Jun 18, 2026, 12:14 PM GMT
NewsCopter 7 above the Canyon of Heroes
Millions of revelers are gathering in Lower Manhattan to see the Knicks head down the Canyon of Heroes. NewsCopter 7 was above the masses hours before the parade was slated to begin.
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New York Knicks ticker-tape parade and celebration: Live updates
Last updated: Thursday, June 18, 2026 9:06PM GMT
NEW YORK (WABC) -- It's estimated that over two million people celebrated the Knicks on Thursday as the Parade of Champions honored the team's first NBA championship since 1973.
Following the parade, Mayor Zohran Mamdani hosted a championship celebration and Key to the City ceremony on City Hall Plaza.
After the ceremony, Alicia Keys sang her iconic hit "Empire State of Mind."
The ticker-tape parade was a first for the Knicks, who did not celebrate with the famed tradition during their last wins in 1970 or 1973.
The celebration comes after an awe-inspiring playoff run which saw the Knicks secure the team's first NBA title in more than 50 years with a 4-1 series win over the San Antonio Spurs.
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Here's how the news is developing.
Jun 18, 2026, 11:52 AM GMT
Streets packed with Knicks fans hours before parade
Jun 18, 2026, 10:49 AM GMT
Stage is set at City Hall for Knicks special ceremony
The procession will end at City Hall, where the players are to get another traditional tribute: keys to the city.
Knicks legends Walt "Clyde" Frazier - a member of the '70s champion teams - and Patrick Ewing are expected to participate in the parade, according to a person familiar with the plans, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the details before they were publicly announced. The person said Mike Breen, the Knicks' play-by-play announcer on MSG Network, was set to emcee the City Hall ceremony.
Alicia Keys, the singer who collaborated with Jay-Z on the New York-loving 2009 hit "Empire State of Mind," has been tapped to perform.
Jun 18, 2026, 10:34 AM GMT
Fans camped out overnight for spot along parade route
Fans began lining up overnight, waiting for security screenings to begin at 6 a.m. The city advised revelers to arrive at least two hours before the start of the 10 a.m. parade, as they must enter through designated access points on a first-come, first-served. It was not immediately clear how many fans would get through the screening.
