Texas Rangers victory parade will be midday Friday in Arlington Entertainment District

Arlington will celebrate the historic World Series win of the Texas Rangers with a parade on Friday afternoon and a celebration outside Globe Life Field.

“It’s been a long-awaited celebration,” said Susan Schrock, a spokeswoman for the city, when reached late Wednesday shortly after the Rangers pummeled the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Schrock told the Star-Telegram on Thursday morning that it’s hard to predict how many people will turn out for the parade, but she hopes to see “a sea of red, white and blue” filling Arlington’s Entertainment District.

Parking will be free and open to the public at 8 a.m., according to Arlington officials.

Lots surrounding Globe Life Field, Choctaw Stadium, AT&T Stadium and the Esports Stadium Arlington + Expo Center will be open to the public to park for free.

The Live! by Loews parking garage, Cowboys parking Lot 3, 4 and 5 and Rangers’ parking lots A, B, K, R and T, some of which are inside the parade route, will be closed to vehicles before and during the festivities. Designated handicap parking spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis in Rangers parking lots on the north, east and southeast sides of the parade route.

Streets on the parade route surrounding Globe Life Field and Choctaw Stadium will be closed to vehicle traffic by 10 a.m., according to the release. A list of impacted streets is below.

• Cowboys Way between AT&T Way and Stadium Drive

• AT&T Way between Cowboys Way and Nolan Ryan Expressway

• Nolan Ryan Expressway between AT&T Way and E. Road to Six Flags Drive

• E. Road to Six Flags Drive between Nolan Ryan Expressway and Ballpark Way

• Ballpark Way between E. Road to Six Flags Drive and Cowboys Way

• Randol Mill Road between AT&T Way and Ballpark Way

The Rangers victory parade will start at 12:15 p.m. off Cowboys Way near Lot A and loop around Globe Life Field and Choctaw Stadium in a clockwise fashion for nearly two miles, according to the release. The route travels north on AT&T Way, east on Nolan Ryan Expressway and connects to East Road to Six Flags before heading south on Ballpark Way/Stadium Drive on the east side of Globe Life Field and down to Cowboys Way. The route ends near Lot A.

Here’s a map of the parade route:

The parade will last about an hour, according to Schrock.

“There will be lots of places for fans to line up along the streets and cheer for the Rangers as they pass by,” Schrock said.

In addition to all Texas Rangers players, the parade will include Arlington Mayor Jim Ross, the Arlington City Council, representatives from the police and fire departments and local school marching bands, the release said.

“Although we’ve never done this before, we anticipate a massively large crowd,” Ross said. “So come out early. Find your favorite spot on the parade route.”

Rangers players, executives and manager Bruce Bochy will address the crowd at a public ceremony, which will be held in the Globe Life Field North Plaza and the adjacent Lot B following the parade. Texas Rangers Hall of Famer Chuck Morgan will lead the 30-minute program, according to the release.

Public restrooms and concessions can be accessed through the north and west entrances of Choctaw Stadium.

Courtney White, a spokesperson for the Arlington Police Department, said there are no restrictions on backpacks or bag sizes since it is an outdoor event, but she encourages attendees to “pack some patience.”

“There will be a minimum of 250,000 people in attendance. So it will be crowded,” White told the Star-Telegram in an email. “You may end up being shoulder to shoulder, so large bags and items may be something you want to leave at home.”

This is a seminal moment for the city of Arlington, which has come into its own in recent years in the heart of the Metroplex with billions of dollars in investment in its sports and entertainment district, also home to that other beloved Texas team, the Dallas Cowboys.

The district is seeing a $295 million renovation of AT&T Stadium, which could well be host to the 2026 World Cup final match. Not to mention, a $550 million Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center, the $230 million National Medal of Honor Museum and the One Rangers Way luxury apartment complex.

Ross said Arlington is well-equipped to handle the expected crowd.

“We’ve had the Super Bowl, we’ve had Taylor Swift concerts, we’ve had WWE WrestleMania and numerous football and baseball games forever,” Ross said. “We’re accustomed to having major events, and we work well on a multi-jurisdictional basis with other local agencies, with state agencies and federal agencies. So yeah, we’re prepared for this. This is what we do.”

As if the gods are smiling upon the World Series win (which, of course, we know they are), the weather will be perfect for the outdoors celebration — sunny with a high in the low 70s.

Arlington ISD and some other area schools will be closed Friday so students and staff can attend the celebration.

“This is the first championship win for the Rangers in their history,” said Dr. Steven Wurtz, interim superintendent of Arlington ISD, in a news release. “It’s a huge day for sports fans, and we’re excited to celebrate with the team and the community.”

The Texas Rangers requested Arlington ISD marching band students to perform in the parade. The district is coordinating students from all six traditional high schools to make up one combined band. “We are thrilled about this opportunity for our students,” said Wurtz. “They are so talented and everyone will know that after they see them perform at the parade.”

Wurtz said that “massive traffic issues are expected,” which likely will make transportation to and from schools and other district facilities difficult throughout the day. Although classes won’t be held, all school sporting events on Friday will continue as scheduled.

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The celebration will be historic, indeed. This is the first World Series title for the franchise in its more than 50-year history.

Ross said the Rangers’ win will impact Arlington in “immeasurable ways” that go beyond the economic boost it will give to the city.

“I was at Texas Live! (Wednesday night),” Ross said. “People were cheering and crying and hugging each other and saying, ‘I love you.’ I mean, I’m like, this is the World Series, but this is something beyond that. And I think that that’s what we’re feeling in Arlington right now. A real sense of pride, a real sense of community.”

The Rangers on Wednesday night defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in Game 5 of the World Series. The Rangers won the series, 4-1.

Friday, when Texas fans will take to the streets to celebrate, would have been Game 6 at Globe Life Field if the Diamondbacks had won Wednesday.

One of the stars of the celebration Friday will no doubt be shortstop Corey Seager, who made MLB history when he was named World Series MVP for the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night.

Seager joined Bob Gibson, Reggie Jackson and Sandy Koufax as the only players to win two World Series MVPs.

Seager became the first player to win World Series MVP for both an American League and a National League team. Seager batted .308 with six home runs and 12 RBIs throughout the playoffs.

19,034 days: From Texas Rangers birth to World Series champions