Blues to hold parade, Stanley Cup celebration Saturday

The St. Louis Blues will hold their Stanley Cup championship parade and rally on Saturday.

St. Louis won its first Stanley Cup championship in its 51-season history on Wednesday with a 4-1 victory against the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the Cup Final.
The parade will start at noon CT at 18th and Market Street and will end at Broadway and Market Street.
A rally will follow at the Gateway Arch. The events can be seen on the NHL App, stlouisblues.com, Blues social media, FOX Sports Midwest and FOX Sports GO.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson proclaimed June 15, 2019 as St. Louis Blues Day.
"Whereas, the St. Louis Blues are Stanley Cup Champions for the 2018-19 season, defeating the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks and Eastern Conference Champion Boston Bruins in seven games to become champions to seize this Gloria-ous moment for a fan base long hoping for such a moment," the proclamation said in part.
The Blues and the Stanley Cup arrived in St. Louis early Thursday morning after Game 7 in Boston.
"To bring it back home to St. Louis; it can't be better," said Blues forward Pat Maroon, a St. Louis native, "being from St. Louis and being with those fans when I was young. Even when I played in the National Hockey League for other teams, I still watched those Blues and how they suffered and how those fans suffered."
Fans are encouraged to arrive early.
Blues chief revenue officer Steve Chapman, St. Louis police department District 4 captain Renee Kriesmann, St. Louis Metro executive director Jessica Mefford-Miller and Gateway Arch National Park deputy superintendent Frank Mares met with the media at the Arch on Friday to discuss what to expect on Saturday.
"This has been 51] years in the making," Chapman said. "You can feel the sense of pride coming out of everybody. It's a celebration for our fans and to our fans, so you'll see a lot of fun and a good, old-fashioned celebration."
**What streets are closed?**
Kriesmann said Market Street will be closed around 10 a.m. Saturday and Jefferson and 18th Streets will remain open throughout the event. "So if you're trying to get to the north side of Market, be sure to use Jefferson," she said.
**What about weather concerns?**
The parade and celebration are scheduled rain or shine. Current forecasts call for rain Friday night through Saturday morning. If severe weather occurs at the celebration, fans should go into the Arch or nearby buildings.
**What are the Metrolink/rideshare options?**
Mefford-Miller said there will be extra trains, and they will run at least every 12 minutes. A Stanley Cup pass, which is a round-trip ticket to and from festivities, will be available. There will also be approximately 10,000 free park-ride spaces at MetroLink lots throughout Missouri and Illinois.
Fans are encouraged to avoid ticket vending machines and download the Metro Moble app. More information is available at
[metrostlouis.org
.
Metro has also partnered with Lyft for customers to get $5 off for a ride to any Metrolink station or Metro transit center throughout the region. Lyft riders should use the code: WEGOTTHECUP.
What are the rideshare drop-off points?
Rideshares should drop off at 14th and Olive streets or 20th and Market streets for the parade, Eighth and Clark streets for the celebration at the Arch.
Where are security checkpoints at the Arch for the rally?
Mares said there will be two checkpoints in Luther Ely Smith Square (Fourth Street, between Chestnut and Market) and one on the north end of the Arch grounds. He said the best way to get to the handicap-accessible viewing area is through the north checkpoint.
What can fans bring to the parade?
"It's like any other parade, so bring parade things: sunscreen, something to drink, small cooler, refreshments," Kriesmann said. "If you need a lawn chair, bring a lawn chair. And bring protective [weather] gear if you think you need it."
Any restrictions on what to bring to the rally?
"Usually the best advice is to bring as little as you absolutely need to bring," Mares said. "Strollers are fine, a wagon is fine. But ball playing, frisbees, the usual things you'd see as being prohibited, those will continue to be prohibited during this event."
NHL.com staff writer Tracey Myers contributed to this report