Streets were blocked off at 9 a.m. Friday morning in anticipation of more than one million people expected to flood Causeway, Staniford, Cambridge, Tremont and Boylston St. with something to celebrate. These patrons came from Boston and beyond, and regardless of any differences, they all had two things in common: their green apparel and their Celtics pride.
In celebration of the Boston Celtics claiming their 18th championship in the NBA Finals last Monday, the City of Boston put on its Rolling Rally victory parade. The Celtics departed from TD Garden around 11:15 a.m. riding Boston duck boats, a Boston championship tradition dating back to 2002, and made their way towards Hynes Convention Center.
Parade attendee Karl Jorgensen said it’s important for Bostonians to celebrate the team this year, especially since the Celtics haven’t won a championship since 2008.
“It’s a different atmosphere,” Jorgensen said. “You never know if the city’s going to get another [championship].”
Attendees arrived decked out in green. Vendors sold flags, t-shirts and other celebratory gear at popular spots along the parade routes.
Daniela Perez said this was her first time celebrating a Boston championship. She watched the parade from Tremont Street near City Hall and said it was exciting to see people come together and be “really happy for the Celtics.”
One attendee held a sign that read, “What they gon’ say now?” giving a nod to criticism the team faced during their playoff run. Another carried a homemade replica of the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
Fans waited to catch a glimpse of their favorite players up close along the parade route. Noah Powell, an NBA content creator who watched the parade from Tremont and Boylston Street, said he was most excited to see Finals MVP Jaylen Brown and forward Kristaps Porzingis.
“I need J.B. and K.P. in their boat together,” Powell said before the Celtics reached Boylston. “I need Jayson [Tatum] in a different boat, so both of them get the MVP chant separately.”
Some attendees climbed up lamp posts or signs to watch over the crowd. Others viewed the parade from the roofs of surrounding buildings.
Sean Kastantin, a student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who also watched the parade from Boylston St., said seeing the Celtics’ duck boats approaching in the distance was “awesome.”
“When [the duck boats] got there, it set in that it was really f—ing happening,” Kastantin said.
Becky Brownell, who viewed the parade from Tremont Street near City Hall, said it was cool to see the Celtics players up close. At Tremont Street, music played and confetti exploded into the air as the players arrived, which Brownell said she enjoyed.
However, the large crowd caused some issues. On Tremont Street, a celebrator climbed to the top of Brewer Fountain and belly-flopped into the fountain. Attendees ran in the streets near Hynes Convention Center after the parade ended, blocking many people and Boston Police officers from passing.
Despite safety concerns, Powell said he felt a sense of community and camaraderie during the parade, making it a memory he will never forget.
“Everybody’s here for the same moment, sharing an opportunity, basking in the same glory,” Powell said. “You’re putting everything else aside and living in the moment right now.”
