There are no Taylor Swift sightings to speak of, but downtown Kansas City has turned into a sea of red for Valentine's Day as Chiefs fans celebrate their third Super Bowl title in five seasons with a parade.
“It never gets boring,” posted Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas
In a nod to the double holiday (parade + Valentine's Day), Patrick Mahomes' wife Brittany posted a picture of the rose her Super Bowl MVP husband gave her and wrote, “He hasn't forgotten.” And she wasn't alone. Travis Kelce's mother, Donna, was seen handing out roses to many of the attendees.
For many fans, a key issue is whether Swift would attend the parade and victory speeches with her boyfriend Kelce. Swift has not commented and is not expected to be on board any of the double-decker buses. She has a show Friday night in Melbourne, Australia, the first of three scheduled concerts on her Eras Tour.
Still, this unlikely event, combined with unseasonably warm temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees Celsius, is expected to produce a crowd that city officials estimate could swell to over a million. In fact, several players were seen shirtless on the road amid the rising excitement, including soon-to-be free-agent linebacker Willie Gay.
“I missed last year. I said, 'I won't miss this year,'” said longtime fan Charles Smith Sr., who traveled to the parade from his home in Sicklerville, New Jersey.
Patrick Mahomes is seen behind Travis Kelce aboard one of several double-decker buses at Wednesday's parade in KC
Travis Kelce is signaling either that he's open or that the Kansas City Chiefs are – once again – the best team in the NFL
In a nod to the double holiday (parade + Valentine's Day), Mahomes' wife Brittany posted a picture of the flower she gave her
Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt and his family are seen holding the Lombardi Trophy during Wednesday's parade
A Kansas City Chiefs fan takes a selfie in front of Union Station wearing a Taylor Swift shirt
Several young fans can get a better view of Wednesday's parade in Kansas City by climbing a tree near Union Station
Greased traffic poles were intended to prevent fans from climbing to the top, but that plan may have failed
A general view as Kevin Moore waves a flag outside Union Station prior to the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl LVIII parade
Chiefs fan Scott Shepard poses with “KC” necklaces around his neck before the parade, which is expected to draw 1 million fans
A detailed view of Taylor Swift's clothing is shown during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVIII victory parade
Fans gathered along the parade route on Wednesday with commemorative caps and banners
Known to friends as Kansas City Smitty, the 52-year-old first became a Chiefs fan when Christian Okoye played fullback for the team starting in the late 1980s.
“I have a history with this team,” he said, adding that he ran out of his house with a giant flag and shouted “Kansas City” as the Chiefs won in overtime.
The city and team each donated about $1 million to the event, which commemorates Kelce, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs becoming the first team to defend their title since Tom Brady and the New England Patriots two decades ago.
Some fans camped overnight and others began staking out spots before dawn to get the best viewing spots. Bailey McDermott, 17, and Gracie Gilby, 16, of Lebanon, Missouri, got up at 3 a.m. to make the three-hour drive to the parade. They threw a party to watch the game and when the Chiefs won, confetti pops exploded.
“I kind of freaked out at the end,” said Gilby, wearing a sequined Chiefs jersey with Kelce’s No. 87. McDermott also had a sequined jersey, hers was Mahomes' No. 15.
Cardboard cutouts of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift can be seen in a store window during Wednesday's parade in Kansas City
Light poles were expected to be greased before the parade to prevent fans from climbing up
A Kansas City Chiefs fan poses for photos with a replica of the Vince Lombardi trophy during the Super Bowl victory parade
No, that's not Patrick Mahomes. It's actually a shirtless man wearing a large mask with the famous face of the Super Bowl MVP
A fan is seen holding a sign with Travis Kelce's face on it, although there appears to be some wear and tear
A young fan is seen playing football during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVIII victory parade on Wednesday in Missouri
Many of the region's largest school districts have canceled classes, and businesses along the parade route are turning the day into a viewing party for their employees. At least 600 Kansas City police officers will be stationed along the 2-mile (3.22-kilometer) route, Police Chief Stacey Graves said.
This year's parade will follow almost exactly the same route as the Chiefs' 2020 and 2023 Super Bowl celebrations.
According to the Kansas City Star, it will start on 6th Street at the Kansas City River Market and end on Pershing Road in front of Union Station.
However, there is a difference to this year's map: the route does not go through the City Market.
Teens and younger children were everywhere, some throwing soccer balls, others watching replays of game highlights on giant television screens.
Among them were Elysseah Buford and her friend Devaun Burns, who watched the game and took orders from McDonald's in between. “We're losing.” “We're losing,” Buford recalled. But Burns scolded her, even when a manager declared the game was a lost cause: “I said, 'Don't say it.' Believe it.'
Kansas City Chiefs fans watch during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVIII victory parade, where the relievers were in their 60s
Fans walk past a fountain of red water as they arrive at the Kansas City Chiefs victory parade in Missouri on Wednesday
Some fans hoped to catch a glimpse of Taylor Swift by making signs referencing her lyrics
The 18-year-old Raymore high school senior attended the festivities with another friend, 17-year-old Mekiyzeion Williams. who dared to ask what would have happened if Mecole Hardman had missed the final touchdown catch. “Shut up,” Burns said.
After decades without a championship, the city is gaining experience with victory parades. Five seasons ago, the Chiefs defeated the 49ers to secure the team's first Super Bowl championship in 50 years. The Kansas City Royals then won the 2015 World Series, the city's first baseball championship in 30 years. This year, fans parked their cars on the side of the road so they could walk to the celebration.
Then, last year, the Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 and prophetically promised they would come back for more.
A big change this year is that the parade will start an hour earlier at 11 a.m., so the crowd will disperse before the Valentine's Day dinner crowd arrives.
After the extensive cleanup, the team gets ready to try again.