WEST LOOP — A stretch of Washington Street and Monroe Street that runs through the West Loop will be closed Thursday to accommodate the Blackhawks Parade.
Washington Street from Racine to DesPlaines and Monroe Street from Halsted Street to Lake Shore Drive will be closed beginning at 8 a.m. Thursday, according to Carla Agostinelli, executive director of the West Loop Community Organization. Access to parking garages along Monroe Street could be restricted.
Additional streets along the parade route may be shut down by 9 a.m. as needed depending on crowd size to ensure the safety of pedestrians and parade attendees, Agostinelli said.
READ: Everything You Need to Know About the Blackhawks Parade and Rally
On Wednesday afternoon, city officials announced the parade route would be expanded to accommodate more fans.
The parade celebrating the Blackhawks' latest Stanley Cup win is now slated to kick off at 10 a.m. Thursday at Washington and Racine streets and proceed east along Washington to DesPlaines, south on DesPlaines to Monroe, and east on Monroe to Michigan Avenue, where the parade will end.
After the parade, there will then be a free, ticketed rally at Soldier Field. More than 60,000 tickets were released at noon Wednesday and sold out within minutes.
The parade will honor the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup win on Monday, when the Hawks took down the Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-0, in Game Six. The victory was the Hawks' first Stanley Cup win at home in 77 years.
The Blackhawks have won three Cups in six years.
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