KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The mad dash to plan for a party of hundreds of thousands of people was underway early Monday afternoon.
Stage builders, production crew and others took over the parking lot in front of Kansas City’s Union Station to start setting up for Wednesday’s Chiefs Kingdom Champions Parade.
The parade part of the event is slated to start at noon Wednesday near 6th Street and Grand Boulevard.
RELATED | Parade route details finalized
The event eventually concludes in front of Union Station, with Chiefs Kingdom gathered at the World War I Memorial and Museum taking in a rally slated for 1:45 p.m.
KSHB 41 reporter Sarah Plake was outside of Union Station Monday as crews got things ready.
.@UnionStationKC prepping the big stage for the #SuperBowl2023 parade in KC. Love to see the banners. And I better see ALL OF YOU out here for this parade on Wednesday!! It’s gonna be a great day! Go Chiefs! @KSHB41 pic.twitter.com/KSxebYKuto
— Sarah Plake (@SarahPlakeTV) February 13, 2023
The Championship signs and Kansas City flags were rolled out inside Union Station, where Chiefs fans were undeniably in great spirits and taking pictures.
A few families may have even taken the day off to enjoy the feeling.
"We did not go to school today so we could come and get all these amazing memories at Union Station," Laurie Lofdahl said, with her husband, Dustin, and three young kids.
"No one will know!" Dustin Lofdahl said.
Union Station will be the ending point of the Super Bowl parade, just like the first one. It is a perfect place for making more core memories.
The Lofdahl kids have experienced two Super Bowl wins in their life.
"Super cool," they said.
Of course, not every Chiefs fan has been that lucky.
Mac DePriest, who was also waiting in line to take a picture at Union Station, has been a fan for 69 years, through the highs and lows.
"Yeah, I was here when they weren't winning but I was still following them," DePriest said. "Now we're winning so I feel good. My granddaughter's done something I haven't - she saw the Chiefs win two Super Bowls."
The parade route will be the same as in 2020, winding down Grand Boulevard.
Messenger Coffee is at a prime location at E 17th Street and Grand Boulevard.
"We're going to be open to the public on the first floor, just in and out, a nice to-go, get their coffee and pastry to help celebrate along the parade route," said Isaac Hodges, president of Messenger coffee.
Messenger will be open normal hours on the first floor from 7 a.m. to about 3 p.m., and expect to be busy.
The second and third floors are already reserved for private parties.
It's a great feeling for businesses like Messenger, who get to be a part of the history.
"It just feels like we're re-solidifying ourselves in the city and remember how great it was back in 2020. Doing it again in 2023," Hodges said.
Fans wanting to come to the parade should expect to start their day early.
At the last parade in 2020, people were setting up their lawn chairs along the route as early as 5 to 6 a.m.
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