Text size:

Giants parade Tuesday, lottery held for VIP tickets

By Justin Rocket Silverman and Jamshid Mousavinezhad | amNewYork and amNY.com

4:14 PM EST, February 4, 2008

Get the ticker-tape and blue Giants face paint ready!

The city laid out plans for an official parade on Tuesday to honor the G-Men's Super Bowl win. Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to flood the route, with mild temperatures expected to be in the 50s.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that the parade would begin at Battery Park at 11 a.m. From there it will proceed northbound on Broadway in the Financial District--along the traditional 'Canyon of Heroes' route--to a rally at City Hall, around 1 p.m.

Fans will be able to line the entire parade route on a first-come, first-serve basis, with office workers expected to mob street-facing windows.

In addition, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said members of the public will have a chance to attend the limited-access City Hall event--at which the Mayor will give the Key to the City to the Giants--by entering a lottery via 311.

New Yorkers have to call the ciyt's 311 information line by 7 p.m. Monday night to enter the lottery. You can request up to four tickets, and will be notified later Monday night if you won.

Tom Dell, 55, says he'll be at the parade for sure. He showed up at a midtown hotel Monday morning, after hearing the Giants were going to be there--but was disappointed to hear the team's plane had apparently been delayed by bad weather.

"I came for the Giants, but I guess I'll stay for the free hot chocolate and cookies," Dell said.

City officials are warning fans and commuters to prepare for crowded conditions Tuesday morning, and to use mass transit if possible.

Multiple subway lines feed into the parade route, including the A/C/E, 1/2/3/, 4/5/6, Q/R/W and J/M/Z. Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road said they will be running extra trains into New York City Tuesday morning to accommate fans. Check www.mta.info for schedule details.

Giants players, team officials and city notables will ride in the parade, which will culminate at the victory rally at City Hall.

Eli Manning, Michael Strahan, Coach Tom Coughlin, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other notables will then address fans.

Who knows--maybe Tiki Barber will be there too!

The Associated Press contributed to this report