TD Garden and along the route.
“We are also encouraging everyone to celebrate safely, and look out for each other,” Wu said. “Although the weather will cool off slightly by Friday, this is our first heat wave of the year, and we are expecting temperatures in the mid- to high-nineties through Thursday.”
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Cox reminded residents “there is no public drinking or use of marijuana on the route in any way.” He also said there should be no climbing or standing on mailboxes, bus vestibules, rooftops, or light polls. If fans do not get down from those areas when asked by police, they could be arrested, he said.
“Any disruptive behavior, fighting, things of that nature, will not be tolerated,” Cox said. “Let’s remember that this is a family-friendly event and we expect everybody to act accordingly.”
Prohibited items at the parade include alcoholic beverages; large bags, coolers, or glass containers; drones; weapons (or replicas of weapons); and fireworks.
During the Celtics’ 2008 parade, police made more than 20 arrests for a variety of reasons, ranging from disorderly conduct to assault and battery.
Road closures and T service during the Celtics parade
Streets along the parade route will be closed starting at 9 a.m. Parking will also be heavily restricted in the areas surrounding the parade route starting just after midnight on Friday. For a full list of street that will be shutdowns and parking restrictions, visit the city’s website.
Wu urged fans to use public transportation to get downtown. The MBTA will provide increased service and modified Commuter Rail schedules to accommodate the anticipated large crowds. For more information, visit the MBTA’s website.
How can you watch the Celtics parade at home?
If you can’t make it downtown for the parade but don’t want to miss out on the fun, you can watch the festivities on NBA TV and the NBA App.
NBC Sports Boston and NBC10 Boston will have live, all-day coverage of the celebrations beginning at 5 a.m. and running through the end of the festivities. Brian Scalabrine will host the coverage and will be joined by analysts, reporters, current and former players, and other special guests.
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How many duck boats are involved?
Cindy Brown, CEO of Boston Duck Tours, said Friday that the company is expecting to deploy anywhere from the high teens to 25 vehicles to transport Celtics players, coaches, staffers, and assorted Green legends through throngs of fans along the route.
The company will run a full schedule-through the day before, and then spend the evening and overnight preparing the duck boats for a parade. That includes taking out the seats on the top deck and installing a platform high enough for the celebrants to be seen over the railing as the convoy slowly moves past the throngs of spectators.
Boston Duck Tours doesn’t get paid for the use of its boats and it doesn’t pay the city or the team to use its boats. The company will have to cancel pre-booked tours on the day of the parade and swallow a day’s worth of revenue that is “far into six figures,” said Brown.
“Obviously the marketing opportunity and the pure joy for our staff to be involved in something so important to the city is worth it,” said Brown.
Michael Silverman contributed to reporting.
Emma can be reached at emma.healy@globe.com or on X @_EmmaHealy_.
