New York City was awash in a sea of orange and blue Thursday as a jubilant ticker-tape parade celebrated the Knicks’ long-awaited NBA championship – a victory that has ended a 53-year drought and electrified the metropolis.

Hours before the procession began, lower Manhattan was already teeming with thousands of devoted fans, filling every viewing pen along the route.

Viewing areas opened at 6 a.m. and fans lined up hours earlier to get a spot. The crowd was heard chanting “Let us in!” after the New York Police Department announced that all viewing pens were full.

“No one else will be allowed in the viewing area,” the NYPD said at around 7:30 a.m., long before the parade was scheduled to start at 10 a.m.

Fans kept streaming into the area on crammed subways, looking to get as close as they could or find any elevated spot to catch a glimpse.

Many had traveled far, like Terrell Emerson, a chef who drove from Maryland with his daughter Madison, named in homage to Madison Square Garden. Madison, beaming, clutched a handwritten sign declaring she had skipped her fifth-grade graduation for the occasion.

“It’s been 53 years — come on. That was a no-brainer,” Emerson remarked.

The historic parade kicked off at 10 a.m. near Battery Park, winding its way up Broadway through the iconic “Canyon of Heroes” – a route flanked by towering skyscrapers. The procession culminates at City Hall, where players will receive another traditional honor: keys to the city.

Knicks legends Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Patrick Ewing, members of the team’s 1970s championship squads, are anticipated to join the festivities. Mike Breen, the Knicks’ play-by-play announcer, is slated to emcee the City Hall ceremony.

Adding to the star power, Grammy-winning singer Alicia Keys, known for her New York anthem “Empire State of Mind,” is set to perform.

“How could I not?” Keys said Wednesday in a social media video featuring a call with Knicks forward OG Anunoby.

The very existence of this parade marks a significant historical moment. Despite the Knicks securing two championships in the 1970s, the city did not host ticker-tape parades for either victory. Then-Mayor John Lindsay had curtailed such extravaganzas due to financial and other considerations, opting instead for receptions and ceremonies at City Hall. This time, however, the city is pulling out all the stops.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani underscored the magnitude of the event on Monday, stating, “There will be performances, there will be New Yorkers, there will be the team and there will be history.”

In anticipation of the massive crowds and following some chaotic street celebrations during the Knicks’ playoff run, police are deploying 10,000 officers to ensure public safety.

“We want people to enjoy this moment,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during a planning meeting, “but public safety comes first.” Additionally, 650 sanitation workers have been assigned to manage the potentially tens of thousands of pounds of debris expected.

The tradition of ticker-tape parades dates back to the late 19th century, deriving its name from the narrow strips of paper produced by telegraph-era “stock ticker” machines. New York brokerage firm workers began tossing these strips from their office windows during parades, creating a swirling aerial spectacle.

This celebration for the Knicks marks the city’s 210th ticker-tape parade, following a similar event for the WNBA’s New York Liberty in 2024.

It stands as a testament to a city united in triumph, finally honoring its basketball heroes with the grand spectacle they and their generations of fans have long deserved.