Celebrate Villanova’s Win at Friday’s Parade!

Philadelphia will celebrate Villanova’s NCAA win with a citywide parade this Friday. The Wildcats are the 2016 NCAA National Champions, an accolade that has left fans throughout the city delirious with excitement. Mayor Jim Kenney announced that plans for the parade have been in the making ever since Villanova made it to the National Championship against North Carolina. According to Villanova, the parade will begin at 1pm at the intersection of 20th and Market Streets, and will then end five blocks east at Dilworth Park.

Fans throughout the city are celebrating the Wildcats’ big win!

Mayor Kenney spoke happily about Villanova’s win, telling press: “”They are a Philadelphia school. We are a large regional city in the southeast region of Pennsylvania and we’re happy that they won… happy to host them.”

Villanova will pick up the estimated $10,000 – $20,000 tab for enhanced police presence at and around the parade route.

The parade will have some impact on the city’s infrastructure. SEPTA’s schedules have changed, with the transit authority adding extra capacity to the Norristown High Speed Line, Market-Frankford Line, and the Broad Street Line on Friday. The NHSL will provide transportation in the area of Villanova with stops at Radnor, Villanova and Stadium Stations. The SEPTA stations at 15th Street MFL and the City Hall BSL will remain open unless overcrowding occurs, then they will be bypassed. It’s believed that the morning rush hour will be unaffected, but city officials are bracing for a heavier-than-usual evening rush hour, due to the parade ending just before the evening rush starts. Mail collection will be partially impacted, with certain mail collection boxes in the parade area being left not picked up on Friday.