Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and city officials held a press conference at City Hall Tuesday to announce details for the Eagles’ Super Bowl championship parade, set to take place on Friday, Feb 14.
The conference detailed pre-parade events, outlined the parade route, SEPTA travel plans and expectations for public behavior. Officials stressed the importance of maintaining order throughout the celebration.
The parade will kick off at 11 a.m. at Broad Street and Pattison Avenue near the sports complex, said parade producer Fred Stein.
All Temple campuses will be closed and classes will be cancelled for the parade, wrote President John Fry in a message to the university community Tuesday.
“Only essential employees should report as scheduled to closed campuses,” Fry wrote. “Residence halls will remain open, and staff members will be available. Campus dining operations will be open and operate on a normal schedule as well.”
Regarding SEPTA plans, Adam Thiel, Philadelphia’s managing director, stated that the best transportation options will be the Broad Street Line and Market-Frankford Line, which will operate express-style service to and from City Hall throughout the day.
Most stations will be closed, and full details will be available on SEPTA’s website tomorrow. Trains plan to run every 6-8 minutes, though delays are expected, Thiel said.
Philadelphia native Kevin Hart’s tequila brand, Gran Coramini, will cover all transportation costs for the BSL and MFL, in partnership with the Philadelphia Eagles.
More than 15 jumbo screens will be placed along the route to display Super Bowl footage ahead of the parade. Stein encouraged early arrivals to gather along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway near the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where the ceremony will take place. Sensory friendly resources will be available for attendees this year, Stein said.
Between 12:30 and 1 p.m., Eagles players and coaches will descend the Art Museum’s Rocky Steps, with the official ceremony set to begin around 2 p.m. The event is expected to conclude by 3:15 p.m. Stein advised attendees to leave promptly, citing Valentine’s Day traffic as a reason for keeping the festivities brief.
Philadelphia’s last championship parade in 2018 drew more than a million fans, Stein said. He anticipates a similar turnout this year.
“This is an all-hands on deck approach, and it is exactly what makes Philadelphia shine time and time again,” said Jazelle Jones, city representative and director of special events. “It is what allows us to come together, celebrate, and showcase the spirit of this great city.”
Thiel emphasized safety, noting the number of personnel who worked around the clock in anticipation of this event. There will be agents on the ground helping to coordinate safety and communication during the parade. Attendees are advised to have a plan and know their travel route. Thiel also warned against relying on cell phone service, as systems have been overloaded in the past.
“The Eagles don’t just show up to play a game, they plan!” Thiel said.
Philadelphia police commissioner Kevin Bethel emphasized the importance of maintaining order and respect throughout the event. He assured a strong police presence will be maintained throughout the day to ensure safety.
Bethel reported minor incidents following the Eagles’ victory, including four damaged properties and a few arrests, but they praised the vast majority of fans for celebrating respectfully.
“We will be on the world’s stage, and people will be watching with us,” Bethel said.
Parker also specifically warned against climbing poles, citing Temple student Tyler Sabapathy’s recent death following the NFC Championship celebrations on Jan. 26.
“We don’t want all the beauty and all the sacrifices that our team has made to go away because we had a tragic accident,” Parker said. “Let’s do things decently.”
Eagles President Don Smolenski expressed joy at being home from New Orleans and reminisced about the parade seven years ago. He encouraged everyone to come out, express their joy and thanked all fans on behalf of the Eagles.
“Appealing to all who will participate in the humblest way, let’s honor our Eagles appropriately, and do things appropriately and in order,” Parker said.
Be the first to comment