FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Preparations have been ongoing for over a day as the city of Fort Lauderdale prepares to host the Florida Panthers championship parade on Sunday.
The Championship Celebration parade will begin at 11 a.m.
The parade will travel along A1A, starting at Riomar Street and concluding just north of Fort Lauderdale Beach Park (across from Hotel Maren) at Southeast Fifth Street, where a formal rally will take place on stage.
The Panthers began their celebration Tuesday morning with a party at Elbo Room in Fort Lauderdale.
The team was able to celebrate their first championship in franchise history by bringing the Stanley Cup with them, giving some fans the once-in-a-lifetime chance to drink out of the 132-year-old prestigious trophy.
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Panthers teammates Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett also had some fun with a fan who asked them to douse him in beer poured straight from the Stanley Cup.
Tkachuk spoke with Local 10 News Tuesday about becoming a champion and shared what the last 24 hours have been like.
“It has been a great day. The fans are out and about and it has been awesome interacting with them,” he said.
The Stanley Cup was even carried onto the sand before taking a dip on the South Florida shoreline.
Crews are already putting up barricades along the official parade route on A1A.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, right? We’re going to share in this and ensure the community has an opportunity to be a part of this,” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis.
The city of Fort Lauderdale is also setting up tents, bleachers, and a stage, just steps from the sand, for a beachside celebration after the parade.
“I’m glad we’re not rushing this parade. We have all week to make sure we have the best parade,” said Trantalis.
CLICK HERE for more information on the parade and how you can attend.