It’s been a long time since Houston gave a sports champion a downtown parade. That changes today when the World Series Champion Astros are celebrated downtown.
The parade will start this afternoon at 2 o'clock and about half a million people expected to be there.
“I want to be there because I am a Houstonian and I am an Astros fan for life,” one fan told our TV partner, Channel 2.
The team will be there (with one notable exception). City officials will be there, and City Council member Jack Christie told our TV partner Channel 2 it's a chance for fans to give back after the Astros did so much for us after Harvey.
“This is a team that during Harvey, would come out to places and help people out,” Christie said.
As for what you'll see during the parade, city officials like Susan Christian say there will be plenty of confetti.
“We’ll have about a ton of it shooting from twenty sites, sixteen building and four ground sites,” Christian explained.
As for kids going to school today, HISD cancelled classes for today to celebrate, but Katy ISD and Cy Fair ISD did not. Katy ISD citing days lost thanks to the storm.
If you're planning to take Metro to the parade you're getting a break; you'll be riding for free.
As for that one notable player who won’t be at the parade today. It’s Justin Verlander. But he’s got a good excuse. He’s off to Italy to marry his longtime girlfriend Kate Upton.
The parade starts at 2 and you can hear it all on sister station Sports Talk 790.