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Valkyries to hold championship parade Wednesday
A parade will be held along San Francisco's waterfront Wednesday to celebrate the Golden State Valkyries' WNBA championship.
Championship celebration
Why you should care:
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco is gearing up to celebrate the Golden State Valkyries' historic first WNBA title with a championship parade along the city's waterfront on Wednesday.
Just 24 hours after capturing the championship in only their second season in existence, banners were already hung along the Embarcadero to mark the occasion. The festivities are scheduled to kick off at noon at the historic Ferry Building and wrap up around 2 p.m. at King and Second streets by Oracle Park.
To officially launch the event, WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Gabby Williams and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie will bang the Valkyries team drum together at the Ferry Building.
"I’m gonna be there, I’m gonna be there for sure, yeah, yeah, yeah," said San Francisco resident Nestor Regino, dressed in team merchandise at the Ferry Building. "I’m gonna wear the merch, man."
The excitement has resonated beyond longtime supporters.
"I'm a big Sparks fan, but love the fact that the Valkyries won," said San Francisco resident Vida LaMastra, who is originally from Los Angeles. "It really represents San Francisco, represents all the women."
Bridget Vrader, who was visiting from New Zealand, said watching the team converted her into a supporter. "We're visiting from New Zealand and generally not a basketball fan, but after watching that, I feel extremely fortunate to have stumbled across such an incredible team," Vrader said.
Parade route details
Local perspective:
The championship day will begin across the Bay in Oakland, where the team will hold a private celebration.
The players and staff are then expected to board a ferry to cross the Bay, arriving at San Francisco's Ferry Building for the noon start.
From there, the parade will head down the Embarcadero, passing prime spectator spots outside Perry's restaurant and the Hi-Dive bar before concluding at King and 2nd streets, just a few blocks from the team's home arena at Chase Center.
Joining the Valkyries along the route will be San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.
Immense crowds
Waterfront businesses along the Embarcadero are preparing for large crowds as thousands of spectators are expected to line the streets.
At the Hi-Dive bar, staff are preparing early morning offerings for fans seeking viewing areas along the final stretch of the route.
"We're going to be open at 9 a.m., beers, brunch specials, lunch special, and front-row seats to the parade," said Christal Davies, manager of Hi-Dive.
Perry's on the Embarcadero advised customers to book tables in advance if they hope to watch the parade from the restaurant's sidewalk seating.
The Source: Information for this story comes from interviews with fans and the city of San Francisco and Oakland.