Here’s the latest on the Celtics’ championship parade, which is scheduled for Friday - The Boston Globe (2024)

When will the Celtics’ NBA championship parade be held? Clear your schedules, and plan to take the day off on Friday.

On Tuesday morning, Mayor Michelle Wu’s office confirmed that the parade will be held 11 a.m. Friday, starting in front of TD Garden on Causeway Street, traveling past City Hall Plaza and the Boston Common on Tremont Street, and ending on Boylston Street by the Hynes Convention Center. Read more here.

Police Commissioner Michael 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 on mailboxes, light poles, or signs. If fans do not get down from those areas when asked by police, they could be arrested, he said.

Friday is when the temperatures are expected to cool slightly after a hot week forecast in Boston.

Boston blew out the Dallas Mavericks, 106-88, in Game 5 at TD Garden to set off what should be a celebratory week in the region.

Celtics parade in Boston: All the details 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.
• 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, Downton, 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.

What is the route for the Celtics parade?

The parade 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.

Here’s the full route:

Why does the Celtics parade start in the morning?

Fans can expect the duck boats to begin their slow roll around 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.

How many duck boats does it take?

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 on a route that will wind its way from TD Garden to Hynes Convention Center.

Besides Boston Police officers, State Police, and officers from Boston-adjacent towns will likely be called to duty for the celebration.

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 can be reached at michael.silverman@globe.com. Katie McInerney can be reached at katie.mcinerney@globe.com. Follow her @k8tmac. Emma can be reached at emma.healy@globe.com or on X @_EmmaHealy_.