DOWNTOWN — The "official" parade celebrating the Blackhawks Stanley Cup win will run down Washington Street, not Michigan Avenue, but there will be no ticker tape.
City officials on Wednesday announced the details of the parade, scheduled for Friday, and there are a few differences from the parade celebrating the team's win in 2010.
There will be no cannons shooting newspaper in a ticker-tape style parade, like the White Sox had in 2005, said Bill McCaffrey, a city spokesman. But there will be confetti when the parade hits Columbus Drive.
PARADE ROUTE
At 10:30 a.m., members of the team will board double-decker buses at the United Center at 1901 Madison St. on the Near West Side. They will then head to Washington and Des Plaines streets, although the route the buses will take from the United Center wasn't immediately released.
City officials said the official part of the parade begins at Washington and Des Plaines, then continues east down Washington to Wabash.
The caravan will continue to Michigan Avenue, where the parade ended for a rally celebrating the team's win in 2010.
But the caravan will only occupy Michigan for only a short jaunt before it heads east on Randolph and then continues to Columbus Drive.
From there, the buses will head south on Columbus to Hutchinson Field in Grant Park for a rally, at approximately 11 a.m.
RALLY
The city decided not to end the parade at Michigan because there's "not very good viewing areas" along there, McCaffrey said.
Entrances to the 11 a.m. rally will be at Jackson Boulevard and Michigan Avenue, and at Congress and Michigan Avenue.
A Jumbotron will be at each side of the stage for better views, and there will be additional Jumbotrons at Columbus and Balbo and Columbus and Congress.
GETTING THERE
Attendees are encouraged to take public transportation instead of driving. Access to many parking garages will be blocked because of the parade.
Metra will offer special, one-day only $5 unlimited ride tickets, and add service.
Additional trains will run on all "L" lines, but are still expected to be very full. The Chicago Transit Authority recommends riders fill up their fare cards for their return trip before arriving.
People showing up for only the rally are advised to exit from stations south of Madison to avoid crowds along the parade route.
Thirty CTA buses will be detoured, and full details can be found here.
STREET CLOSURES
All east-west streets between Roosevelt Road and Randolph Street from Michigan Avenue to Lake Shore Drive will be closed beginning at 12 a.m.
Those streets include Balbo Avenue, Jackson Street and Monroe Street. Congress will remain open.
WHAT NOT TO BRING
Although members of the team carried champagne bottles on the buses during the last parade, city officials stressed that fans will not be allowed to have alcohol along the parade route or on trains under a "zero tolerance" policy.
Bicycles are also banned from trains Friday.
Those with large bags or backpacks will go through additional security, according to police, and coolers are not allowed.
Officials encourage fans to stay hydrated during the predicted 77-degree day, but only closed water bottles will be allowed into the rally. Vendors will sell water and water fountains will be onsite.
