Seattle is poised for a historic celebration as thousands of fans get ready to flood downtown for the Seahawks’ Super Bowl victory parade.
SEATTLE — The stage is set in downtown Seattle for a victory parade more than a decade in the making, as city leaders and team officials prepare for as many as one million fans to line a two-mile route celebrating the Seattle Seahawks’ second Super Bowl championship.
The parade is scheduled to begin Wednesday morning following a pre-parade ceremony inside Lumen Field, where 50,000 ticketed fans are expected to gather starting at 10 a.m. From there, the parade will move north from Fourth Avenue and Washington Street toward Seattle Center, cutting through the heart of downtown.
For fans like Christine Gonzalez, the moment feels long overdue.
“You know it isn’t complete — the boys brought it home, baby,” Gonzalez said. “The champs are here.”
Sunday’s Super Bowl victory marked a rematch over 10 years in the making, as the Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots for their second Lombardi Trophy, avenging their loss to the Patriots in the 2015 Super Bowl. For many longtime fans, the win and the parade that follows represent a rare chance to celebrate redemption on a massive scale.
City officials expect fans to line the route shoulder to shoulder, with some planning to arrive hours before sunrise to secure a viewing spot. Sergio Ramirez said he plans to get downtown as early as 2 or 3 a.m.
“It’s going to be a lot of people, so I need to get a good spot,” Ramirez said.
Among those making the trip is Paul Deppi, a Philadelphia police officer who flew cross-country to attend the celebration. Deppi said his loyalty to the Seahawks began in childhood, despite growing up surrounded by Eagles fans.
“I’ve been a fan since I was five years old,” Deppi said. “I’m 55, and my family was all knucklehead Eagles fans. I started rooting for the Seahawks and said, ‘This is my team.’”
Deppi said he and his family are already adjusting to the early schedule.
“We’re still on East Coast time,” he said. “We’re leaving the hotel at six in the morning. We’re going to be out there ready to go.”
Not all fans were able to secure tickets to the ceremony inside Lumen Field, but many say they are just as eager to celebrate along the parade route.
“Didn’t get tickets, but we’re heading down,” Gonzalez said. “We’re going to find a good spot, stay warm and cheer on our champs.”
The Seahawks and city officials are encouraging fans to use public transportation, warning that parking near the route will be extremely limited. Traffic disruptions are expected throughout downtown, with brief closures planned for Interstate 5 and Interstate 90 on- and off-ramps at the start of the parade.
For those choosing to stay home, officials advise avoiding downtown altogether.
Fans who do attend are being urged to prepare for chilly weather, long waits and dense crowds — conditions many say are part of the experience.
James Art Graddy said he plans to embrace what he calls the “controlled chaos” of Seahawks celebrations.
“I’m going to come and be part of the festivities — the controlled fun-time chaos that is Seahawks football — and just enjoy it,” Graddy said. “I know in the streets of Seattle you’ve got 800,000, a million folks. That’s a little more chaos than I want, but I’ll be out there enjoying it.”
As Seattle braces for one of the largest celebrations in city history, fans say the early alarms, cold temperatures and crowded streets are a small price to pay for a championship moment they’ve waited more than a decade to see again.