Five days after capturing their first NBA championship in 53 years, the New York Knicks will own Lower Manhattan’s Canyon of Heroes on Thursday during the franchise’s first ticker-tape parade, a celebration expected to draw several hundred thousand spectators and witness the largest New York Police Department (NYPD) deployment for a planned event in Big Apple history.
Here’s a look at the storied history of New York City’s ticker-tape celebrations, which have honored world leaders, sports champions and more.
What Is a Ticker-Tape Parade?
A ticker-tape parade is a ceremonial New York City celebration in which honored guests cruise through Lower Manhattan as paper—and now confetti—rain down upon them along the city streets. The tradition originated when office workers tossed ticker tape, the paper ribbons used by stock tickers to print market data, from building windows along the parade route. The thin ribbon was invented in 1867.
The parades are typically held along Broadway’s Canyon of Heroes, a stretch from Battery Park to City Hall that has hosted around 200 of the celebrations.
For decades, ticker-tape parades have been awarded at the discretion of the New York City mayor, who determines which individuals or groups receive one of the city’s highest civic honors. There are no formal eligibility requirements, and recipients have ranged from world leaders to military veterans and championship sports teams.
Notable Ticker-Tape Parade Honorees
Political Leaders, Royals and Diplomats
The first ticker-tape parade marked a dedication to the Statue of Liberty in 1886, and dozens of national and world leaders have since been celebrated with the tradition. Some of the most notable include:
- Theodore Roosevelt (1910)
- Charles de Gaulle (1945, 1960)
- Winston Churchill (1946)
- Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (1957)
- John F. Kennedy (1960)
- Nelson Mandela (1990)
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Military Heroes and Veterans
Along with leaders and sports teams, several veterans and military heroes have also been feted with a ticker-tape parade:
- World War I veterans (1919)
- General John J. Pershing (1919)
- World War II heroes (1945)
- General Dwight Eisenhower (1945)
- General Douglas MacArthur (1951)
- Korean War veterans (1951, 1953, 1954, 1991)
- Iran hostage survivors (1981)
- Vietnam War veterans (1985)
- Gulf War veterans (1991)
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Explorers, Aviators and Astronauts
Among the most popular early celebrations was the 1927 parade for aviator Charles Lindbergh after he completed the first solo trans-Atlantic flight from New York to Paris.
Other celebrations were held for:
- Richard Byrd (1926)
- Amelia Earhart (1928)
- John Glenn (1962)
- Gemini astronauts (1965)
- Apollo 8 astronauts (1969)
- Apollo 11 astronauts (1969)
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Sports Teams and Athletes
Thursday’s ticker-tape parade for the Knicks, who clinched the NBA Finals 4-1 on Saturday, marks the franchise’s first trip down the Canyon of Heroes. The team previously won the title in 1973 and 1970, but they were not celebrated with a parade. Then-New York City Mayor John Lindsay was not in favor of the ticker-tape festivities.
Other athletes and sports teams have also been honored with the parades spanning the decades:
- U.S. Olympic teams (1924, 1952, 1984)
- Jesse Owens (1936)
- Althea Gibson (1957)
- New York Mets (1962, 1969, 1986)
- New York Yankees (1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009)
- New York Rangers (1994)
- Sammy Sosa (1998)
- New York Giants (2008 and 2012)
- New York Liberty (2024)
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What to Expect for Thursday’s Parade
The NYPD announced over 10,000 officers will be deployed at the parade Thursday, “the largest number assigned to any planned event,” the department said. “Heavy weapons teams, explosive detection k9s, transportation, transit, highway, aviation, drones, and more will be on hand to keep things secure,” NYPD added.
City officials expect hundreds of thousands of fans to attend Thursday morning’s parade, with Mayor Zohran Mamdani saying it could be the largest parade in New York City history. After the parade, Mamdani will present the Knicks with a ceremonial key to the city. The parade begins at 10 a.m., but fans are expected to arrive hours earlier to secure viewing spots, with the pens opening at 6 a.m. Some New Yorkers are offering their services to stand in line for hundreds of dollars, with some spectators planning to camp out overnight.
Alicia Keys will perform “Empire State of Mind,” according to Knicks owner James Dolan. Marching bands will also add to the revelry.
Officials said all attendees will undergo security screening and that bags will not be allowed at the event.
Mamdani announced that 600 seats at the post-parade ceremony would be available to members of the public through a lottery. The official event is limited to less than 4,000 people.
