L.A. prepares to celebrate Dodgers’ World Series championship win
By Rebekah Ludman
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10/31/24 (LAPost.com) — A parade to celebrate the Dodgers’ World Series championship title is scheduled for Friday morning in downtown Los Angeles. A separate “special ticketed celebration” event will be held at Dodger Stadium.
Both events prompted warnings about heavy congestion and calls from L.A. Mayor Karen Bass for businesses to allow employees work from home Friday.
During a news conference Thursday morning, Bass, along with local leaders, outlined an effort to ensure Friday’s parade uplifts the “championship team, dedicated fans and its proud city.”
“Last week, I stood with city leaders to say that L.A. is ready — ready to host the World Series, ready to welcome visitors from near and far and, most importantly, ready to win,” Bass said. “Now, we are ready to celebrate.”
The parade will feature team members riding atop double-decker buses and is set to start at 11 a.m. at Gloria Molina Grand Park. Bass will speak before the 45-minute procession, which will move south on Spring Street, west on First Street, south on Grand Avenue, west on Fifth Street, and will end in the area of Fifth and Flower Streets.
Fans who plan to attend the parade are encouraged to take public transportation because of “significant street closures and limited public parking.”
Bass said L.A. police and fire departments have prepared safety plans for the parade that will be implemented in downtown L.A. and across the city. In addition to this, the L.A. Department of Transportation will deploy 100 white-glove officers to manage car flow and establish specialized routes from major venues.
“I again want to urge Angelenos to celebrate responsibly,” Bass said. “Violence of any kind will not be tolerated.”
The county Hall of Administration, the Hall of Records, and all downtown L.A. Superior Court buildings will be closed Friday due to the parade celebration.
L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said the agency is “going to have enhanced policing on all of our buses and trains” on Friday. According to Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins, more than 30 bus routes will be impacted on Friday in the downtown L.A. area.
“We are so happy for the city, for this team and all the members of Dodger nation,” Wiggins said. “I also want to uplift that we are also the City of Angels. So let’s remember to respect each other, respect property and please respect our operators, and respect each other and celebrate this well deserved and well earned accomplishment for the entire city.”
L.A. Metro is going to operate its Dodger Express to take people to Dodger Stadium for the ticketed celebration after the parade, which will start at 12:15 p.m. Information on Dodger Express can be found at metro.net/riding/dodger-stadium-express.
L.A. Unified School District schools will remain open, but families are urged to be mindful of the anticipated traffic.
Parking gates to the Dodger Stadium will open at 8:30 a.m., but proof of tickets to the celebration will be needed to enter. Stadium entry gates will open at 9 a.m. There will be food and merchandise available for purchase. In-stadium entertainment will be offered before the team’s arrival, including footage of the parade.
“All Dodger Stadium guidelines and rules will apply to this event, including the reminder not to bring in signs, bags or any other items that aren’t permitted under our policies,” according to a statement from the team.
The Dodgers noted that “due to logistics, traffic and timing, fans will not be able to attend both events (the parade and the stadium celebration).”
Both events will be televised live on Spectrum SportNet LA, and on local TV stations. Coverage is expected to start at 9:30 a.m.
The Dodgers won their eighth World Series championship after defeating the New York Yankees Wednesday evening at Yankee Stadium. This is the Dodgers’ second World series championship in five years. They overcame a five-run deficit against the Yankees, winning 7-6.
Freddie Freeman was picked as the Series’ MVP for driving in 12 runs, tying the record set by Bobby Richardson in 1960. Freeman became the first player to hit home runs in each of the first four games of a World Series.
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