DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche championship celebration will take over downtown Denver Thursday.
On Wednesday, city crews dressed up Broadway for the parade, painting burgundy and blue stripes on the road.
"It's very, very, very nice to see downtown come alive again. I hadn't really seen it since before COVID," said Todd Bellmyer, head brewer at Wynkoop Brewing Company. "I imagine there's going to be throngs of people tomorrow."
Thousands of people will be lining the streets, waiting for the Avs to drive by with the Stanley Cup.
"It's been really fun to see the Avs go as far as they have and obviously win the Stanley Cup," Wynkoop operations manager Katy Bale said. "So, we can't wait."
The parade will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday at Union Station. It will proceed down 17th Street to Broadway and then south all the way to Civic Center Park.
Bale said they've been waiting decades for this win.
"It's always a long 20 years in Denver, but that's how we do things," Bale said. "We like to win about every 15-20 years, but hopefully we'll do it again next year."
Bale said the last few weeks have been busy, and Thursday they're excited to celebrate with the fans.
"We can't wait," Bale said. "Luckily, we have a ton of fans that work for us and also that just come and visit."
The Avs faithful will have the opportunity to enjoy a special beer made especially for the championship.
"We've got a lot of beer and we're ready to pour it. Hopefully we pour a lot tomorrow," Bellmyer said.
He calls the beer "Hoist the Cup."
"Also being a wild ale because of the type of bacteria we used to ferment it, makes it perfect for the Avs because the Avs fans get a little wild sometimes," Bellmyer said.
He said in the last few weeks the city has been buzzing with energy.
"I think we're going to be busy and I'm looking forward to it," Bellmyer said.
The city is asking fans to leave chairs and large bags at home for the parade and rally. It is going to be hot, so bring lots of water. Shoulder-to-shoulder crowds of people are expected, ready to celebrate the Avs.
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