Mamdani Opens Knicks Parade Lottery Ahead of Thursday Celebration — Knicks.com/ceremonysweeps
The Knicks will be honored in Manhattan on Thursday with a ticker-tape parade, and knicks.com/ceremonysweeps is the entry point for fans trying to get into the post-parade celebration. Mayor Zohran Mamdani will follow the parade with a championship celebration and Key to the City ceremony at City Hall Plaza.
The city is offering 600 public tickets for that ceremony through a lottery, a notable break from the usual setup, when seats for post-parade events typically go to team guests and city VIPs. The lottery stays open until 11 a.m. on Wednesday, with 300 winners each getting two tickets.
City Hall Plaza plans
Mamdani will host the celebration after the parade, turning City Hall Plaza into the center of the day once the route through Manhattan ends. The Knicks captured their first NBA championship in 53 years, and Thursday’s tribute is built around that title run.
He said, "From packed watch parties in our parks to joyous celebrations that spilled out onto our streets, this championship belongs to New York City." He also said, "The Knicks brought together New Yorkers from every borough and every walk of life. That's why we're making these tickets free and accessible - so working-class people have a chance to be part of this historic moment and celebrate the team that brought a championship home."
Karl-Anthony Towns in Times Square
Before Thursday’s parade, Karl-Anthony Towns worked a shift at the Raising Canes in Times Square, serving sandwiches and chicken fingers to fans. His pre-parade message matched the urgency of the moment: "If you live near New York City, you have to understand you can never quit," he said.
Towns added, "A lot of things can happen...and the tide can change quickly so for us, just the team, to stay focused, stay disciplined and continue to appreciate the opportunity we have." That title chase is what will bring the crowd downtown, with the parade expected to draw potentially millions of fans along the Canyon of Heroes.
Knicks crowd through Wednesday
The city has also launched nyc.gov/knicks with parade information for New Yorkers and visitors planning to attend Thursday’s celebration, and it says the site will keep being updated through the week. For fans who want inside access, the lottery at knicks.com/ceremonysweeps is the only public path to the 600 seats reserved for the post-parade ceremony.
That leaves a clear split for Thursday: anyone can line the parade route, but only lottery winners will join the City Hall Plaza ceremony after the march ends. With millions expected on the Canyon of Heroes and just 300 lottery winners getting two tickets each, the city has made the most limited part of the day the one fans now have to win before Wednesday morning.
