Everything you need to know about the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade Wednesday
While Kansas City prepared for one of the biggest parades in its history, Jillian and Dustin Arthur walked down Grand Boulevard in the Crossroads to scope out the route ahead of time.
Dustin donned a red and yellow Kansas City Chiefs jacket as city employees placed covers over parking meters and put up barricades. Soon, the boulevard would be packed with hundreds of fans waiting to get a glimpse of the players.
It was the couple’s third time in three months traveling to Kansas City from Austin, Texas. They also came back to watch the Chiefs defeat the Tennessee Titans during the AFC Championship Game. Now they’re back for the party.
Dedicated fans deserved the Super Bowl LIV victory Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers and they deserve the Wednesday parade, the Arthurs said. Like others, the couple planned to arrive at least four hours early.
“It was important for us to be here,” Dustin Arthur said, “to feel the excitement.”
The two-mile parade route was unveiled Tuesday by city officials during a news conference at the Power & Light District, amid public announcements of parade preparations that had been in the works for weeks. Officials said they expect hundreds of thousands of people to attend.
“This is 50 years in the making,” Jackson County Executive Frank White said. “This is something that will live with us the rest of our lives.”
The parade will begin at 11:30 a.m. at Sixth Street and head south on Grand Boulevard through downtown and past the Sprint Center.
It will then turn west on Pershing Road and end at Union Station, where a victory rally featuring Chiefs players will begin at 1:30 p.m., shortly after the parade arrives.
Kansas City last celebrated a Super Bowl victory more than two decades before quarterback Patrick Mahomes was even born.
“Can’t wait for tomorrow,” Mahomes wrote Tuesday on Twitter. “Chiefs Kingdom is about to be crazy!!!”
‘Ahead of the game’
Fans planning to descend on downtown can expect large crowds and major traffic jams.
Grand Boulevard will be closed from Berkley Riverfront in the north to Pershing Road on the south end. Along that route, streets running east and west will be closed from Walnut to McGee streets.
RideKC will operate free parade shuttles at five locations, but riders will need to walk to their final destination because the pickup and drop-off area are about a mile from Union Station. The first shuttles will leave at 7 a.m. and continue until 11 a.m.
After the celebration, shuttle service will return riders to the locations, which include Hy-Vee Arena in the West Bottoms, Worlds of Fun and Swope Park, until about 6 p.m.
KC Streetcar will suspend its service before and during the parade.
There will be five locations where pedestrians can cross the route: Ninth Street, 13th Street, Truman Road, 18th Street and 22nd Street.
Police began towing and ticketing cars parked in prohibited areas as early as 2 p.m. Tuesday. They conducted security sweeps and safety measures.
“We need to be ahead of the game,” said Maj. Chip Huth, commander of the traffic unit.
On Wednesday, police from across the metro will assist the Kansas City Police Department, which plans to put “everyone from investigative units to academy recruits” on the streets. Staff from as many as 19 agencies will help.
“Pack your patience,” Police Chief Rick Smith wrote in a blog post Monday. “There is only so much police can do to move that many cars and people along.”
Smith asked that those attending the parade keep a close watch on their personal items and children. About 100 kids were temporarily lost during the Royals’ 2015 World Series parade.
Organizers have devoted several locations to child reunification. Those include Kansas City Police Department, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, the downtown Church of the Resurrection and Grand Avenue Temple United Methodist Church. There will also be reunification tents along Grand Boulevard at the southwest corner of East 18th Street and the northeast corner of 20th Street.
The city’s top cop reminded fans: public alcohol consumption is prohibited. Officials also warned that the use of drones in the area was prohibited by federal law.
During the parade, the National WWI Museum and Memorial will host viewing opportunities. Accessible viewing as well as medical services will be available at Liberty Memorial Mall.
Kansas City Fire Chief Donna Maize said the fire department will have roving crews and a medical first-aid tent. Fire crews will carry bright green flags to help patrons spot them in case of emergencies.
“We hope we all have a fun and exciting celebration,” Maize said.
Toilets, food and parking
Officials said they not only learned lessons from the Royals’ parade, but were also in communication with other cities with recent large celebrations, such as Philadelphia.
One thing that’s different this year in Kansas City: the number of port-a-potties.
Along the route will be 700 portable toilets, the most deployed at any event in the city’s history, according to parade organizers. They can be found at 14 areas along the route, including at the pedestrian crossings.
That’s a large increase from 2015, when the city placed about 200 portable toilets along the route.
Officials said attendees will also want to prepare for the likelihood of snow, temperatures in the 20s and wind chills in the mid-teens. Snowfall will likely move in during the parade. No warming stations were expected along the route, so attendees should dress warm.
“Chiefs fans are used to tailgating and being outside in the cold,” Kansas City Sports Commission President Kathy Nelson said.
Fans should also check their food and drink options before heading out.
Some businesses along the route, such as Messenger Coffee Co., will be closed to the public. Others, like Songbird Cafe, plan to open in the morning and have breakfast and lunch specials throughout the day. Nearby Streetcar Grille & Tavern plans to open at 10 a.m.
Other cafes, like Mildred’s Coffeehouse, plan to have “all hands on deck” early before closing so staff can enjoy the celebration.
While parking is available in areas around downtown, spots will likely be filled quickly. Near the City Market, for example, parking in one of five nearby lots will cost $20 cash. Garages at Crown Center will open at 5 a.m. with a $30 cash entry.
Another thing on Kansas Citians’ minds: wireless service.
During the Royals’ parade, fans said the cellphone coverage reminded them of the last time Kansas City’s baseball team won the series. Their tweets failed and their messages stalled.
“Cell phone signal like it’s 1985,” one fan wrote on a sign.
Telecommunications companies have already begun preparing for what is expected to be a huge number of people using data.
T-Mobile added additional LTE spectrum and two portable cells on wheels along the route, which a spokesman said “performed well” before and during the Super Bowl for those gathered downtown.
Sprint for the last two weeks has been optimizing areas along the route and Union Station, also installing temporary portable sites.
Police and fire officials said they have access to a communication network that assists them, especially during large events. AT&T noted its deployed equipment will assist first responders on a public safety network.
Because of the expected data jam, police encouraged parents to take pictures of their children in what they plan to wear in case they are separated from them. They also suggested parents place contact information on their children, either with wristbands or simply writing on their arms with a marker. People who become separated should find a police officer, officials said.
For those who can’t make the parade in person, KSHB-TV 41 Action News plans to stream the event on its website.
The event will also be shown live at KC Live!, which opens at 8 a.m. Lost Wax, a Lenexa-based band, will play there after the rally.
Licensed merchandise will be available for purchase at five locations, including at the City Market, Power & Light and Little Theatre.
Union Station will be closed Wednesday. The landmark called on fans to wear their Chiefs gear to create a “sea of red.”
As of Tuesday, it remained unclear how much the parade will cost, but Mayor Quinton Lucas said there would be significant support from various sources. The 2015 parade cost more than $350,000, most of which was picked up by corporate sponsors.
But one thing was certain, Lucas said: Wednesday will be historic in Kansas City.
“We want to thank all of our fans, who year in and year out have helped cheer on this team,” he said. “This celebration is a long time in the waiting … and the celebration is really about them.”
Star reporter Robert A. Cronkleton contributed to this report.
This story was originally published February 4, 2020 at 5:51 PM.
