For the third time in four years, the Golden State Warriors are the NBA Champions (break for applause) and on June 12th the Bay Area will go crazy in appreciation. Officials estimate that 1 million or more fans will head to downtown Oakland for the parade, with a half-million people boarding BART to get there. Parade veterans should remember that Tuesday's festivities will have a new route (and strict rules), so make sure you're prepared before you head out.
Start time and route:
The parade will begin at 11am at the corner of Broadway and 11th Street, head straight down Broadway until it turns right at 20th Street/Thomas L. Berkeley Way, right again at Harrison Street, left on 19th Street and right again on Lakeside Drive before circling around Lake Merritt to its terminus at 13th and Oak streets. It’s expected to last about two to three hours.
Getting a spot:
Spectators are allowed to start grabbing their spots as early as 6:30am. Don't underestimate how many people will be there at the crack of dawn.
Parking:
Don't even think about it. There will no parking zones set up for the parade and lots of street closures.
BART:
BART will be running rush-hour service all day using every train at the maximum possible length. Peak crowds are anticipated between the hours of 9am and 11am and 12pm to 2pm. Also, several trains that originate at North Concord for the trip to San Francisco will only be going as far as downtown Oakland on Tuesday. So, pay extra attention to the station announcements.
AC Transit:
AC Transit buses will be rerouted around downtown Oakland for most of the day due to the street closures in the parade area.
Can I ride my bike or scooter into downtown?
It’s not recommended. Not only will bikes/scooters not be allowed on crowded BART trains, but there will be few places to park them along the parade route, because the sidewalks will be super crowded. Best to park your bike or scooter at a BART station and head on foot from there.
Don't bring:
- Drones
- A boat
- Hard-sided containers, such as coolers or Thermoses
- Glass containers
- Lawn furniture, folding chairs, umbrellas or pop-up tents
- Alcohol
- Illegal drugs
- Weapons
- Laser pointers
- Fireworks