ATLANTA — Crowds lined up several hours early to watch the Atlanta Braves parade through their own victory road on Friday, but some fans are saying their moment to see the World Series champions was rushed.
The parade started at noon in Atlanta with the team being bussed down Peachtree Street. Organizers said the route would start in the city and then weave its way into Cobb County, pausing the parade as the team hit the highway to continue celebrations at The Battery.
Once the festivities kicked off shortly after 12 p.m., fans were shocked at how brief their front-row seat to the celebrations was.
11Alive crews along the Atlanta parade route heard from frustrated fans saying after hours of waiting in the cold, they were hoping for more than just a few seconds to see their new hometown champions.
Though there is no steadfast rule for how fast parades should go, organizations like the Victory Corps and Mardi Gras organizers recommend walking speed, which is about 3 mph. This speed would allow floats, vehicles and other parade participants to complete a route within an hour. According to fans, the Braves passed parade spots within minutes.
Despite the frustrations, crowds still celebrated the World Series win. The last time the Braves held the title was when they defeated Cleveland in 1995, with fans calling this parade a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The city is rejoicing now that Atlanta has brought the championship home after crushing the Houston Astros in Game 6.
11Alive has crews set up at multiple places around the parade route, capturing the best moment of the day. You can watch the action on 11Alive.com and on the 11AliveYouTube channel if you can't catch it in person.