It's been a long 30 years since the Royals last earned the title "World Champions," but Sunday's 7-2 victory over the New York Mets has put Kansas City back in the winning mood.
To keep the good vibes flowing, the city has decided to hold a parade and celebration Tuesday to honor the boys in blue. Since it's been a generation since the last local World Series parade, we decided it might help to give Kansas Citians a quick primer on the ins and outs of the party.
The route
The city has decided to follow the same route along Grand Boulevard that the 1985 Champion Royals took. The 2.3 mile trek starts at the Sprint Center at noon and heads north to 9th Street.
Then the path will turn east on 9th and head south down Oak Street. At that point, the parade will turn again and head back to Grand.
From there, it's a straight shot to Pershing where Royals players will head for a rally at Union Station.
The sights
Chris Hernandez with the city's communications department says the parade will be one of the most memorable in Kansas City's history.
"We want people to line every bit of the route," Hernandez said. "Imagine 16 confetti cannons all up and down the route. We'll have some fun with that."
Expect to see Royals players cruising down the route in trucks, a sea of Royals memorabilia and maybe even some Clydesdale horses trotting along the route. City officials will take part in the festivities as well, and we expect Mayor Sly James to appear in one of his signature bow ties.
The rally
After players finish their route down Grand around 2 p.m., the MLB will hold a victory rally outside Union Station. Royals players will be on stage and talk about their victory against the Mets.
Hernandez says it'll be a great way to get a look into the players' mindsets after such a thrilling, but nail-biting victory in extra innings.
"A lot of us are wondering, 'Oh, what's Salvy going to say, what's Hosmer going to say?' so this is a chance to hear from the players," Hernandez said. "There's lots of talk about all the amazing moments during this year's season."
How to get there
Hernandez says the city expects upwards of 200,000 people to show up for the parade. With that in mind, he recommends people show up early and take advantage of free bus transportation into downtown.
"We are making free shuttles available from all over town," Hernandez said. "RideKC has been very generous to offer this service, and their partner agencies in Johnson County, Independence and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County are participating as well."
Bus service will run from 9 a.m. until two hours after the celebration ends. Park and ride lots at Kemper Arena, the Country Club Plaza, Metro North, 47th and State, Swope Park and Strang Line will have direct transportation to the parade route, as well.
There also will be event parking at Crown Center and the National World War I Museum and Memorial, as well as metered spots throughout the area.
Closures
Here's the full list of street closures from VisitKC:
- Grand Boulevard between 8th and 27th streets (plus side streets to Grand from Walnut or McGee) Crown Center parking via Grand Blvd. will remain accessible.
- Oak Street between 8th and 16th Streets (plus side streets to Oak from Locust Street) .
- Truman Road between Locust Street and Walnut Street.
- Pershing Road between McGee and Broadway Street/Archives Way.
- Main Street between 20th and 27th streets.
- Kessler Road from Pershing to the west side entrance of The National WWI Museum and Memorial.
If you can't make it
Fox 4 and Fox Sports will televise the parade and victory rally for those who can't escape prior commitments to join the festivities. Just don't get caught by your boss if you're watching at work (even though you know they'll be watching too).
Other useful tips
Hernandez says that people should be sure to travel light and wear comfortable clothes. The parade is a family-friendly event, and the city warns that public consumption of alcohol will not be tolerated along the route.
And finally, have fun! This is a moment Kansas City has waited 30 years for, and it's time to soak in the glory.
Cody Newill is a reporter for KCUR. You can reach him on Twitter @CodyNewill or send him an email at cody@kcur.org. You can expect to find him in the sea of Kansas Citians downtown Tuesday.
